NewInsight: Why is candy so expensive this Halloween?

US Food Price Monitor

Daily US food prices, wholesale and retail, from USDA and BLS.

Headlines

Wholesale, past 4 weeks
Mostly falling
64 foods up, 82 down
Largest rise, 4 weeks
Strawberries
Up 160%
Largest fall, 4 weeks
Batatas
Down 53%

At wholesale, 64 foods rose and 82 fell over the 4 weeks to 3 Nov 2026.

Grocery prices since 2019

Percent change in average US store prices since Aug 2019, for the 10 foods with the largest weight in the Consumer Price Index.

Up to and including Aug 2026

  • Soft drinksUp 41%
    $2.23 a 2 liters, from $1.59 in Aug 2019
  • ChickenUp 33%
    $2.01 a lb, from $1.51 in Aug 2019
  • CheeseUp 11%
    $5.98 a lb, from $5.37 in Aug 2019
  • Beef steaksUp 67%
    $12.81 a lb, from $7.65 in Aug 2019
  • Ground beefUp 81%
    $6.92 a lb, from $3.82 in Aug 2019
  • CoffeeUp 123%
    $9.30 a lb, from $4.17 in Oct 2019
  • MilkUp 39%
    $4.23 a gallon, from $3.05 in Aug 2019
  • BreadUp 43%
    $1.82 a lb, from $1.28 in Aug 2019
  • RiceUp 40%
    $1.11 a lb, from $0.79 in Aug 2019
  • EggsUp 86%
    $2.27 a dozen, from $1.22 in Aug 2019

Wholesale benchmarks

Daily wholesale quotes for one benchmark product per food, each against a year earlier, from USDA.

Up to and including 3 Nov 2026

PotatoesIdaho Falls shipping point
Up 231%past year
$21.00 to $22.00per 50 lb carton
+231%-7.7%
OnionsIdaho Falls shipping point
Up 108%past year
$11.00 to $15.00per 50 lb sack
+172%0%
TomatoesNew York wholesale
Up 81%past year
$18.00 to $20.00per 5 kg/11 lb flat
+138%-24%
AvocadosBoston wholesale
Up 45%past year
$50.00per cartons 2 layer
+125%-17%
LettuceBoston wholesale
Up 6.5%past year
$55.00 to $60.00per carton
+46%-58%
StrawberriesFresno shipping point
Unchanged 0.0%past year
$24.00 to $28.00per flats 8 1-lb containers with lid
+23%-73%

All commodities

Biggest moves this week

Wholesale benchmarks, compared with a week earlier.

CommodityLast weekThis weekChange
Peppers, Pasilla$22.00 to $23.00$32.00 low only+42%
Avocados$35.00 to $36.00$50.00+41%
Cucumbers$7.00 to $8.00$10.00 to $11.00+40%
Broccoli$28.00$36.00+29%
Cauliflower$32.00$40.00+25%
Blackberries$12.00 to $18.00$10.00 to $14.00-20%
Squash, Yellow Straightneck$48.00$38.00-21%
Okra$30.00$23.00 to $24.00-22%
Squash, Grey$19.00 to $22.00$15.00 to $16.00-24%
Lettuce$77.00 to $80.00$55.00 to $60.00-27%

Retail prices

What US supermarkets advertised this week, averaged across stores.

All items and regions
ItemAd priceA year earlierChange, 1 yearStores
AvocadosHass$0.81$0.91-11%9,290
LettuceRomaine (Hearts)$3.16Not quotedNo comparison1,033
OnionsYellow$2.72$2.86-4.9%4,264
PotatoesRusset$2.95$3.23-8.7%4,501
Strawberries$3.30$3.47-4.9%2,943
TomatoesVine Ripes - On the Vine, Greenhouse$1.98$1.78+11%2,592

Market news