Grocery Items Are Cheaper Than Ever Right Now
Major upheavals have hit the supermarket industry. Over the past few years, the pandemic, climate change, and economic
instability have caused supply chain failures. Supply shortages, shipment delays, and temporary shop closures are becoming more regular
On Feb. 9, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its January 2022 Consumer Price Index report, which details pricing trends
for all spending categories. Since January 2021, "food at home" spending has risen 7.4%. Phil Lempert, consumer behavior
analyst and Supermarket Guru founder, stated Eat This, Not That! consumers should use this number as a baseline.
Meat prices have been high for a year due to supply chain issues, so consumers are looking for protein-packed alternatives.
However, the January 2022 CPI report indicated a 0.4% seasonally adjusted price decline for meat
from November to December 2021, and the most recent report revealed 0.3% decreases for beef and poultry.
This cost drop may be transitory, but the Biden administration will assist down prices further.
Antitrust initiatives may lower beef prices in the short run, but the long effect is questionable.