A couple of years ago when gas was skyrocketing our local grocery store raised prices due to shipping costs. After gas went back down I asked the manager why the food prices didn't drop as well. She couldn't answer that. Said I would have to talk to corporate.

The prices have been steadily rising since then.

 

Kev; just a guess here, the cost of fuel is really hampering the economy and raising prices. I know I purchase corn for the deer to draw them in. The cost of corn went up and the size of the bag went down. Used to, we could get 100 pound bags of corn but now the bags are 75 pounds yet the cost went up to around $14.00 a bag. That is a guess but fairly close. The folks that I have talked to are all saying basically the same thing; Fuel. The cost of fuel goes up, it takes the producers more money to ship the products. Plus, it costs more to produce feed for pigs, cows, sheep and such due to the fuel cost as well. I want to raise a couple pigs myself but don't think I can afford to feed them.
Again, just throwing my 2.5 cents worth in. Keep up the good work.

 

I noticed that too. I recently went to the grocery store to pick up a few items, and noticed that center cut pork loins were $1.79 a pound. Needless to say I threw about 7 in my cart and cut them up for porkchops, vacuum packed them and threw them in the freezer.

I think the reason for the overall increase is rising fuel costs. Added operating costs from the ranchers/farmers, to the distributers, to the stores and of course it trickles down to all of us. I think we are going to see more and more of this and it does make one wonder how many folks that are living paycheck to paycheck are coping with all of this.

 

Wait until you see prices after the effect of this drought are realized. Right now (and I mean right now), the beef market is flooded with cattle from ranchers forced to sell because they can't afford to feed. Even so, prices are up. Later this year and early next year, consumers will feel the effect.

 

I think that is a good point. Perhaps now is the time to start filling the freezer while and if you can.

 

This is why I can't wait for hunting season to open up. My freezer needs filling.

 

There is probably a few justifiable reasons or reasons people can justify for the increase, but for real you are not kidding!

Just was at WM a few days ago and was honestly in sticker shock as well. They are pretty savvy to disguise it also, lol. The first half hour I did not notice it too much on things like bread and eggs and such, but then as we kept shopping, I had thought wait a second did we ever pay this much for these before? Wait a second...since when were these tasty cakes $1.98 a box??? lol they were always $1.50 which is why we bought them.

We dug out some old receipts from a few months ago just to see as we pretty much buy the same stuff and almost everything increased by $0.30. Some items by almost a dollar.

Have you noticed some of the little branding changes also? Looks like maybe there has been some major vendor changes as well which may add to some of the increases.

Besides the branding, we noticed some new items being stocked all together. Though I attribute that to market study's to see what people are buying, it is still sorta weird when you take notice when something is different.

 

I think another point, I believe in another thread, is that "if" the prices are staying the same.....the actual packaging/quantity/size has decreased. Thus giving you a price increase and many folks don't even notice.

 

Kev I shop outside San Antonio and I noticed this week that pork and beef meat was $1- $2 a pound more than it was 2 weeks ago.There was also a sharp increase in fresh produce which I am really noticing since our garden is burnt out. HEB has a lot of good sales each week but I have also noticed that they seldom have canned goods or any thing that would keep for a few weeks on special.

 

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I basically just stroll by the meat counter in the grocery, now, to reminisce. Decided I could not justify the price per pound for beef and pork, any more. Didn't check all the prices.......but I did notice that a package of four pre-packaged 1/4 pound hamburger patties has increased from $4.99 (which it has been for quite a while) to $5.99.

The grocery store that I shop at is also having to mark down more packages of beef and pork because sales of it are down. Curiously enough, I have noticed that they are not marking down these prices as much as they were. All of that stuff used to be grabbed up, almost as fast as it was reduced. Now, some of the more expensive cuts of meat aren't being purchased, even at the reduced prices. Guess the store would rather throw it out than give people a decent price break.

 

The little town I shop in has two stores and up till 2 years ago were owned by two different companies. Both stores are now owned by the same company and boy, are we getting screwed. It's over a hundred miles to the nearest walmart and when I go there I have grocery rage. I pay at least double what walmart charges and sometimes more. On top of that, local fruit and veg are color sprayed Styrofoam with no taste and I'm pretty sure what they call meat never lived.

Why do they do it? Because they can.

 

Kev, you , and anyone else that eats, is getting slapped with a triple whammy when it comes to food.
First, the cost to produce and transport the food has gone up due to oil prices.
Second, the cost to grow the food has gone up due to oil prices
Third, the cost to restock small distant grocery stores has gone up due to oil prices.

And

Your cost to shop & store food has gone up due to oil prices.

 

...

Your cost to shop & store food has gone up due to oil prices.

It sure has. That is why I now only go into town every 10-11 days versus once a week back in January. By changing from 4 trips a month to 3, I save 5 gals of gas or about $19. This helps offset some of the food price increase. It has been a never ending grind downwards of afordability. If not for the ability to buy over the Internet, most items with free shipping, life would be a whole lot more expensive. I do not know how they can afford to ship free out to where I live. It is a extra 3.5 miles on a rough dirt road to reach my place. However I am happy to take advantage everywhere I can.

One thing for sure that the high fuel prices have done is eliminate going out for a drive just for fun. That used to be something I enjoyed and it let me be aware of my surroundings. As the prices of things keep rising there is many things that I have to give up doing or eating.

 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/food-price-threshold

The article is less about why than what may happen afterwards.

Beyond all of the causes, whether short term or long term, and whether the price increases will be long term or will stabilize like fuel costs do (which I kind of doubt), the impacts will be significant.

Even longer term (decades in the future) we are headed for even more severe problems, and food is just part of it - food, fuel, water and habitable land will all be in short supply, especially in metro areas and especially those areas where habitation depends a lot on import and technology - like the southwestern USA metro areas (LA, Phoenix) where a lot of water and power is imported, and food production in the area depends on the water and power and other imports. In short those areas are already having problems and are way past the point of being self-sufficient.

Metro areas in other parts of the country will follow suit - eventually.

I think the changes will be relatively gradual, but will continue to worsen - especially with continuing population growth.

 

I buy meat in bulk....we got 40 pork chops out of a whole pork loin (Sams club) I paid $19 bucks for....same meat at Wal mart would have been $50 bucks....there is a big difference in the prices and it seems its getting bigger....that difference use to be a few dollars.


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❤❤ Someones out there loves me as much as I love them....and I miss them ❤❤

 

I buy meat in bulk....we got 40 pork chops out of a whole pork loin (Sams club) I paid $19 bucks for....same meat at Wal mart would have been $50 bucks....there is a big difference in the prices and it seems its getting bigger....that difference use to be a few dollars.

We used to do the same thing ,buy a couple of loins and a roll for the vaacum packer.We would still save a lot of money.They haven't hit 50 here yet but between the price of bags and the loin price doubling it's a lot harder to justify.

It still makes some sense because the meat freezes better and a couple of loins are more chops than we normally eat in 6 months.

 

You should see Manhattan prices - OUCH!!

I shop in outer boroughs - half the price for same quality!
One local butcher has a shop in my mom's area in Brooklyn - I shop in brooklyn when I visit my mom! Save a ton!
Also ethnic stores on the lower east side are a hell of a lot cheaper!
There are not many places to shop for food in NYC - so they charge more!
Most NYers survive on takeout!
So much for looting their homes when SHTF (only kidding about the looting - but not about it being a waste of time!!)

 

If you stay away from meat, dairy and processed food then prices are still reasonable but that doesn't leave much and you have to be a scratch cook to really save.

Buy bulk on sale.

 

Here in Arizona frys food For the last 3yrs I been buying the 2lbs chub of 93% lean ground beef for $3.89 for 2 lbs on sale .
Today I look at ad an it was $3.89 a pound ,
I was shocked

 

I bought three feeder pigs yesterday,even the "factory" hog farms are cutting back due to high corn prices,I plan on planting turnips and free ranging the hogs and slaughtering at 150-190lbs.,not being affected by the drought,people around here are canning a lot of produce,and I am expanding on my fall garden.
At profits of 500-1000$ an acre on corn,we will have a lot of more millionaires in the valley this fall.I pray this drought ends out west next season and they shutdown the ethanol plants.

Thanks,Bob

 

we got our hands on 3 weiner pigs for 28 bucks each last week.... really don't know if that was a good deal or not, but they are here and eating lots of hog corn that the neighbor sells me by the ton (cheap).... and after the harvets of all his crop I have permission to go get what ever is left over for free.

Made my garden area bigger this year and next year it ought to produce quite alot...

 

Last year packaged side dishes, rice/pastas, were usually available for around $10/10 of them. Which is about $2 a pound. Now, we can't hardly find them for less than $1.67 a piece. Even basic basic rice and pasta have gone up enough that it isn't even cheaper to cook and flavor it ourselves, besides it taking alot more time.

 

Small towns will always have less selection and higher costs, that's just the way it works, always has and likely always will.
Big Oil companies have always been profitable, and also, likely always will.

Our families work-around here in the upper mid-west is :
Grow what we can and preserve it
Harvest wild foods, including game
Trade with who we can, meat and grain producers are GOOD folks to know
Shop the chain store loss leaders and shop them HARD, real HARD - Sooner or later, it all goes on sale
Avoid convenience foods
Have sufficient pantry, freezer and root cellar space
Most importantly, learn to enjoy experimenting with home cooking


Personally, I've made a large transition away from no-brainer , prepackaged quick food in favor of meals made from scratch.
Does it take more effort and thought? You bet it does, and yes, there are more dishes to wash when the preparing is done.
And no, I do not have boat loads of free time to spare to make this happen, but then again we do not own a TV.
There are literally hundreds of unique and tasty dishes that can be made with only a handful of basics and a good supply herbs and spices, seriously... hundreds.

We have no control over retail grocery prices other than voting with your dollar.
We can whine and cry about how we're victims of corporate greed, climate anomalies, or spiking inflation but the end-game question is - what are you going to do about it?

 

Have you tried Amazon? I know they don't sell fresh meat but I've gotten some great deals on food, delivered with the Super Saver Free Shipping. Might give you enough for the fresh meat you want. Another plus is that no one thinks you've ordered food. You just love to read. Great OPSEC.

 

Where I live I shop in Waco and the frickin wal-mart is higher than the HEB grocery store

 

We gave up on large chains, especially Walmart, 6 months ago. In Tulsa, while we have a smaller ethnic population, I agree with the poster from NYC who said shopping ethnic is cheaper. We found a great Spanish market, where we can actaully afford meat. Example: the last time I purchased meat at Walmart 3.89lb for pork shoulder, 1.89 at the Spanish market. We were down to 2 meals a day and meat only 3 times a week. We are back to 3 meals a day, and meat or fish maybe 5 times a week. To stay on budget, I have to practice my Spanish, but I consider it a good trade.

 

I live in the salad bowl here in Cali - where they grow much of the produce for different states.

The prices here for "fresh fruits and vegetables" have tripled in the past couple of months.

I shop only at the commissary and within the past ....two weeks...... the price on pork, has nearly tripled, fish has doubled and beef has gone up but not as much as pork.

Not only is the packaging of food items much smaller but if anyone else has noticed that goes for sundries also - next time you look at bars of soap, they are smaller, detergents are smaller and the list goes on, but the price has risen.

When I notice the high prices for fruit and veggies here in the area where we grow them, I know it has to be outrageous for the rest of the nation.

BTW - if anyone here still buys fruit and veggies from a store - wash them well (trust me on that on).

 

Yep I've been having a bit of this myself. Went shopping today and a 3 lb can of Maxwell house coffee was over $10 time for us to switch to generic. Eggs, meat, sugar. cheese, and fresh produce was also up. Thank God our chicks are finally laying so I am thumbing my nose at the grocery store for eggs. Now if I could just get the BF to agree to some piggly wigglies next year we will be all set. We grow most our own produce and can and freeze it for the winter plus we grow indoors during the cold time so we are pretty set on that. I really feel for the elderly and families on tight budgets.

 

For me, I go for the 99 cent a pound on sale junk hot dogs, not healthy, but I can afford it. A good ground beef around me is $4.99 per pound, hamburgers are out.
Seriously, buy on sale and stock up when it is. I almost never buy when things are not on sale. I can live without it till next time.

 

Here's something I have found lately. WalMart is as high as anyone else. But many of the smaller, locally owned stores are constantly putting on sales to draw people in.
Recently, Associated Food Stores in our area, had the 12 pack Fridge packs of Surefine canned Sodas (all flavors) for 3 packs for $5. They are all made by Shasta. Then they had the 12 packs of 20 oz bottle water for 1 dollar each if you bought 20 bucks worth of stuff. People were buying 10 and 12 packages of water. They are also constantly having meat sales and such.

I have hauled loads in to their warehouse and they seem to be moving merchandise. One of their people told me that corn is a key right now in price increases. We are burning our corn for fuel in ethanol. Farmers are being subsidized to grow corn for ethanol. The farmers growing corn for food are having to sell their crops for increased prices, and they are fewer than normal, because most are selling their crops for fuel. Increased price of corn also effects feed for cattle, hogs, chicken, etc. Then you kick in the price of fuel for shipping, the economic conditions, etc. Well.....

While I'm telling you this, I just don't think most people realize just how SCARY the food distribution and grocery business can be. I looked into hauling for a Grocery Company and have several friends that work for this company. They service about 300 stores in La, Miss, and East Tex. Most are independent stores and Mom and Pops. The warehouse is GIGANTIC taking up several city blocks and that doesn't include the refridgerated/perishable warehouse and the frozen warehouse. Every night I've been there, I was only one of 40 or 50 trucks, every single night at their warehouse. It's one heck of a business. And a very vital one.

Many of these small local stores get 2 or 3 trucks per week. Some of the larger full size stores get 2 trucks 3 times per week. More during peak seasons. Understand, these are 53' trailers, attached to a big deisel tractor. Most of the trailers contain about 30 pallets of groceries stacked 6 to 7 feet tall and shrink wrapped on that pallet. Next time you see an 18 wheeler pass you on the interstate, try to imagine groceries, stacked 6 feet high from front to back on that trailer. Most of the 53 footers are marked 53' somewhere on the trailer. You'll see them. Now imagine your average Winn-Dixie, Full size Mom and Pop, Food Lion, Kroger, etc, getting about 6 or more of those loaded 18 wheelers per week. The one where I shop gets about 10 per week. That's just ONE STORE.

It's mind boggling to see it. Many people just cannot imagine the amount of food and goods we consume. I would hate to see what happens if there was in "interuption" in that food distribution chain. I mean it is scary to realize what it takes to feed just one grocery store worth of people. Then realize, there may be many stores in that one town. Just seeing it made me up my food storage program.

 

While I'm telling you this, I just don't think most people realize just how SCARY the food distribution and grocery business can be. I looked into hauling for a Grocery Company and have several friends that work for this company. They service about 300 stores in La, Miss, and East Tex. Most are independent stores and Mom and Pops. The warehouse is GIGANTIC taking up several city blocks and that doesn't include the refridgerated/perishable warehouse and the frozen warehouse. Every night I've been there, I was only one of 40 or 50 trucks, every single night at their warehouse. It's one heck of a business. And a very vital one.

(snip)

It's mind boggling to see it. Many people just cannot imagine the amount of food and goods we consume. I would hate to see what happens if there was in "interuption" in that food distribution chain. I mean it is scary to realize what it takes to feed just one grocery store worth of people. Then realize, there may be many stores in that one town. Just seeing it made me up my food storage program.

American have been pampered and conditioned to always having full grocery shelves always at they finger tips.