- Grocery prices have increased for several reasons, including inflation and an avian flu outbreak.
- Prices rose 10% year-over-year as of March 2022, but the price of some items rose even more.
- Consider skipping or cutting back on overpriced products to bring your grocery bill down.
Grocery shopping has become increasingly expensive. According to the Food Price Outlook, the USDA says grocery prices rose 10% year-over-year as of March 2022. And the source predicts prices will continue to rise this year.
If you’re looking for ways to save at the supermarket, then here are 12 products you may want to skip or cut back on. Some of them have increased in price by more than 20%. Keep reading to find out which ones.
Bacon
- 2022: $7.20
- 2021: $5.85
- Increase: 23%
Sorry, bacon lovers. The breakfast staple has gotten significantly more pricey. In fact, CNN says, “Bacon is more expensive for Americans than it has been in the past 40 years.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sliced bacon went from $5.85 last year to $7.20 this year.
CNN attributes the price increase to inflation, supply chain issues, and the fact that only four companies control 66% of the market. According to the source, the Department of Agriculture has plans to investigate price-fixing and enforce antitrust laws, so perhaps bacon prices will come down sooner rather than later.
Eggs
- 2022: $2.05
- 2021: $1.63
- Increase: 26%
Bacon and eggs go together like peanut butter and jelly. Unfortunately, the classic duo is going to cost you more on both counts. While the price of bacon has increased 23%, the price of eggs has increased an even more staggering 26%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a dozen eggs have gone from $1.63 to $2.05 from 2021 to 2022. Inflation isn’t the only thing causing the increase. According to Today, an avian flu outbreak has forced farmers to euthanize millions of birds, “driving the price of eggs up to historic levels.”
Coffee
- 2022: $5.41
- 2021: $4.67
- Increase: 16%
Your morning cup of coffee also costs a pretty penny these days. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of ground-roasted coffee has gone from $4.67 per pound to $5.41 per pound.
Yet again, inflation isn’t the only thing driving prices up. There’s also a coffee shortage. CBS News reports, “Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer, suffered a severe drought.” So, currently, the supply doesn’t meet the demand.
Potato Chips
- 2022: $5.49
- 2021: $5.04
- Increase: 9%
“Betcha can’t eat just one!” was once just a clever slogan, but you may want to take Lay’s challenge seriously, given current prices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of a 16-ounce bag of potato chips has increased from $5.04 to $5.49.
Yahoo! News says the soaring price of cooking oils is one of the reasons potato chips are more expensive. For example, the source says sunflower oil now costs $1.28 per pound compared to $0.60 last year.
Oranges
- 2022: $1.48
- 2021: $1.27
- Increase: 17%
We’ve got some not-so-sunny news for anyone who regularly eats oranges. “Florida is on pace to produce the smallest crop of oranges in more than 75 years,” according to the AP. The shortage has to do with inclement weather and a disease that targets citrus trees, according to NBC News.
Unfortunately, the shortage, supply chain issues, and inflation add up to higher prices for both oranges and orange juice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a pound of oranges costs $1.48 in 2022 compared to $1.27 in 2021.
Ground Beef
- 2022: $4.76
- 2021: $4.04
- Increase: 18%
If you’ve recently stopped by the meat counter at your grocery store, then you may have experienced some sticker shock. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of ground beef has skyrocketed from $4.04 to $4.76 per pound in one year.
But there is some good news: a Wall Street analyst says, “Wholesale prices are slowly starting to moderate,” according to CNBC. So, fingers crossed that prices stabilize sooner rather than later.
Packaged Donuts
- 2022: $5.21
- 2021: $4.63
- Increase: 13%
The price of bakery products overall is up nearly 8%, according to NPR. And the price of packaged donuts is up even more. According to CNBC, a box of Entenmann’s Classic Rich Frosted Donuts went from $4.63 in 2021 to $5.21 in 2022.
Food Dive attributes the increase to a combination of factors, including higher flour prices. “Prices for flour and prepared mixes rose 2.9% on a monthly basis,” according to the source, “and were up 10.3% over the past 12 months.”
Milk
- 2022: $3.92
- 2021: $3.35
- Increase: 17%
Milk is another staple that’ll cost you more these days. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a gallon of milk has risen from $3.35 to $3.92 in the last year. And prices may not go down anytime soon.
Eat This, Not That! says the USDA predicts that prices for dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt “will go up 6% to 7% soon.” According to Mashed, “supply and demand, port congestion, and staffing issues” are all contributing factors.
Canned Soup
- 2022: $1.48
- 2021: $1.33
- Increase: 11%
While canned soups are a relatively affordable meal staple, they have gotten more pricey this year. According to CNBC, a can of Campbell’s Soup costs $1.48 in 2022 versus $1.33 in 2021.
Reuters says the Campbell Soup Company has increased prices for a few reasons. For one thing, ingredients have gotten pricier. Freight costs, too. And then there’s the cost of making the steel cans themselves, which could get more expensive this year.
Chicken
- 2022: $1.72
- 2021: $1.54
- Increase: 12%
Eggs aren’t the only thing affected by the avian flu outbreak. Chickens are also impacted. USA Today says the avian flu has been found in 23 states. As a result, everything “from rotisserie chicken to raw breasts and thighs” is expected to continue rising in price, according to the source.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the price of chicken has increased from $1.54 to $1.72 per pound in the last year. And USA Today says the price is estimated to increase between 6% and 7% this year.
Margarine
- 2022: $3.17
- 2021: $2.81
- Increase: 13%
If margarine is your spread of choice, then you may have noticed that it’s gotten more expensive lately. According to CNBC, a 15-ounce tub of Land O’Lakes margarine has increased in price from $2.81 last year to $3.17 this year.
“It’s the oil in margarine that has pushed up the price,” according to The Guardian. The source specifically cites rapeseed and palm oil, which it says have hit record high prices this year.
Packaged Cookies
- 2022: $3.99
- 2021: $3.65
- Increase: 9%
We’ve got some sad news for sweet tooths: packaged cookies have also gotten more pricey. According to CNBC, a package of Chips Ahoy! cookies went from $3.65 to $3.99 from 2021 to 2022.
NerdWallet says Mondelez, the company behind both Chips Ahoy! and Oreo, is looking for ways to reduce costs. For instance, the source says Mondelez may cut back on the extensive range of products it sells. So, the cookie aisle might not have quite as many Oreo flavors. But perhaps prices will stop climbing.
