Grocery Prices — May 2026
U.S. grocery shelf prices fell 1.55% in May 2026, according to the GroceryChop Price Index, which tracked 5,296 prices across 170 stores and 22 grocery banners.
The biggest category move: cereals & bakery products down 7.94% on the month.
National, by category
Month-over-month change is matched-sample: the same items at the same stores in both months.
| Category (BLS food-at-home) | MoM | Index | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All food at home | −1.55% | 98.4 | $4.28 | 5,296 · 170 stores |
| Meats, poultry, fish & eggs | +2.91% | 102.9 | $5.40 | 3,008 · 170 stores |
| Dairy & related products | +1.64% | 101.6 | $3.88 | 1,025 · 163 stores |
| Cereals & bakery products | −7.94% | 92.1 | $3.46 | 536 · 59 stores |
“—” means the figure didn't meet our publication thresholds and is withheld rather than estimated.
By metro — all groceries
| Metro | MoM | Basket cost | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CAlive prices & deals → | — | $4.48 | 1,809 · 15 stores · 7 banners |
How this compares to official CPI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the official food-at-home CPI for May 2026 on its scheduled CPI release date, typically mid-month. Our figures come from observed shelf prices rather than a survey, use our own store panel, and are not seasonally adjusted — so the two series measure related but not identical things. We publish our number first; compare responsibly.
Cite or reuse this release
Suggested citation (free to use with attribution, CC BY 4.0):
GroceryChop Price Index, May 2026. grocerychop.com/price-index/vs-cpi/2026-05
About GroceryChop
The GroceryChop Price Index is built from the live price data behind GroceryChop, a free tool that compares a full shopping list across every grocery store near you and finds the cheapest basket. Shoppers can compare prices, browse today's deals, or get the app.