The cost of groceries jumped in March on higher prices for meat, eggs and milk, despite an overall decline in the cost of living.
The overall Consumer Price Index fell 0.1% last month driven by a 6.3% drop in gasoline prices, but the index for food eaten at home rose 0.5% after being flat in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday.
Even with that increase, the index for food eaten at home is up just 2.4% since March 2024.
While wholesale prices for eggs have been falling for several weeks as the outbreaks of avian flu have eased, the retail cost of eggs still rose 5.9% in March and is up more than 60% year over year.
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Prices for pork rose 1.7% in March, with the cost of bacon going up 2.4%. Beef prices rose 1.2% and chicken cost 0.5% more. Milk prices rose 1% and the cost of cheese was 1.9% higher.
Shoppers saw some savings elsewhere in stores. The index for fresh fruits and vegetables fell 0.5%, driven by lower prices for citrus, potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes.
The index for cereals and bakery products slipped 0.1%
USDA’s Economic Research Service, which forecasts retail food prices, estimates the cost of eating at home will rise 2.7% in 2025, just above the 20-year average increase in grocery costs of 2.6%.
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