The cost of groceries rose 0.3% for the second month in a row, driven in part by rising beef prices, and is up 2.4% from a year ago.
The overall Consumer Price Index also increased 0.3% in June, driven in part by a 1% increase in gasoline prices as well as the continued rise in the cost of food. The CPI increased 0.1% and is up 2.7% year over year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.
Indexes for dairy products, and for cereals and bakery products, both declined in June. Egg prices dropped 7.4% last month as the poultry industry continues to recover from the avian flu outbreak.
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But the index for beef rose 2% after declining slightly in May and is up 10.6% from a year ago. The beef market continues to be squeezed by relatively low cattle numbers and ongoing disruptions in imports of Mexican cattle due to the New World screwworm outbreak.
Prices for fresh fruits and vegetables were up in June, driven in part by a 3.5% increase in the cost of oranges and a 1.1% increase in the cost of lettuce.
USDA's Economic Research Service, which forecasts food prices, has estimated the cost of eating at home will be 2.2% higher for 2025.
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