Historical comparison · Updated May 2026
Have grocery prices risen faster than overall inflation?
The fixed 24-item grocery basket was $111.46 in May 2026, +47.1% versus May 2019; the dollar difference was $35.67 higher.
$75.79 in May 2019 → $111.46 in May 2026
Basket change versus CPI-U
The Basket Index changed +47.1% over this same-month period. The all-items CPI-U changed +30.9%. The comparison uses percentage movement, not the unlike raw index levels.
Comparison methodology
Both series are rebased to their same-month 2019 observations. The grocery basket is a dollar index; CPI-U is an official price-level index.
Baseline observation: 2019-05. Latest observation: 2026-05. The item table includes 23 weighted items with an observed value in both periods; excluded observations are not estimated.
Grocery basket history
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Average Price Data. Retrieved 2026-06-26. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Largest contributors
Ground beef contributed $5.85 of increase; Orange juice contributed $2.52 of increase; Milk contributed $2.51 of increase; Potato chips contributed $2.17 of increase; Eggs contributed $1.66 of increase. Contributions use fixed Basket Report quantities.
Item-level comparison
| Item | 2019-05 | Current | Change | Weighted $ difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | $3.82 | $6.75 | +76.5% | $5.85 |
| Orange juice | $2.45 | $4.97 | +102.5% | $2.52 |
| Milk | $2.96 | $4.22 | +42.3% | $2.51 |
| Potato chips | $4.41 | $6.58 | +49.3% | $2.17 |
| Eggs | $1.36 | $2.19 | +60.9% | $1.66 |
| Tomatoes | $1.82 | $2.49 | +36.5% | $1.33 |
| Ham | $4.15 | $5.46 | +31.6% | $1.31 |
| Chicken | $1.48 | $2.04 | +37.7% | $1.11 |
| Bread | $1.29 | $1.83 | +42.0% | $1.08 |
| Chicken breast | $3.09 | $4.17 | +34.9% | $1.08 |
| Sugar | $0.58 | $1.03 | +78.3% | $0.91 |
| Bacon | $5.81 | $6.71 | +15.5% | $0.90 |
| Pork chops | $4.02 | $4.91 | +22.0% | $0.89 |
| Lettuce | $1.11 | $1.96 | +77.3% | $0.86 |
| Rice | $0.76 | $1.07 | +40.7% | $0.62 |
| Oranges | $1.33 | $1.54 | +15.9% | $0.42 |
| Potatoes | $0.77 | $0.89 | +15.8% | $0.37 |
| Cheddar cheese | $5.33 | $5.69 | +6.7% | $0.36 |
| Bananas | $0.58 | $0.65 | +11.6% | $0.20 |
| Butter | $4.11 | $3.93 | −4.4% | $-0.18 |
| Flour | $0.45 | $0.54 | +19.8% | $0.18 |
| Spaghetti & macaroni | $1.20 | $1.37 | +14.8% | $0.18 |
| Lemons | $2.17 | $2.09 | −3.5% | $-0.15 |
Important limitations
The two series cover different goods and weights. Their percentage changes are comparable; their raw index levels are not.
Basket Report uses U.S. city-average BLS observations. Store, region, brand, package-size, and household spending patterns vary. No missing value is filled or forecast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Basket Report a replacement for CPI-U?
No. Basket Report is a narrow grocery benchmark derived from BLS average prices.
Why rebase both series?
Rebasing compares percentage movement from a common starting point without equating unlike raw levels.