SAN DIEGO — If you've shopped for groceries recently, you may have noticed prices on common items are going up.
"Well, everything is higher."
Lois Gardener has noticed, saying prices have gone up on items she buys regularly.
"A lot of produce items are higher. Bakery items are higher, bread is much higher. I don't know why but bread is much higher," said Gardener.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared to last March, coffee is now an average of $4.67 per pound - up 8%.
Eggs are up 7%.
Bacon and bread are both up 11%.
And chicken is up 10%.
Companies like Proctor and Gamble say they're raising prices, too, on items such as Pampers, Tampax, and Always.
Even Coca-Cola will be more expensive for the first time in three years.
As for why, contributing factors include:
- Higher production costs
- Trucking companies are short on drivers, so it costs more for goods to get from place to place.
- Also, the pandemic disrupted the entire global supply chain. When things are scarce, they usually wind up costing more.
Omri Traub is the CEO of Popcart, a browser extension tool for shopping that tells users where to find the best price on items they're looking for.
His advice is to comparison shop, saying small savings can go a long way.
"We've seen users on Popcart save $50 on headphones, a few $100 on a new grill or furniture but the truth is the biggest savings are not in big-ticket items, they're in everyday essentials," Traub said.
For example, we bought a 34-pack of Tampax Pearl at Vons for $11.99.
But, when searching online, Popcart found the same box was at Walmart for $6.97.
"I think the savings are there and they're there to be had," said Traub.
As for whether or not prices will eventually drop, that’s up for debate.
Though the Chairman of the Federal Reserve believes the prices will adjust as the economy continues to bounce back and the supply chain isn’t as strained.
In the meantime, experts say expect prices to increase at least through the end of the year.
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