Forget the “Official” Word. Here’s How Much the Price of Food Has REALLY Gone Up

If you listened to any of President Biden’s State of the Union addresses, you may have been surprised to hear that inflation has slowed down.

A fact check from USA Today clarifies Biden’s claims:

Biden touted six straight months of slowing inflation, arguing that his policies are helping tame what has been the top domestic challenge of his presidency.

The president is correct that inflation is trending downward. Yet there are nuances.
 

• Consumer prices were still up 6.5% in December from a year earlier:  Prices are trending down but Americans are still facing historically high costs of living. One household staple, eggs, cost 60% more than a year ago.
• Cost of living is high: Families are still struggling to pay high energy bills along with other rising costs for essential goods, like food and rent, that are increasing at a faster rate than the overall rate of inflation. Grocery prices rose 10.4% annually in December and rent rose about 7.5%, while overall inflation increased by 6.5%.