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Grocery prices continue rising as food costs up 26% over 5 years, analyst tells WPTV

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows 'food at home' prices increased 2.4% from last year, with beef and coffee leading price increases over 20% in 12 months

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A customer looks at a receipt while shopping at a grocery store.

By: Matt Sczesny

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — For more than a year, WPTV has helped you stretch your dollar at the grocery store as prices increased. And the trend of higher prices hasn't stopped, according to the federal government.

We dug through the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found once again a steady rise in food prices at the grocery store.

WATCH BELOW: These food items increased 20% in the last 12 months

Why are grocery prices still rising?

WPTV spent the day talking with shoppers in West Palm Beach, and they said they're seeing prices getting more expensive.

"I've noticed that the prices are, in general, higher," one shopper said.

Another shopper agreed, saying the high prices leave little choice for consumers.

"The prices of groceries are up there. There's nothing you can do, pretty much go with the flow," another shopper said.

Numbers released in January from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show "food at home" prices are up 2.4% from a year ago.

"Over the last five years, grocery prices have risen about 26% in total," Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate, told WPTV. "(If you) used to be paying $100 for a few bags of groceries, now it's $126 or that cart that used to be $200 now it's $252. These are big jumps, and we can't help but notice because these are things that we buy every week or sometimes even every day."

Leading the charge of higher prices are items like beef and coffee, which increased by more than 20% in the last 12 months.

One bright spot is the price of eggs, which soared last year but has now pulled back by 28% from this time last year.

"When I talk to people, I hear a lot of, 'When are prices going back to 2019 levels?' Unfortunately, as we know, inflation doesn't work that way; prices are still growing, more slowly but still growing," Rossman said.

The rising overall cost of food has strained shoppers.

We asked Rossman for his best advice on saving when grocery shopping.

"It helps to go in with a good list, make a plan, stick to it, shop sales, maybe it's a hassle to drive around to different stores, maybe you see patterns emerge like produce is cheaper at one place or meat is cheaper at another," Rossman said.

The consensus from experts is that food prices will continue to steadily increase in 2026, forcing shoppers to shop smarter.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Watch our previous coverage on grocery prices below: