Inflation slowed, but prices did not fall back.
The basket of 24 staples is down 2.1% year over year, yet remains far above its January 2020 level.
Where prices stand
Groceries feel expensive because, by the numbers, they are: the Grocery Basket Price Index — a fixed set of 24 staple items priced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — stands at $111.15 as of August 2026, about 38% higher than the same basket in January 2020. That jump happened mostly in the 2021–2023 inflation surge, and prices have not given those gains back.
What's changed recently
What's changed recently is the direction, not the level. Month over month the basket is +0.6% and over the past year it is −2.1%. The basket has moved lower over the past year, but that decline has reversed only part of the earlier price jump. The highest listed unit price among the 24 basket components is coffee at $9.30 per lb.
Every number is a real price
Every figure on this page is an actual average shelf price reported by BLS, not an estimate or forecast, and it updates each month with the official release.
Frequently asked questions
Are grocery prices going down in 2026?
The Grocery Basket Price Index is +0.6% versus the prior month and −2.1% versus a year ago (August 2026). Individual items still move in both directions within that overall change.
How much have grocery prices risen since 2020?
The same 24-item basket is up about 38% since January 2020, from $80.34 to $111.15.
What is the most expensive grocery item right now?
Among the 24 Basket Index components, coffee has the highest listed BLS unit price at $9.30 per lb (August 2026). Package units differ across items, so this is not a like-for-like quantity comparison.
Sources and methodology
- BLS CPI Average Price Data factsheet
- BLS Consumer Price Index news release
- Basket Report methodology
- Basket Report data downloads
Reviewed August 2026 · Source data is independently analyzed by Basket Report and does not imply BLS endorsement.
See the full Grocery Basket Price Index
Track all 24 staples and the headline grocery number month by month.