What’s getting more expensive — and cheaper — at the grocery store
By Alicia Wallace, CNN
Published 1:01 PM EST, Thu January 11, 2024
Egg prices shot up 8.9% in December from November, according to the latest Consumer Price Index.
New YorkCNN —
The trip to the grocery store is getting easier on the wallet.
Food at home prices rose a modest 1.3% for the year ended in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Price Index report, released Thursday.
That’s the lowest annual increase registered since June 2021 and a far cry from the 11.8% increase registered in December 2022.
Overall food prices were up 0.2% on a monthly basis, matching the rate of increase seen in November, CPI data shows. For the year, food prices are up 2.7%, remaining below the overall inflation rate of 3.4%.
Driving that increase is the food away from home category (meals and snacks at restaurants, vending machines and other venues), which is up 5.2% annually.
Where prices went higher
If the lure of a fox, a box, a mouse and a house were not enough to encourage Sam-I-Am to chow down on some green eggs and ham, Thursday’s inflation data surely won’t help matters either.
Eggs and ham prices went up the most in December as compared to other food categories tracked in the CPI.
Prices of eggs (the standard, non-green-yolked variety) shot up 8.9% from November, marking the highest monthly increase since January of last year as bird flu has once again struck the industry. For now, economists believe this latest avian flu won’t be as severe as the one in 2022 that devastated flocks and sent egg prices sky-high (at one point rising 70% year over year).
For the 12 months that ended in December, egg prices are down 23.8%.
Also in December, those Christmas hams saw some inflation as well. Ham prices rose 2.6% for the month (2.9% excluding canned ham), BLS data showed.
Fats, oils and peanut butter products saw a similar increase of 2.6% in December, while raw beef steak prices picked up 2.4%.
On an annual basis, the highest price hikes continue to be in the categories of frozen noncarbonated juice and raw beef steaks, which are up 19.1% and 11.2%, respectively.
The tubes of frosty juice have shot up in price because of bad weather (hurricanes, in particular) and a devastating citrus disease. And recent bouts of extreme drought in the United States have resulted in a reduction of cattle herds, constricting beef supply.
Crackers (+7.7%), baby food (+7.3%) and sugar (+6.9%) also are seeing some of the highest gains from a year ago.
Where prices are falling
Some products are getting easier on the wallet and at a good time for those fresh New Year’s resolutions: Notably, lettuce, which was down 4% from November and 16.7% from the year before.
Potatoes are getting cheaper as well, dropping 2.8% from November and declining annually at the same rate.
Fresh vegetables are among the food items that are falling in price.
Aside from eggs and lettuce, the categories seeing the largest annual price declines as of December are tomatoes (-7.2%), apples (-5.9%), and fresh vegetables overall (-4.8%).
Other annual declines were seen across the dairy aisle, including cheese, butter and milk, which were down 3.3%, 2.9% and 1.8%, respectively.
What’s getting more expensive — and cheaper — at the grocery store
杂货店里什么东西在变贵，什么东西在变便宜
The trip to the grocery store is getting easier on the wallet.
（不太会翻译，“The trip to the grocery store”是指去一趟杂货店，“get easier on the wallet”通常指“减轻钱包负担”或者“省钱”。句子上看是去杂货店更省钱了，但放文章这里不合理吧。这里大家自己体会下啥意思吧......）
Food at home prices rose a modest 1.3% for the year ended in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Consumer Price Index report, released Thursday.
根据劳工统计局（BLS）周四发布的最新消费者价格指数（CPI）报告，截至12月的这一年度，家庭食品价格小幅上涨1.3%。
That’s the lowest annual increase registered since June 2021 and a far cry from the 11.8% increase registered in December 2022.
那是自2021年六月以来最低的年度上涨幅度，和2022年12月份记录的11.8%的增长相去甚远。
Overall food prices were up 0.2% on a monthly basis, matching the rate of increase seen in November, CPI data shows. For the year, food prices are up 2.7%, remaining below the overall inflation rate of 3.4%.
CPI数据显示，整体食物的价格月上涨0.2%，和十一月份看到的增长率相匹配。这一整年里，食物价格上涨2.7%，仍然低于3.4%整体通胀率。
Driving that increase is the food away from home category (meals and snacks at restaurants, vending machines and other venues), which is up 5.2% annually.
推动价格上涨的是家庭之外的食品类别（餐馆、自动售货机和其他场所的餐食和小吃），年增长5.2%。
Where prices went higher
哪些价格上涨了
If the lure of a fox, a box, a mouse and a house were not enough to encourage Sam-I-Am to chow down on some green eggs and ham, Thursday’s inflation data surely won’t help matters either.
如果狐狸、盒子、老鼠和房子的诱惑不足以鼓励山姆去吃一些绿鸡蛋和火腿，那么周四的价格上涨数据肯定也无济于事。（Sam-I-Am是故事《绿鸡蛋和火腿》的主角，不喜欢吃绿鸡蛋和火腿。附上这个故事的链接：英文绘本故事｜Green Eggs and Ham 绿鸡蛋和火腿）
Eggs and ham prices went up the most in December as compared to other food categories tracked in the CPI.
和CPI中跟踪的其他食物类别相比，鸡蛋和火腿的价格上涨最多。
Prices of eggs (the standard, non-green-yolked variety) shot up 8.9% from November, marking the highest monthly increase since January of last year as bird flu has once again struck the industry. For now, economists believe this latest avian flu won’t be as severe as the one in 2022 that devastated flocks and sent egg prices sky-high (at one point rising 70% year over year).
因为禽流感再次打击相关行业，鸡蛋的价格（非绿色蛋黄的标准品种）比十一月份上涨了8.9%，是去年一月份以来最高的月上涨幅度。目前，经济学家认为这次最新的禽流感不会像2022年的那次那样严重，当时的禽流感摧毁了鸡群，导致鸡蛋价格飙升（一度年度上涨70%）。
For the 12 months that ended in December, egg prices are down 23.8%.
截止十二月份的过去十二个月中，鸡蛋价格下降了23.8%。
Also in December, those Christmas hams saw some inflation as well. Ham prices rose 2.6% for the month (2.9% excluding canned ham), BLS data showed.
同样在十二月，圣诞火腿的价格也出现了一些上涨。BLS数据显示，火腿的价格相比上个月上涨了2.6%（不包括罐头火腿的话上涨幅度2.9%）。
Fats, oils and peanut butter products saw a similar increase of 2.6% in December, while raw beef steak prices picked up 2.4%.
12月，脂肪、油和花生酱产品也出现了差不多2.6%的涨幅，生牛排价格上涨了2.4%。
On an annual basis, the highest price hikes continue to be in the categories of frozen noncarbonated juice and raw beef steaks, which are up 19.1% and 11.2%, respectively.
按年度计算，价格涨幅最大的仍然是冷冻无碳果汁和生牛排，分别上涨了19.1%和11.2%。
The tubes of frosty juice have shot up in price because of bad weather (hurricanes, in particular) and a devastating citrus disease. And recent bouts of extreme drought in the United States have resulted in a reduction of cattle herds, constricting beef supply.
冰镇果汁的价格飙升是由于恶劣的天气（特别是飓风）和一种毁灭性的柑橘类疾病。然后美国最近几次极端干旱导致牛群减少，牛肉供应受到限制。
Crackers (+7.7%), baby food (+7.3%) and sugar (+6.9%) also are seeing some of the highest gains from a year ago.
饼干（+7.7%），婴儿食品（+7.3%）和糖（+6.9%）也是相比去年上涨最高的类别之一。
Where prices are falling
哪些价格在下降
Some products are getting easier on the wallet and at a good time for those fresh New Year’s resolutions: Notably, lettuce, which was down 4% from November and 16.7% from the year before.
一些产品价格在下降，这正是新年新决心的好时机：值得注意的是，生菜，它比11月下降了4%，比前一年下降了16.7%。
Potatoes are getting cheaper as well, dropping 2.8% from November and declining annually at the same rate.
土豆也变得更便宜了，比十一月份下降了2.8%，年度也以相同的比例下降。
Aside from eggs and lettuce, the categories seeing the largest annual price declines as of December are tomatoes (-7.2%), apples (-5.9%), and fresh vegetables overall (-4.8%).
除了鸡蛋和生菜（鸡蛋？应该是生菜和土豆吧？），截至12月，年价格跌幅最大的类别是西红柿（-7.2%）、苹果（-5.9%）和整体新鲜蔬菜（-4.8%）。
Other annual declines were seen across the dairy aisle, including cheese, butter and milk, which were down 3.3%, 2.9% and 1.8%, respectively.
其他年跌幅较大的有乳制品行业，包括奶酪、黄油和牛奶，分别下跌3.3%、2.9%和1.8%。
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