Grocery prices lately...

[The J]

I haven't really noticed, but that could explain why my fridge is empty

[zibazinski]

I think it's because of the holiday. Soup went up.

[Value Buy]

Milk and peanut butter seems to be normal pricing here in Indiana.
Probably fewer "sale Prices" due to high useage thru the Holiday. Retailers know it will sell without deep promotions.
Eggs always go up two weeks before Christmas, due to colder weather (causing lower production) and higher demand due to baking, etc.
This happens every year.
Look for egg prices to drop after New Years, unless the weather in the Midwest gets really cold, then, it will remain high.

[Value Buy]

As a side note, I have noticed prices seem to be climbing, but am not sure if retailers or wholesalers are raising margins, or just passing on increased costs from manufacturers.

[mudflap81]

I'll check my receipts, but I don't think I've seen anything. I go to Market Basket, they don't do a lot of sales, they have low prices all the time.

I know vegetable quality is seasonal, but for the last couple weeks they've been extra awful. Wife says it's the cold in the south.

[mtshastawriter]

Where I live prices on groceries rise about the 3rd of each month and then decrease as the month progresses. This is due to the large amount of people in the area who are getting paid by the government on the 3rd of each month.

I also believe that prices, in general, are going up on grocery items. It seems the package shrinks and the prices goes up.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

You should see the price of arugula at Whole Foods! (grin)

[Value Buy]

Dec 27, 2010 13:25:58 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

You should see the price of arugula at Whole Foods! (grin)

[/quote
Exactly, what is arugula? I know it is a veggie, but what is it used for?

[The J]

Salad.

[Deleted]

I think that prices are going up for several reasons:
1. Commodities such as wheat, corn and sugar have been going up the past few months.
2. Fuel costs have been rising so that shipping food costs more
3. Bad weather in the south has impacted produce costs-more produce has to be shipped in from South America and other locations outside of the U.S. and that costs more.

[Opti]

Arugula is can also be used on sandwiches like lettuce.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Milk prices have been going down around here but butter prices are thru the roof, which I am trying to figure out since butter comes from milk. . .

Cheese prices are nuts as well so I just wait for 10 for $10 sales on block and/or shredded cheese and stock up, I found out it can all be frozen. Since I plan on usually melting it anyhow I don't mind it being crumbly when I thaw it out for use.

[kgb18]

I just went grocery shopping on my lunch break. $236 later I'd like to say prices have gone up.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I've noticed that the price of butter has really skyrocketed recently, but that's the only item that's struck me as having increased in price considerably.

I do think it's interesting that while I'm in KY, I can regularly buy a dozen extra large eggs for about $1.40. Here in WA, unless they're on sale, they run well over $2/dozen for the same size.

I recently have looked at the local stores to see if the prices go up early in the month and drop as the month goes on. I haven't really seen this in any of my local grocery stores.

[The J]

Dec 27, 2010 14:10:58 GMT -5 kgb18 said:

I just went grocery shopping on my lunch break. $236 later I'd like to say prices have gone up.

I've got a costco trip coming up with my roommate. Based on the size of the list, that'll probably run us $400-500

[kgb18]

I didn't expect to spend so much on a quick trip to the store, but I started thinking about all the things we're running low on (dog food, cat food, paper products, toiletries, etc.). I'm off from Wednesday to Monday, and I do not want to have to go back to the store, so I figured I would get everything we could possibly need. I swear I'm at the grocery store three times a week. There's always something I forget.

[whoisjohngalt]

You guys doing this all wrong. If you are spending more than $10 on 500 items, than you spending too much, just ask SuziQ ;D

[kgb18]

You guys doing this all wrong. If you are spending more than $10 on 500 items, than you spending too much

LOL!! I was waiting for someone to say that. I will admit that I could shop cheaper, and I just choose not to. We buy what we want. I tend to buy a lot of organic products, especially meat and dairy. If we didn't have the money I could drastically reduce our food costs. And this trip was more expensive than usual because, like I said, I stocked up on a lot of the stuff that we only purchase once every couple of months.

[The J]

Dec 27, 2010 15:15:01 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

You guys doing this all wrong. If you are spending more than $10 on 500 items, than you spending too much, just ask SuziQ ;D

You have no idea how much my roommate eats. He's like a family of four all to himself!

[Urban Chicago]

I just went shopping for taco ingredients, since we're having guests tomorrow. Food prices have definitely gone up.

On the bright side, wine seems to be cheaper!

[alabamagal]

If the wine is cheaper, does it matter that the prices have gone up?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Provide more wine and less food.....no one will notice!

[Deleted]

Get the wine first and pay for it (keeping receipt handy), then proceed to shop for the groceries. Swill as needed, and you won't give a rip what the tally is for food when you get through the checkout

[Deleted]

Back to the OP: yes, I have noticed prices have been going up for the last six weeks. Like SuzieQ, I am also a couponer/stockpiler. I get all shampoo, deodorant, soap, dishwashing detergent (electric and hand), aluminum foil, plastic baggies, and a ton of other stuff pretty much for free. I have shelving in the basement where I stockpile this stuff just like a grocer store. My DH labeled everything. It is very awesome.

But tons of stuff from soup to margarine and so on are increasing in price. You have to watch circulars and stock up. I have six or seven 5 pound bags of sugar and keep buying more because the price is definitely going to rise from all the economic articles I read. My husband is an addict who uses more in a month than I used in a couple of years.

[stats45]

Some of the increase is seasonal. Demand is higher and more inelastic for groceries around the holidays (from early November to late December). This means that prices can go up and that people will pay it.

[Urban Chicago]

Dec 27, 2010 15:41:48 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

If the wine is cheaper, does it matter that the prices have gone up?

Not to me!

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

As NewPhonix points out, the last two to three months, food commodity prices have been escalating at 30%, 40% and 50%, depending on the commodity:
articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/CompanyFocus/why-food-bills-are-heading-higher.aspx

Also, many third world countries have 100s of millions of people who are entering the middle class and are demanding better food.

[973beachbum]

You guys doing this all wrong. If you are spending more than $10 on 500 items, than you spending too much,

LOL!

I was complaining about this a couple of weeks ago on EE. I can't get a dozen eggs or a loaf of bread for less than $3.00.

The rise does have to do with the rise in oil prices. Diesel fuel is used in every part of production of foods like eggs and wheat. It runs the machinery to plow the field. Oil is used to make both the pesticides and fertilizers to grow the products. then when the grain is harvested it is used as feed for the chickens that Lay the eggs. Then we use oil in the energy to produce the egg cartons and it is the main ingredient of Styrofoam. Then it goes in the trucks that bring it to my store.

Just think what it will cost when oil hits $140 a barrel?

[kadee]

Ladies & Gentlemen...
Yes, prices are going up. In case you don't listen or pay attention to crop reports....MOST crops were impacted this past year by not enough rain, too much rain or heat! We had cotton farmers in my area who saw less than 1/2 their normal yield per acre. It was the same with corn in my area too. Peanuts were pretty close to normal but still down some.
THEN, to top everything off, Fl. had a freeze. It impacted most of their veggie crops & may have damaged the citrus too. That will mean that OJ will climb also.
Now, when the harvests aren't up to normal, it costs the dairy & chicken farmers more to feed their livestock...hence price increases for those! Since oil has gone up, yes, it is costing the farmers more besides the cost of transporting goods to areas where they are needed.
Pretty much, everything is relevant...when crops don't come in it increases everything up the line & we end up spending more at the grocery store!

If you haven't noticed it yet, clothing that is 100% Cotton or part Cotton will most likely increase in price too!
And another little side note...I live in an area where there is LOTS of truck farming (veggies). These last freezes have put many fields of bell peppers & eggplant & squash all the way down...killed them! The cabbages have had a bit of damage but not nearly as much as other crops. And some of the fields of what looked like mustard greens were nipped too. So be prepared to either pay higher prices or not have it available at all.

Forgot to add...we had a pretty good year for grapes in this area. That might hold down the wine prices. I got more from my vines than ever before & so did my neighbor! And we grow different varities!

[Value Buy]

Everyone does realize that Milk, cheese, and butter prices are set by the Federal Government when they determine prices they pay the dairy farmers for their raw milk.
I believe the price is set either monthly or quarterly.