Do food prices seem even higher than usual?

[Anonymous]

I've noticed it at the grocery store but really have seen a difference in take-out. We ordered from one of our usual local chain spots last weekend, and not only did the kid's meal increase in price from $7 to $9, but the serving size was tiny and the quality was much lower. Even the kids noticed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We have a long way to go until groceries impact household budgets. It’s been dropping for decades, it’s just more visible because you look at the prices every week

Can they update that graph to reflect November 2022 though?

I believe -- no, I know for certain -- that the cost of food has risen in the past year compared with 2019.

Granted but unless food has literally doubled it’s likely no more expensive than the 80s.

Some food has definitely doubled. Most food prices I would say is probably close to being double.

So weird. We shop at moms and prices haven’t changed much. Maybe because they always paid their workers well and no longer have to pass on those higher costs? Not profiteers like the Kroger Albertsons merged monster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NYT just did an article that even though producer and wholesale costs have gone down, companies and restaurants are not lowering prices because consumers are willing to pay. Companies are incentivized by profit and as long as the market is willing to pay higher profits they are not giving up their profit margins. In many areas of food, there simply aren’t enough competitors to drive down consumer prices.

It’s sad but people will need to become unemployed and simply not have enough money to buy things for any of the companies or restaurants to lower prices. This is capitalism which isn’t a bad thing but without enough competitors it doesn’t work for the consumer.

Not this consumer. We've completely stopped going to sit-down restaurants and have also severely cut back on takeout/fast casual. They can go fool someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT just did an article that even though producer and wholesale costs have gone down, companies and restaurants are not lowering prices because consumers are willing to pay. Companies are incentivized by profit and as long as the market is willing to pay higher profits they are not giving up their profit margins. In many areas of food, there simply aren’t enough competitors to drive down consumer prices.

It’s sad but people will need to become unemployed and simply not have enough money to buy things for any of the companies or restaurants to lower prices. This is capitalism which isn’t a bad thing but without enough competitors it doesn’t work for the consumer.

Not this consumer. We've completely stopped going to sit-down restaurants and have also severely cut back on takeout/fast casual. They can go fool someone else.

I'm definitely doing less I don't feel like cooking so I'll get takeout, switching to less expensive items (so many apples!), and making instead of buying premade (bread, soup).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course, OP, where have you been? Everyone knows that food inflation is out of control. You're just realizing this?

I’m not just realizing this but am asking is it even higher than usual, like, this week?

Produce in particular…

Talk to the seven dollar box of strawberries in my fridge, LOL

ITS NOVEMBER.

Yes, why are you buying strawberries now? Not in season! Plenty of good fruits that are in season now. Just saw pomegranates at the Giant...YAY!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NYT just did an article that even though producer and wholesale costs have gone down, companies and restaurants are not lowering prices because consumers are willing to pay. Companies are incentivized by profit and as long as the market is willing to pay higher profits they are not giving up their profit margins. In many areas of food, there simply aren’t enough competitors to drive down consumer prices.

It’s sad but people will need to become unemployed and simply not have enough money to buy things for any of the companies or restaurants to lower prices. This is capitalism which isn’t a bad thing but without enough competitors it doesn’t work for the consumer.

Prices that restaurants are paying have not dropped. And consumers are not willing to pay the higher prices. The idea that restaurants do not have enough competitors is ludicrous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We have a long way to go until groceries impact household budgets. It’s been dropping for decades, it’s just more visible because you look at the prices every week

Can they update that graph to reflect November 2022 though?

I believe -- no, I know for certain -- that the cost of food has risen in the past year compared with 2019.

Granted but unless food has literally doubled it’s likely no more expensive than the 80s.

Some food has definitely doubled. Most food prices I would say is probably close to being double.

We are spending about double on groceries since 2019. Part of that is our kids getting bigger and their appetites growing as well, but prices are definitely a factor. We shop at Aldi and buy pretty cheap food already, so I don't see a path to changing habits and reducing spending.

[Anonymous]

Even Aldi is up. Luckily, I can go to the commissary on base and the meat/dairy there is still reasonable. Wal-Marr (I know, I know) is pretty good for pasta/rice/produce. I cannot believe the prices every time I go to a “regular” grocery store. I went to the Giant up the street and almost fainted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We have a long way to go until groceries impact household budgets. It’s been dropping for decades, it’s just more visible because you look at the prices every week

Can they update that graph to reflect November 2022 though?

I believe -- no, I know for certain -- that the cost of food has risen in the past year compared with 2019.

Granted but unless food has literally doubled it’s likely no more expensive than the 80s.

Some food has definitely doubled. Most food prices I would say is probably close to being double.

So weird. We shop at moms and prices haven’t changed much. Maybe because they always paid their workers well and no longer have to pass on those higher costs? Not profiteers like the Kroger Albertsons merged monster?

MOM’s has always been expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was just me! I know food prices have been shooting up all year, but last week when I did our grocery shopping it suddenly seemed even worse than normal. I couldn't find anything than was less than $5... any item. I bought 3 apples and it was nearly $5. Milk was $6. Snack foods suddenly seemed to have doubled. I paid $8 for a pack of Kraft string cheese????

Thank you, I thought I was crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Around spring 2021, there was an article in the WSJ where several food company spokespeople said their companies were going to raise prices as much as possible to find the breaking point for consumers.

OP here, well, they found my breaking point I guess.

I finally started using a budgeting app (You Need a Budget) last June and I've been using it to track my grocery and take out spending, mostly. That's where I really overspend. So I've been doing a good job bringing the expense down slowly, just by paying a little more attention.

But it reaction to the seemingly recent and large hike in cost of a lot of foods, I guess I plan to pay even more attention now. I certainly know how to be frugal and economize on food. I did it for years as a SAHP with a low HHI and small kids. It's just been nice not to have to think about every little expense any longer. But some of these prices are CRAZY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course, OP, where have you been? Everyone knows that food inflation is out of control. You're just realizing this?

I’m not just realizing this but am asking is it even higher than usual, like, this week?

Produce in particular…

Talk to the seven dollar box of strawberries in my fridge, LOL

ITS NOVEMBER.

Yes, why are you buying strawberries now? Not in season! Plenty of good fruits that are in season now. Just saw pomegranates at the Giant...YAY!

Pomegranates? In a smoothie?? No.

Why would I buy a fruit I don't like? Now that is a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT just did an article that even though producer and wholesale costs have gone down, companies and restaurants are not lowering prices because consumers are willing to pay. Companies are incentivized by profit and as long as the market is willing to pay higher profits they are not giving up their profit margins. In many areas of food, there simply aren’t enough competitors to drive down consumer prices.

It’s sad but people will need to become unemployed and simply not have enough money to buy things for any of the companies or restaurants to lower prices. This is capitalism which isn’t a bad thing but without enough competitors it doesn’t work for the consumer.

Time for Propublica to do another article like the yieldstar article on food company's gluttony for profits!

Around spring 2021, there was an article in the WSJ where several food company spokespeople said their companies were going to raise prices as much as possible to find the breaking point for consumers. They had no problems with supply chain issues anymore, but the food companies wanted to stockpile as much cash as possible and discussed raising food prices 15%, reasoning that once prices go up, consumers will accept it and the prices will stay high forever. I was pretty impressed that the WSJ reporter got the food company CEOs to actually admit to this strategy.

My question: How are these incredibly high food prices not a monopoly problem? If all the egg sellers raise egg prices to 6 dollars a dozen when it used to be one dollar a dozen, couldn't that be viewed as price-fixing, or collusion? Certainly the higher prices aren't going to the poor farm laborers and meat plant processors.

I used to work in corporate food service, supply chain management and this is exactly what's happening. It's futures on things like produce, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I filled my cart in 2020 at Moms Organic Market for $275-$325, including dairy and meats. So yes, food is way up.

$275 back then?? Or do you mean the price today?

Then. Filling a cart with tons of produce, meat, cheeses, household products. in 2020, maybe until Spring 2021. Hard to remember exactly when food got expensive.

[Anonymous]

My bill was definitely up this week. I shop at Giant almost exclusively and I’m not that budget conscious but there definitely were higher prices and fewer specials. I was wondering if the stores are capitalizing on people stocking up for Tgiving and thinking people will consider that less discretionary and but anyway. I don’t know,