[TheEpochTimesDecember192022](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Jiang Linda) Although the price increase in the United States in November was lower than expected, food prices still rose. New data shows that Americans are spending more on Christmas dinner this year than in previous years.
According to data released by the US Department of Labor (DOL) on December 13, in the two months ended in November, US food prices rose 0.3%. Among them, the price index of fruits and vegetables in the household food category increased by 1.5%; the index of meat, poultry, fish and eggs fell by 2%.
In the past year, food prices in the United States have risen by 14.1%, and the household food index has increased by 15.3%.
Datasembly, a retail tracking company, said that inflation continued in the United States in November, and the increase in food prices can be roughly divided into several categories: the price of frozen food fell slightly in October, and rose by 1.7% in November, the highest increase of all categories; , dairy products and eggs rose 1.5 percent, and snacks, biscuits and chips rose 1.2 percent.
Prices fell in two categories of food in November, however: Alcohol fell 0.3 percent and meat and seafood fell 0.2 percent.
As Christmas approaches, food price increases directly affect people’s holiday spending.
According to the “Fox Business News” report, Datasembly analyzed various indexes and concluded that the average price of a Christmas dinner basket in the United States this year is about 60.29 US dollars, which is 16.4% higher than the same period last year.
Datasembly also analyzed the year-over-year price differences for 13 unique products across the four largest U.S. retailers — Albertsons, Kroger, Target, and Walmart — and found that all products Prices have all gone up.
The 13 products include stuffing mix, corn, green beans, frozen apple pie, vegetable cream, butter, cranberry sauce, bone-in spiral sliced ham, eggnog, homemade cookie dough, brown potatoes, white frozen turkey and Homestyle Roast Turkey Gravy.
According to the data, the price of biscuits increased the most year-on-year, 47.7% more expensive; butter and brown potatoes were not far behind, with prices rising 38% and 32.6%/ respectively. The smallest increases were in frozen turkey and bone-in, spiral-sliced ham, up 6.3 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) analyzed that even if inflation persists, American consumers still show amazing purchasing power.
“Despite persistent inflation and rising interest rates, consumers continued to prioritize spending on family and picking out holiday gifts for loved ones this November,” NRF President Matthew Shay said in a statement.
“Retailers are also helping consumers save money by offering quality products at the right price. And consumers have returned to shop in-store for a more traditional holiday shopping atmosphere,” he said. ◇
Editor in charge: Jialian