US grocery prices jump 33% since 2019, spurring coupon hunting and reduced meat consumption

U.S. grocery prices have risen 33 % since the start of 2019, marking the steepest increase in half a century. Ground beef has surged 79 % to $6.82 per pound, while overall food‑at‑home costs remain far above pre‑pandemic levels. Economists describe the pattern as the “rockets and feathers” effect – rapid price spikes that fall only slowly.

Consumers are adapting by couponing, using price‑comparison apps, switching to store brands and cutting back on meat. Many rely on food‑bank assistance; as one shopper, Ada Torres, put it, “Prices are sky‑high. One hundred dollars’ worth of groceries these days is nothing.” Retail discount chains such as Costco and Walmart are gaining market share, and private‑label sales hit a record $282.8 billion. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects food‑at‑home prices will rise another 2.7 % this year.

The price surge is linked to pandemic‑induced supply‑chain shocks, climate‑related crop losses, tariffs, the Russia‑Ukraine war and renewed Middle‑East tensions, and it has become a central issue in the upcoming fall midterm elections.