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Food prices have risen 25% in 2 years – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

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DAYTON – We’ve all noticed that prices at the grocery store have gone up. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, prices have increased about 25 percent in the last two years.

But why? And how do you navigate it? Xavier Hershovitz, Consumer Investigative Reporter for News Center 7’s I-Team, examines why prices have skyrocketed.

Marcus Burkes lives in Xenia and said his grocery shopping cost him $220. “You could even go a year ago and get twice as much.”

Kathryn Thompson lives in Kettering and we asked her, “Have you noticed that there are certain things that cost you more?” She said, “Gosh, baked goods, butter, eggs and of course meat.”

He’s seen food prices rise for almost everything, and he’s not alone.

According to Consumer Affairs, food prices have risen about 25 percent in the last two years.

“You have to have it. So you have to pay those prices,” Thompson said.

And some items were affected more than others. The think tank Groundwork Collection found that meat, juices, fruits, vegetables and snacks account for 30 percent of food inflation.

Dr. Jeff Haymond, an economics professor at Cedarville University, said we’ve seen high inflation and that rate has cooled off a bit, but it’s still putting a strain on your wallet.

“The comparison I made with some of my students is before we were hit in the head with a two-by-four rifle every day. Now we only get hit on the head two days a week. I don’t want to get hit in the head at all,” Haymond said.

Drought problems, bird flu, the war in Ukraine – all of these things have impacted different parts of the food supply in the last two years. However, the biggest factor is another area that puts a strain on your wallet.

“Gasoline and energy prices have a big impact on food prices,” Haymond said. He continued: “If we go back to $40 a barrel of oil, some of these prices will come down.”

Some prices have fallen from highs, such as eggs, lettuce and even apples.

When it comes to saving money on grocery shopping, you’ll need to do some homework and your phone will be your best friend. First, many stores offer digital coupons in their apps. You want to use these as often as possible. And you also want to shop these sales ads so that you get the best deal on everything in your cart.

“You just have to look for the offers. This is the only way,” Thompson said.

We all just do what we can with what we have to get through each trip to the grocery store.

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