Food inflation in the U.S. - statistics & facts

Food prices in the United States have increased every year since 2016, peaking in 2022 at about a 10 percent growth rate. The food inflation rate has subsided in the past two years to about three percent in 2024. The consumer prices index (CPI) for food in the U.S., however, has continuously increased. As of 2024, the consumer price index for food amounted to 333.57, over 140 points higher than the average food CPI in 2005.

Price development for food categories

While the inflation rate for the “food at home” segment went down in 2024, prices for many food items like eggs, and beef and veal rose significantly that year. With an 8.5 percent annual growth, theretail price for a dozen eggs in the United States amounted to 4.15 U.S. dollars. Additionally, the price for a pound of beef is projected to grow until 2026, reaching 8.6 U.S. dollars, before dropping slightly. In 2024, the average price of American processed cheese hit an all-time high at about five U.S. dollars per pound, making it 30 percent more expensive than three years prior. U.S. households' weekly grocery expenditure amounted to about 165 U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 2019 and 2024, grocery expenditure grew substantially, favored by the pandemic first and inflation after.

Consumer behavior

Continually increasing prices means growing food insecurity for many U.S. consumers. In May 2022, only about a quarter of consumers reported feeling worried about paying for food. As of November 2023, this was a concern of over 43 percent of consumers. Many consumers in the U.S. are looking for ways to reduce their food spending. As of 2024, one of the most popular strategies to save money on food was to purchase more store brands. About a quarter of consumers also attempted to save by buying lower-cost ingredients or cheaper cuts of meat. With the recent tariff suggestions in 2025, nearly half of the Americans intended to switch to more affordable alternatives of their favorite brands if prices rose. With food price sensitivity growing among grocery shoppers, competitive pricing has become a crucial factor for food and beverage brands in order to win this saturated market.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Global food price index: 130.1

Region with the highest food inflation rate: Europe and Central Asia

Annual consumer price changes of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the EU: 2.3%

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Current statistics on this topic

Food inflation rate in the United States from 2015 to 2024**

Food & Nutrition

Food inflation rate in the U.S. 2015-2024

Annual food price index worldwide from 2000 to 2025, by category

Agriculture

Global annual food price index by category 2000-2025

Consumer responses to rising food prices in Canada in 2024

Food & Nutrition

Canadian consumer responses to rising food prices 2024

Global overview

Global annual food price index by category 2000-2025
Global annual food price index by category 2000-2025
Annual food price index worldwide from 2000 to 2025, by category
Global food price index 2000-2025
Global food price index 2000-2025
Monthly food price index worldwide from January 2000 to September 2025
Annual food inflation worldwide 2019-2024, by country
Annual food inflation worldwide 2019-2024, by country
Annual consumer price changes of food and non-alcoholic beverages worldwide from 2019 to 2024, by selected country
Countries with the highest global real food inflation in 2024
Countries with the highest global real food inflation in 2024
Countries with the highest level of real food inflation worldwide in 2024

Food prices in the U.S.

Consumer price index for food in the U.S. 1960-2024
Consumer price index for food in the U.S. 1960-2024
Consumer price index for food in the United States from 1960 to 2024
Food inflation rate in the U.S. 2015-2024
Food inflation rate in the U.S. 2015-2024
Food inflation rate in the United States from 2015 to 2024**
Monthly change in the consumer price index for food & beverages in the U.S. 2021-2025
Monthly change in the consumer price index for food & beverages in the U.S. 2021-2025
Monthly percentage change in the consumer price index for food and beverages in the United States from January 2021 to August 2025
Annual increase of food CPI in the U.S 2024, by category
Annual increase of food CPI in the U.S 2024, by category
Annual increase of food consumer price index (CPI) in the United States in 2024, by category
United States: monthly price change of food items July 2025
United States: monthly price change of food items July 2025
Year-over-year inflation rate of selected food items in the United States in July 2025, by category

Price development by segment

Projected retail price of red meat 2021-2028, by type
Projected retail price of red meat 2021-2028, by type
Projected retail price of red meat from 2021 to 2028, by type (in U.S. dollars per pound)
Projected milk prices in the U.S. 2019-2028
Projected milk prices in the U.S. 2019-2028
Projected milk prices in the United States from 2019 to 2028 (in U.S. dollars per cwt)*
U.S. retail price of cheddar cheese 1995-2024
U.S. retail price of cheddar cheese 1995-2024
Retail price of cheddar cheese (natural) in the United States from 1995 to 2024 (in U.S. dollars per pound)
U.S. retail price of ground beef 1995-2024
U.S. retail price of ground beef 1995-2024
Retail price of ground beef (100% beef) in the United States from 1995 to 2024 (in U.S. dollars per pound)
U.S. retail price of processed cheese 1995-2024
U.S. retail price of processed cheese 1995-2024
Retail price of American processed cheese in the United States from 1995 to 2024 (in U.S. dollars per pound)

Consumer behavior

Consumers expecting food prices to rise in the U.S. 2021-2025
Consumers expecting food prices to rise in the U.S. 2021-2025
Share of consumers expecting grocery prices to increase in the United States from September 2021 to March 2025
Frequency consumers cut back on grocery shopping because of higher prices U.S. 2023
Frequency consumers cut back on grocery shopping because of higher prices U.S. 2023
In the last month, have you stopped yourself from purchasing something at the grocery store because of its price being higher than usual?
Consumers' food cost saving behavior in the U.S. 2024
Consumers' food cost saving behavior in the U.S. 2024
Consumers' food cost saving behavior in the United States as of February 2024
Food price sensitivity U.S. in 2023 and 2024, by gender
Food price sensitivity U.S. in 2023 and 2024, by gender
Food and take out food price sensitivity in the U.S. 2023 and 2024, by gender
Importance of low-price food items for consumers in the U.S. 2024, by item
Importance of low-price food items for consumers in the U.S. 2024, by item
Importance of low-price food items for consumers in the United States in 2024, by item

Global food price index: 130.1

Region with the highest food inflation rate: Europe and Central Asia

Annual consumer price changes of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the EU: 2.3%

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Food inflation in the U.S." and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.

Food inflation rate in the U.S.
2.9%
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Detailed statistics
Food inflation rate in the U.S. 2015-2024
U.S. retail price of all purpose white flour
0.55 USD/lb
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U.S. retail price of white flour 1995-2024
Projected milk prices in the U.S. in 2028
19.89 USD/cwt
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Detailed statistics
Projected milk prices in the U.S. 2019-2028
U.S. retail price of sliced bacon
6.92 USD/lb
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Detailed statistics
U.S. retail price of sliced bacon 1995-2024

Share of U.S. consumers expecting grocery prices to increase
64%
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Consumers expecting food prices to rise in the U.S. 2021-2025
Generation that cut back nonessential grocery purchases the most
Generation X
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Consumer nonessential grocery spending cut backs U.S. 2023, by generation
Share of consumers who were concerned about the cost of dairy products
76%
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Detailed statistics
Consumers worried about cost of groceries U.S. 2023, by category