Pennsylvania has experienced the largest increase in grocery prices, year over year, compared to any other U.S. state, according to a Consumer Affairs analysis conducted with partner Datasembly. Prices at checkout are up 8.2 percent over the last year.
The report analyzed grocery price data in 15 categories and collected information from 150,000 stores across the U.S.
Vermont, and Maryland lag closely behind Pennsylvania, having seen a seven percent increase in grocery prices over the same period, followed by West Virginia at 6.9 percent, and New Jersey at 6.8 percent.
Meanwhile, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, and Virginia have had the smallest increases in grocery prices year over year. For example, Colorado’s average price was only up 2.9 percent.
On average, grocery prices were up 5.3 percent year over year, an improvement from 2022’s food inflation numbers.
Price hikes in individual grocery categories range drastically both nationally and locally, however, national grain, bean, and pasta prices are up 1.5 percent over 12 months; however, in Colorado, these prices decreased by two percent, a likely factor for the discrepancy in inflation, according to the report.
Some other food and beverage price differences are structural. Julie Companey, director of client strategy for data company Vericast noted one of the underlying issues: “Reasons include the differences between supply chain and overhead expenses… like local labor, utilities, tax and real estate costs.” Full Story
Related: Consumers Spending at Reduced Levels; November Inflation Kept its Cool