United States faces steepest food price rise in 50 years, driving shoppers to change habits

Grocery bills in the United States have jumped 33% since early 2019, the largest increase in five decades. The surge stems from pandemic‑related supply chain disruptions, higher labor and transportation costs, droughts, disease outbreaks such as bird flu, tariffs on imports like coffee and chocolate, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, with the recent Middle‑East conflict adding further pressure.

Average weekly earnings have barely outpaced the price rise, leaving many households, especially low‑income families, struggling. In 2024, Americans spent about 12.9% of pretax income on food, rising to 33% for the poorest quintile. Regional variability is evident: prices rose 2% in St. Louis and 6% in San Francisco. The higher costs are prompting shoppers to curb purchases, alter dietary choices, and seek discounts, a shift that could influence the upcoming midterm elections.

Economists such as Jared Bernstein note that while wages grew faster than food prices before the pandemic, the recent imbalance is sharply felt by consumers, who are now more vigilant about grocery expenses than ever before.