Grocery prices, the cost of eating out, and overall consumer prices continued to be hot and creeping up in July.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly report, released Wednesday, said that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 5.4% in July, compared with the last 12 months.
Prices consumers paid for all goods (food, shelter, energy) in July rose 0.5% after climbing 0.9% in June.
What consumers paid for food rose 0.7% in July and food away from home, such as eating out, increased 0.8%. Overall food prices, which includes food at home and away from home, are up 3.4% for the last 12 months, the report revealed.
Five out of the six major grocery store food indexes increased in July. People paid more for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. Only fruits and vegetable prices declined in July. Pork prices were up 1% and poultry was up nearly 2% from June's 0.9% increase.
For the past 12 months, food at home, meaning what you buy at grocery stores, increased 2.6% as the six grocery indexes increased. The largest increase for the past year was in the meats, poultry, fish and eggs category. People paid 5.9% more for these foods over the last 12 months.
Food away from home, meaning eating out, rose 0.8% in July. It was the largest monthly increase since February 1981, according to the report. The "limited services meals" food subcategory, which covers takeout and delivery restaurants, rose 1% in July and is up 6.6% for the last 12 months. It was the largest increase in history, the agency said.
Here's a sampling of some increases:
•Hot dogs: 4.8%
•Pork roasts, steaks and ribs: 4.4%
•Chicken: 2.2%
•Fish and seafood: 2%
•Eggs: 1.6%
•Cereals and bakery products: 1.2%
The CPI reflects changes in prices in certain goods and services by consumers. Spending patterns cover all urban consumers and urban wage earners and clerical workers in urban or metropolitan areas.
