It is the ninth consecutive month that the index for household food increased minimallyIn July, the cost of household food saw an increase, but this increase was minimal for the ninth consecutive month.
The household food price index rose only 0.1% in July, and over the past year, the cumulative increase in grocery prices has been just 1.1%, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Since the end of last year, the monthly index for household food has not exceeded 2%.
During July, three of the six major food group indexes in grocery stores increased, while the other three decreased. The index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs rose 0.7%, and the index for eggs increased 5.5%. Other increases included fruits and vegetables (0.8%) and non-alcoholic beverages (0.5%).
On the other hand, after a 0.5% increase in June, the index for other household foods fell 0.5% last month. The index for cereals and bakery products fell 0.5%, while the index for dairy and related products fell 0.2%.
Looking at the past year by category, the index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs has risen the most, up 3%. The index for non-alcoholic beverages rose 1.9%, and the index for other household foods increased 0.9%. The indexes for cereals and bakery products remained unchanged, while fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy and related products, saw a 0.2% decrease.
