CLEVELAND — The latest inflation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows grocery prices are still rising nationwide.
According to the Consumer Price Index released this week, “food at home,” a category that tracks grocery prices, increased 2.9% over the past year.
But News 5’s year-long grocery price tracker found a very different story in Northeast Ohio.
For the past year, News 5 has tracked the same six grocery staples.
The weekly basket includes:
- One gallon of 2% milk
- Wheat bread
- One pound of chicken breast
- One pound of ground beef
- One dozen large white eggs
- A 12-ounce box of toasted oats cereal
One year ago, those six items cost an average of $21.24.
This week, that same basket averaged $17.88.
That’s a drop of $3.36, or nearly 16%.
Egg prices saw the biggest drop.
A dozen large white eggs averaged $4.35 one year ago. This week, they averaged $1.69, a 61% decrease.
Chicken prices also fell significantly.
One pound of chicken breast averaged $4.32 last year. This week, it averaged $3.04, down nearly 30%.
Economists have pointed to stabilizing egg supplies after last year’s avian flu outbreaks contributed to major price spikes.
Not every grocery staple is getting cheaper.
News 5’s tracker found prices increased for several items:
- Ground beef: up 5%
- Cereal: up nearly 7%
- Bread: up 3%
- Milk: up 2%
That aligns with broader national inflation trends showing consumers are still paying more in several grocery categories, especially beef.
The latest CPI report found beef prices rose 8.5% nationally over the past year.
Families purchasing more beef, packaged foods or other rising staples may still feel squeezed.
And many Northeast Ohio shoppers told News 5 they’re still changing how they shop to save money, including buying less meat, shopping store brands and comparing prices at multiple stores.
Each week, we’ll visit Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Marc's, and Dave's Market to check prices on everyday essentials.
Those include: 2% milk, a loaf of wheat bread, chicken price per pound, ground beef tray or patty per pound (80% lean 20% fat), 1 dozen white eggs and toasted oats cereal.
If you're willing to shop around, you can snag even deeper discounts on meat, dairy, and pantry goods.
We’re also giving you a chance to see how your favorite stores stack up week to week. We’ll compare how grocery prices change at each store each week.
Find a better deal? We want to hear from you! Submit your finds through the form below. If you beat our prices, we’ll feature them.
And if you’re a savvy shopper, always chasing the best deals, we may even join you on your next grocery run.
