Posted on 04/18/2022 10:11:55 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The cost of groceries increased nearly 10% year-over-year and 1% since February, driven largely by a rise in prices of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, according to Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday, April 12. The report was released amid the highest documented inflation in more than four decades.
Economists consider two versions of the CPI data, which measures the change in prices paid by urban consumers for goods and services. The “headline” CPI, which rose 8.5%, includes all prices consumers face from housing and gas to bananas; while “core” CPI, which rose 6.5%, excludes typically volatile food and energy prices. The headline CPI increase came in slightly above the 8.4% increase many economists predicted. Meanwhile, the cost of energy increased by 32%. The BLS measures consumer costs by tracking CPI, which measures price changes, and average prices, which offer estimates of real-world prices for goods and services paid by consumers.
The March report reflects the most severe impacts of the global disruptions in energy and food markets caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Recent dips in prices of oil per barrel and the leveling off of gasoline per gallon are not reflected in this report.
Inflation, supply chain issues, and seasonal patterns drove changes in grocery prices
The average price of butter grew 11.9% in the last year. Meat has been especially affected by supply chain issues, with 100% meat frankfurters jumping 35.2% since March of 2021 to an average price of $5.18 per pound. Ground chuck, pork chops, and whole chicken showed year-over-year price increases of 11.3%, 15%, and 11.7%, respectively.
Average costs can change due to seasonal availability, inventory changes, and other factors beyond inflation.
Increases in average prices for items like beef and butter are largely tied to farms rebounding from labor shortages and supply chain issues that be traced back to the height of the pandemic when many livestock were culled, staffing was limited, and demand was low due to shutdowns. Higher input costs today for items such as grain and fuel—along with renewed consumer demand—have kept prices high.
Other factors like unfavorable weather and its impacts on crop and fruit yields—and, conversely, ramped-up production during spring and summer months—are also major contributors to average price fluctuations up and down.
Small increases on staple items can add up quickly
Many traditionally low-cost grocery staples were also impacted by inflation and supply chain constraints.
For shoppers buying premium items such as organic, free-range eggs or artisanal bread, the ability to find a cheaper item still exists. But for many consumers relying on little grocery-bill variance, small increases can add up quickly.
Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly referred to as food stamps, are afforded a monthly food stipend. These stipends are only adjusted annually for inflation and don’t account for monthly price hikes. A rise in cost for even the most bargain items can have significant impacts on vulnerable populations.
I get the part about the animals getting demanding. The stray cats I mentioned will come to the French doors outside my home office and scratch and whine pitifully if their breakfast isn't served on time. At this point, I don't even think they can be called strays. They're just outdoor cats that took up residence.
One stray a couple of years ago was my favorite. He'd actually come on the porch to eat, then would jump in my lap for a minute or two of stroking. Then he'd hop down and walk away. Of course, he died, and I've hardened my heart against the other strays.
One of our current residents will walk around the yard with my wife like a dog would do.
I buy Duke’s mayo. They still offer a 16 oz jar instead of shrinking the content to 14 or 15 like Hellman’s (shrinkflation).
And it tastes better, too.
I agree.
That brand has always been ridiculously expensive, but that has to be price gouging! When I was taking care of my Dad I did his grocery shopping and always bought him that brand because it was the only low-sodium brand available.
Soup is ridiculously EASY to make; I don’t think a week goes by that I don’t make homemade soup for us.
I wonder if food prices are going to force people to learn how to cook from scratch, or will they all perish in front of empty shelving where the soup USED to be? LOL!
Time will tell. ;)
“The cost of birdseed is through the roof. My wife refuses to believe the Lord will provide for wild birds without her help.”
Black oil sunflower seed is still the cheapest way to go; almost all birds will eat it.
In the summer months, that’s all I feed. I supplement with suet in the winter months into spring. The woodpeckers REALLY like that stuff. Homemade is messy, but if your wife saves bacon grease, it’s easy enough to make.
I have a friend who likes to travel, and when she does, I take care of her overweight dog.
Around here, with SO many dogs, I have a ‘One Per Customer’ treat policy on Milk Bones.
She calls my house ‘Fat Camp’ because Bailey always loses weight when she’s here. ;)
Mother Nature is messing with me BIG TIME these days, too.
Today we have SUNSHINE, so I’m moving everything out to the greenhouse for the day, but will have to truck a lot of it back inside overnight.
I GUESS I don’t mind - the greenhouse is relatively close to the house - but when I look back to previous years, I already had so much up and growing and happy in there, I find this spring weather extremely frustrating.
No tornadoes yet so there’s that, I guess! ;)
Biden solution - More ILLEGAL invaders!
Inflation ==> way to pay for Brandon’s illegal invaders.
Housing, groceries, education, medical freebies cost $$, you know.
😡
Agree; a whole bag of potatoes still costs less than one can of Prog potato soup.
I also experienced a 25% lower price at my local Aldi for an identical can of store-brand chili vs an Aldi in a more prosperous area 10 miles away. That is wacky.
That is a great tip.
The north-of-Baltimore suburbs location of a discount chain, Ollie's, has placed small higher-priced items like electronic accessories in a section near the checkout with not just cameras, but a motion sensor that beeps loudly when you enter, and keeps beeping until you leave that aisle.
The Ollie's in a west-of-Baltimore, primarily black suburb has been closed completely.
Earlier in the pandemic, I read that stores were increasing their wholesale purchasing and their back-room storage over a period of many months, anticipating both shortages and inflation. I guess their reserves are getting tapped out now.
It's going to be more important than ever to go over the sale flyers with a fine tooth comb. I've been leaning on one chain, but even Aldi's and the wholesale clubs can cost more for some items. Also you have the utilities costs of freezing bulk purchases at home.
Think I'll calculate the gas cost for a couple of trips to the pick-your-own farms this year. One year I picked a five-gallon bucket of blueberries and made syrup and concentrated berry mash for the freezer; plus whole berries do freeze well, as do strawberries.
Other things that freeze better than expected are most semi-solid cheeses, if you see any on sale. I love a good sprinkling of frozen feta on a summer salad. I cut the block into portion chunks and freeze in small baggies inside a larger freezer bag. Same with some cooked veggies, like cooked mushrooms.
I spent $60 at Aldi a few weeks back, prior to their big price increases. Was stocking the ‘Emergency Pantry’ with essentials, just in case. Glad I did! (It’s an 80 mile round trip, so I only go a few times a year.)
What’s going to be the PITA in all of this is finding the cheapest places to buy ‘this-n-that.’ I have TWO local choices - Walmart or Piggly Wiggly.
Don’t know if you remember or ever read any of Amy Dacyczyn newsletters (now books) back in the day, ‘The Tightwad Gazette’ but it might be time to keep Price Books, again!
https://frugalcarrie.com/2021/11/14/what-happened-to-amy-dacyczyn/
Blueberries are the best fruit ever. I am adding three ‘Patriot’ blueberry bushes to my garden this season. Walmart had (haven’t checked lately) a great price on ‘Great Value’ frozen blueberries. I use them in so many things. Running low, so I’ll see if I can afford to buy any more! ;)
Me too. The bluebirds laid eggs early this year. Yesterday they flew the nest.
I've had one brood of bluebirds already this year. Very early.
This morning it was 52 degrees.
The economy of scale with homemade soup is harder for single people. Making a small pot of soup uses almost the same amount of gas or electric as for a large pot; but dividing a large pot into one-serving portions takes a lot of room in the freezer and bores you to death with the same soup too often in order to rotate it out.
I've stopped going the whole way and now am making starter soups to freeze—basically broth, onion, celery, maybe carrot or some kind of greens. Then I can add variety with meats, vegetables, cheese, cream, herbs. pasta, or leftovers when I'm ready to heat one serving. I keep a bag of meatballs in the freezer, and on the shelf some cans of chicken and fish and jars of boullion. My dried-food shelves have many varietes of beans, onion flakes, garlic, herbs, spices, peas, lentils, rice, quinoa, pasta, and many kinds of dried fruits.
I dread the day when I am too old to carry bulk groceries from the car and up the front steps.
Our church does a great job of recycling leftovers from group dinners, where there might be six gallons of soup or casseroles, 10 loaves of bread, several salads and half-dozen desserts are brought in, but only 60 people show up for the meal! The church kitchen always has plastic containers, and the old folks or singles can take some leftovers home. We also label and store leftover servings in the big church freezer for any congregational care needs, like illness, death in the family, new baby, etc. There's usually someone who will volunteer to assemble a meal or more from those donations, and drop it off at the person's house.
Wow, great link! Anticipating inflation, I've kept all my grocery receipts for two years so I can sit down and track which of my regular items have gone up, from which store.
I've been doing many of those tightwad things already, so now I'm going to have to get even more creative. For instance, I rarely toss or donate a piece of clothing with good fabric that can be made into something else. I saw a tv show where the "home recycling coach" found a decades-old moiré brocade bridesmaid dress in the homeowner's closet (who ever wears a bridesmaid dress again?) and used it to reupholster the dining room chairs.
There was a great series years ago on PBS about a small group of people who went to live in cabins for a year as if they were back on the American frontier. They had to plant their food and make it through the cold months with only limited trips to a small general store. I remember one woman tearing the labels off of canned foods and writing letters to her family on the unprinted back side! --among many other existential economies.
I just got another bag of Walmart Great Value blueberries for $7.78 here on the east coast. It will last me until Aldi has their yearly blueberry sale in summer. Until the pandemic, it would be $1/pint for one week only, and I would usually buy 12 and freeze 11. Last year the sale price went up to $1.25. I dread the price this year.
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