New CPI Shows Grocery Prices Rising, Undercutting Trump’s Claims

Overview

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports grocery prices rose 0.3% from August to September, after a 0.6% jump the prior month that was the biggest in three years.
• September grocery prices were about 2.7% higher than a year earlier and 1.4% higher than in January, when President Trump returned to office.
• Four of six major grocery categories increased month over month, with cereals and bakery and nonalcoholic beverages each up 0.7%, while dairy fell 0.5%.
• Since September 2024, standout gains include coffee up 18.9% and beef and veal up 14.7%, while overall consumer prices are about 3.0% higher year over year.
• The new data contradict the president’s repeated assertions that grocery prices are “down,” as noted in CNN’s fact-check based on Friday’s CPI release.