Americans' grocery bills are growing, causing some shoppers to cut back on discretionary spending as they find themselves struggling to afford the basics.

Food prices grew by half a percent from July to August, marking the fastest monthly rate of change since the fall of 2022. Behind the rising cost of food items on store shelves are three main culprits, according to experts.

The Trump administration's wide-ranging tariffs, climate change and a shortage of agricultural workers in the U.S. are the leading causes of grocery inflation, Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst also known as the "Supermarket Guru," told CBS News correspondent Jo Ling Kent.

Price hikes, he added, have been steepest on goods that the U.S. imports from nations facing higher levies. For example, the U.S. imports about 35% of its coffee from Brazil, whose exports are taxed at a rate of 50%.

The latest Consumer Price Index data shows that coffee prices rose 21% in August compared with a year ago.

Source

Posted by SleekNews
Sat, September 20, 2025 4:35pm