Potato chips
Potato chip prices
U.S. city average · June 2026
Potato chips averaged $6.63 per 16 ounces in June 2026, up 0.8% from last month and down 2.7% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.
Chart shown: January 1980 – June 2026 · Full series: January 1980 – June 2026 (557 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000718311.
Recent potato chips price history
| Month | Price | Vs. prior month | Vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | $6.63 | ▲ 0.8% | ▼ 2.7% |
| May 2026 | $6.58 | ▼ 2.5% | ▼ 2.2% |
| April 2026 | $6.75 | ▲ 0.5% | ▲ 2.1% |
| March 2026 | $6.71 | ▼ 1.7% | ▲ 2.7% |
| February 2026 | $6.83 | ▲ 3.0% | ▲ 5.6% |
| January 2026 | $6.63 | ▼ 2.3% | ▲ 2.4% |
| December 2025 | $6.79 | ▼ 0.5% | ▲ 7.3% |
| November 2025 | $6.82 | — | ▲ 4.8% |
| September 2025 | $6.97 | ▲ 3.3% | ▲ 7.8% |
| August 2025 | $6.75 | ▼ 0.7% | ▲ 8.1% |
| July 2025 | $6.80 | ▼ 0.3% | ▲ 7.5% |
| June 2025 | $6.82 | ▲ 1.2% | ▲ 3.8% |
| May 2025 | $6.73 | ▲ 1.8% | ▲ 1.5% |
| April 2025 | $6.61 | ▲ 1.1% | ▲ 1.6% |
| March 2025 | $6.54 | ▲ 1.1% | ▼ 0.5% |
| February 2025 | $6.46 | ▼ 0.2% | ▲ 0.8% |
| January 2025 | $6.47 | ▲ 2.4% | ▲ 1.3% |
| December 2024 | $6.32 | ▼ 2.9% | ▼ 1.3% |
Potato chip prices rose 0.8% from May to June 2026 and are 2.7% lower than a year ago. Prices remain below the September 2025 peak of $6.97 but well above the 1980 level of $1.98.
From potato chips to the full grocery basket
Potato chips added $0.05 to June’s basket change.
What drives the price of potato chips
Potato chips are a processed food, so the raw potato is only a small slice of what a bag costs. Frying oil, packaging, energy, labor, and transport usually weigh more heavily than the farm price of potatoes, which means chip prices track general food-manufacturing and packaging costs and move far more smoothly than fresh potatoes do.
BLS series APU0000718311 tracks the average retail price of potato chips at the U.S. city average, measured per 16 ounces and reported monthly back to 1980.
Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Vegetables and Pulses. Price data: BLS series APU0000718311.
Potato chips price FAQ
How much does a 16-ounce package of potato chips cost right now?
As of June 2026, potato chips averaged $6.63 per 16 ounces at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
Are potato chip prices going down in 2026?
The latest 2026 BLS reading shows potato chips prices up 0.8% versus the prior month and down 2.7% versus a year ago (June 2026).
What is the highest price potato chips have reached?
The record high is $6.97 per 16 ounces, set in September 2025; the record low is $1.98 in January 1980.
Where does this potato chips price data come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Average Price Data program, retrieved via the BLS Public Data API. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
How much did potato chips cost in 2001?
In 2001, potato chips averaged $3.39 per 16 ounces at the U.S. city average — versus $6.63 today (June 2026), about 96% higher now.
Cite this
Basket Report. "Average potato chips price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved August 1, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/potato-chips/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000718311. <a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/potato-chips/">Average potato chips price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000718311; retrieved August 1, 2026) Basket Report. (2026). Average potato chips price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/potato-chips/