I have been going grocery shopping with my husband for years. And, once upon a time, in 2014, a week’s worth of groceries cost us at most $70. That was for about 40 items. Now, we buy 10 fewer items during our weekly shopping trips (of course, we have a kid–we were childless in 2014), and we spend at least $60 more. Now, some of that increase is because we have a growing kid. Some of that increase is also attributable to inflation. But I noticed that the price of groceries has gone up substantially after Trump’s tariffs went into effect. I will use research and tangible data to prove my point.
It’s Not Just Your (Or My) Imagination, You Really Are Paying More Than You Should For Daily Essentials!
“Liberation Day” was big for the Trump administration because it was the day that his tariffs officially went into effect worldwide. And it’s not just groceries that have become more expensive. Some Walmart’s across America have posted new price tags showing what popular items would cost before and after Trump’s tariffs. Of course, Trump’s tariffs raised the prices of everything at all Walmarts.
Most impacted are popular items that America imports, like matcha. Ironically enough, Trump swept through the polls last year because he promised to make groceries more affordable for Americans, but his recent actions–slapping hefty tariffs on America’s trading partners–have done the exact opposite. And, as it turns out, I am not the only one feeling the pinch.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research recently conducted and published a poll. And its findings were both staggering and shocking. About 53% of respondents said that they were very stressed about rising grocery prices. About a third of respondents said that they weren’t very concerned about more expensive groceries. Amazingly, 14% of respondents said that rising grocery prices weren’t affecting them at all.
That was one of many surveys done since the tariffs took effect that have indicated that most Americans are very concerned about rising prices at grocery stores. Sure, recent data shows that food inflation has cooled down a bit in recent months, but they are still far too high for most Americans! Many Americans feel that the country is now in a bad recession and are afraid of getting the pink slip–that’s especially true for workers in the tech sector.
Higher Prices Are Affecting What Americans Are Buying
Groceries are an average of 2.4% higher this year than they were in June of 2024, according to the most recent consumer price index. Worse, prices of essentials: eggs, beef, orange juice, and other things that Americans consume daily have increased rapidly in the past year. To be fair, external and unpredictable factors like supply changes or extreme weather are the real culprits.
But Americans are feeling the pinch because fruits (pineapples and tomatoes), canned goods, chocolate, coffee, and other imported items are much more expensive than they were this time last year. But here’s the real shocker: many businesses have been absorbing the higher costs from the tariffs instead of passing them on to the end consumer.
That means that the sticker prices could continue to climb considerably, especially if more and more businesses decide that they just can’t afford to keep on subsidizing Trump’s tariffs. Businesses have been importing less since June because Trump’s tariffs made things much more expensive.
Is Eating Out Regularly Starting to Become a Thing of the Past?
In the 1950s, eating at home was common. Part of it was cultural, but economics played a key role too. Americans simply couldn’t afford to eat out since most households were single wage earners–dad worked in a factory and mom took care of the kids and the house. Well, the most recent data suggests that the country may be starting to return to that trend.
Americans are cash-strapped at best and broke at worse. They just can’t afford to eat out regularly, like in the past. So, many shoppers are availing discounts. They are also cooking more, bringing their lunches to the office, and saving more money by only cooking with needed items in recipes.
If You Think Grocery Prices Are Already Sky High…
You’re in for a real shock because it’s only going to get worse. Just wait until enough businesses realize that they can’t afford to eat the costs of Trump’s tariffs anymore and are forced to pass the expenses onto the consumer.
