U.S. inflation running 5.4% ahead of a year ago

Inflation is still far from tamed, the newest data from the government show.

September saw an increase of 0.3% in consumer prices, and year-over-year inflation rate was pegged at 5.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The level of food price inflation, according to government numbers, varied depending on whether the food was purchased for consumption away from home or at home:

The food-away-from-home (restaurant purchases) inflation increased 0.5% in September 2021 and was 4.7% higher than September 2020.
The food-at-home (grocery store or supermarket food purchases) inflation 1.1% from August 2021 to September 2021 and was 4.5% higher than a year ago.

In 2021 so far compared with 2020, food-at-home prices have increased 2.5% and food-away-from-home prices have jumped 3.6%. The inflation rate for all food, government statistics say, increased an average of 3% this year.

The beef and veal category has had the largest relative price increase (6.5%) and the fresh vegetables category the smallest (0.6%) so far this year. No food categories have decreased in price in 2021 compared with 2020 according to government statistics.

For all of 2021, food-at-home prices are expected to increase between 2.5% and 3.5%, and food-away-from-home prices are expected to increase between 3.5% and 4.5%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Price report. In 2022, the USDA said food-at-home prices are expected to increase between 1.5% and 2.5%, and food-away-from-home prices are expected to increase between 3% and 4%.