An official website of the United States government
In June 2013, goods in a typical shopping basket, such as meats, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products, varied in price. Bananas and potatoes ($0.60 and $0.65 per pound, respectively) were among the lowest-priced items in the typical basket. Meats were higher in price. Ground beef, at $3.38 a pound, was more expensive than whole chicken ($1.51 a pound), but less than bacon ($4.92 a pound).
The average price for produce items such as apples, bananas, tomatoes and potatoes was little changed from June 2012 to June 2013, whereas the previously mentioned meat items went up in price from a year ago.
This is an interactive chart; use the arrow buttons to change the date.
Food item | June 2003 | June 2004 | June 2005 | June 2006 | June 2007 | June 2008 | June 2009 | June 2010 | June 2011 | June 2012 | June 2013 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ground beef, 100% beef, per lb. | $1.93 | $2.08 | $2.34 | $2.24 | $2.33 | $2.27 | $2.23 | $2.40 | $2.77 | $3.01 | $3.38 |
Bacon, sliced, per lb. | 3.14 | 3.42 | 3.46 | 3.40 | 3.66 | 3.66 | 3.62 | 4.05 | 4.84 | 4.33 | 4.92 |
Chicken, fresh, whole, per lb. | 1.03 | 1.06 | 1.08 | 1.06 | 1.13 | 1.18 | 1.28 | 1.24 | 1.31 | 1.39 | 1.51 |
Eggs, grade A, large, per doz. | 1.20 | 1.31 | 1.14 | 1.24 | 1.37 | 1.92 | 1.53 | 1.49 | 1.68 | 1.67 | 1.86 |
Milk, fresh, whole, fortified, per gal. | 2.68 | 3.57 | 3.12 | 3.00 | 3.43 | 3.77 | 3.01 | 3.30 | 3.62 | 3.40 | 3.46 |
Apples, Red Delicious, per lb. | 0.99 | 1.08 | 0.97 | 1.05 | 1.13 | 1.36 | 1.18 | 1.26 | 1.32 | 1.38 | 1.38 |
Bananas, per lb. | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.63 | 0.62 | 0.58 | 0.61 | 0.61 | 0.60 |
Potatoes, white, per lb. | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.60 | 0.63 | 0.59 | 0.69 | 0.68 | 0.65 |
Tomatoes, field grown, per lb. | 1.40 | 1.33 | 1.66 | 1.46 | 1.51 | 1.81 | 1.60 | 1.59 | 1.56 | 1.49 | 1.47 |
Sugar, white, all sizes, per lb. | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.50 | 0.52 | 0.53 | 0.56 | 0.62 | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.64 |
Potato chips, per 16 oz. | 3.58 | 3.45 | 3.52 | 3.37 | 3.47 | 4.06 | 4.56 | 4.71 | 5.04 | 5.26 | 4.51 |
Potato chips cost an average of $4.51 per 16 oz. in June 2013, after reaching a June high of $5.26 last year. Ten years ago, the average price for potato chips was $3.58 per 16 oz. In comparison, tomatoes have only gone from $1.40 per pound in June 2003 to $1.47 per pound in June 2013. Tomatoes reached a June high of $1.81 in 2008.
These data are from the Consumer Price Index program. To access Average Price data, see the Average Price database.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Average prices for food items, June 2013 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130812.htm (visited October 31, 2024).