Americans Hit by Sharpest Grocery Price Rise in 4 Years — Tomatoes Jump 39%, Seafood Up 6%

A shopper browses the fresh produce aisle as grocery prices post their steepest monthly rise in nearly four years. (Credit: Pexels /Rollz International)

For the first time in three years, American workers' wages are no longer keeping pace with what they spend on food. Real average hourly earnings fell 0.3% year-on-year in April, just as grocery prices posted their sharpest monthly jump since August 2022.

The Consumer Price Index as a whole rose 3.8% over the past year, its highest annual rate since May 2023, with energy costs accounting for more than 40% of the monthly increase. The food-at-home index rose 0.7% from March to April, with five of six major supermarket food categories climbing, the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed in its Consumer Price Index release on 12 May. Over the past 12 months, grocery prices have been up 2.9%.