Annual Grocery CPI Average

Outbreaks of salmonella, cyclospora, and screwworm across the country put pressure on grocery prices, along with historically tight cattle supplies and increasing beef demand.

• ↗K-State study: Strong consumer demand drives beef prices despite tighter cattle supplieshttps://extension.k-state.edu/news-and-publications/news/stories/2026/01/agriculture-beef-demand-research.html
• ↗Midwest Poultry Services. L.P. Recalls Shell Eggs Due to Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contaminationhttps://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/midwest-poultry-services-lp-recalls-shell-eggs-due-possible-salmonella-enteritidis-contamination
• ↗Explainer-How flesh-eating screwworms in cattle could raise US beef priceshttps://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/explainerhow-flesheating-screwworms-in-cattle-could-raise-us-beef-prices-4725885

Bird flu and drought-thinned cattle herds renewed pressure from eggs and beef.

• ↗Egg prices could rise by 41.1% this year, USDA estimateshttps://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/bird-flu-egg-prices-growing-shortages-eggs
• ↗Beef prices in the U.S. are searingly high. Here's why.https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/beef-prices-record-highs-drought/

Easing supply-chain problems and wholesale costs sharply slowed grocery-price growth.

• ↗Food Price Inflation Slowed in 2023 and 2024https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2025/june/food-price-inflation-slowed-in-2023-and-2024

War-driven input costs and avian flu intensified the historic grocery-price surge.

• ↗Food Price Inflation Slowed in 2023 and 2024https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2025/june/food-price-inflation-slowed-in-2023-and-2024

Commodity, labor, and transportation costs pushed grocery prices higher.

• ↗Monetary Policy Reporthttps://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/2022-02-mpr-part1.htm
• ↗Grocery prices are soaring. Here’s whyhttps://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-06/supermarkets-cost-more
• ↗Grocery prices continue to surge across most categories. Here’s why.https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/09/15/food-inflation-faq/

Pandemic shopping shifts and food-chain disruptions pushed grocery prices higher.

• ↗Retail Food Price Inflation in 2020 Outpaced Historical Average by 75 Percenthttps://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2021/march/retail-food-price-inflation-in-2020-outpaced-historical-average-by-75-percent
• ↗Food Price Inflation Slowed in 2023 and 2024https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2025/june/food-price-inflation-slowed-in-2023-and-2024