RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Over the last few years, things like pandemic-related supply shortages as well as inflation have impacted prices at the grocery store. A new report shows those increases continuing into next year.
The USDA’s food prices outlook shows prices will continue to go up through the end of the year, followed by a 2.2 percent increase in 2024. The report shows while beef and poultry prices are still going up, the cost of fruits and vegetables is going down.
N.C. State University supply chain management professor Robert Handfield tells CBS 17 the increases are likely because of rising labor and transportation costs.
“With all these other costs going up, food producers don’t have any choice to but pass on those costs to the consumer,” Handfield said.
Handfield said the costs will likely go up at a slower pace than we’ve seen in the last couple of years. That gives shoppers only some relief.
“I mean, it still kind of hurts but it’s kind of a relief that it’s not just going to spike up randomly one day,” said shopper Autumn Crummett.
Handfield tells CBS 17 that North Carolinians may see less of an increase because we have more domestic growers than some other states. For a link to the outlook, click here.
