How Much More Can Alabamians Expect to Pay at the Grocery Store?

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The trips to the grocery store are not like they use to be, at least when it comes time to pay. From supply and demand issues to inflation, we are all feeling the financial pinch.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index shows that grocery prices got more expensive in the month of May. Food at the store is not the only one to rise in price, menu items rose in the same time frame.

The food cost in the month of May this year was 5.8% higher than it was a year ago with menu prices seeing an 8.3% increase since last year.

Here is what went up the most!

Margarine jumped 22.5% in cost

Flour went up 17.1% in cost

Sugar jumped 11.1% throughout the year

Juice and non-alcoholic drink products increased 9.9%

Lettuce increased to 9.4%

Ham increased 8.2%

Cheese, chicken and fresh vegetables increased in price but at a smaller increment. Uncooked beef roasts remained at its current price, on average.

However, there is some relief in sight!

Price of eggs dropped 13.8% last month, which was the largest single-month price decline since January 1951.

The decrease in price of eggs is attributed to people pulling back when prices were extremely high.

Bacon dropped 9.8%, citrus fruit fell 5.3% and fish and seafood fell 1.1% over the course of the year.

Pork chops came down 1.5% over the past month. Bacon also dropped 1.3% and fish and seafood went down 1.6% for the month of May.

Other items that have decreased in price are rice and pasta dipped 1.2% with butter dropping 1%. However, a few more items did see a price increase, apples rose 1.9% in cost with sugar rising 0.5%.