Grocery items that rose in price the most in December

Ongoing food supply-chain issues kicked off by the COVID-19 pandemic are still affecting the cost of groceries today.

The cost of groceries inflated about 0.2% from November to December, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Annually, the price is up about 11.8%.

During the initial COVID-19-related shutdowns, food producers struggled with a manageable system that would allow them to serve consumers. Labor disruptions also increased food production costs as more funds had to be invested in training workers and protecting food from contamination. Food growers, processors, and distributors were required to adjust packaging, heed new labeling requirements, and meet heightened demand from food retailers.

The effects of these changes are still plaguing grocery store shoppers. So, which food items have seen the biggest uptick in pricing recently? Stacker used monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the eight grocery items that experienced the largest price increases in the last month. Stacker excluded some hyper-specific meat categories in order to better understand grocery price fluctuations more broadly.

#8. White potatoes (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +0.3% - Annual change in cost: +21.9% - December 2022 cost: $0.95

#7. Spaghetti and macaroni (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +0.4% - Annual change in cost: +31.3% - December 2022 cost: $1.43

#6. Chocolate chip cookies (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +0.6% - Annual change in cost: +21.6% - December 2022 cost: $4.97

#5. Long-grain white rice (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +0.8% - Annual change in cost: +18.4% - December 2022 cost: $0.97

#4. Cheddar cheese, natural (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +1% - Annual change in cost: +14% - December 2022 cost: $6.00

#3. White bread (per lb.)

- One-month increase in cost: +1.4% - Annual change in cost: +22.3% - December 2022 cost: $1.87

#2. Strawberries (per 12 oz.)

- One-month increase in cost: +6.2% - Annual change in cost: Not available - December 2022 cost: $3.86

#1. Eggs (per doz.)

- One-month increase in cost: +18.4% - Annual change in cost: +137.7% - December 2022 cost: $4.25

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