The Consumer Price Index rose 3.8% in April, driven in part by an increase in grocery prices, which jumped 0.7% last month after remaining steady in March. Beef prices were up 2.7% and fruits and vegetables jumped 1.8%.
In all, five of the six major grocery store food indexes rose last month on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the monthly data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Led by beef prices, the index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 1.3% over the month, the nonalcoholic beverages index rose 1.1%, dairy and related products were up 0.8%, and the index for cereals and bakery products rose 0.1%.
Only the “other food at home” category was down, by 0.4%. The category includes sugar and sweets, and fats and oils such as butter, which was up 2.8%, and salad dressing, which fell by the same amount.
Food prices overall are up 3.2% in the past year.
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The Trump administration has been seeking ways to lower the price of beef, including consideration of executive orders that were expected to be released Monday to suspend tariff-rate quotas on imported beef and grow the domestic cattle herd. Beef prices are now 14.8% higher than they were a year ago.
Energy costs rose significantly in April. Fuel oil rose 5.8% (54.3% for the year) and motor fuel 5.7% (29.1% for the year). The price for “all types” of gasoline rose 5.4% (28.4% for the year). The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which prepares the CPI, said that before the seasonal adjustment, gasoline prices increased 11.1% in April.
In the meat aisle, chicken was down 1.1% while pork rose 0.6%. The price of fish and seafood items increased 1.5%.
Egg prices, which are down 39.2% in the past year, increased 1.5% in April. Milk also rose 1.5% and is up 0.5% for the year. The cost of whole milk rose 2.9% but is down 0.2% over the past year. Cheese prices moved up 1.2% but are down 3.1% in the last year.
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