Grocery inflation has cooled from the extreme highs of recent years, but many shoppers would disagree based on what they’re paying at the store. Several everyday staples saw sharp price jumps in 2025, with beef, coffee and produce leading the surge.
Federal data shows that beef and veal prices rose anywhere from 11 to 25 percent between November 2024 and November 2025, depending on the cut. Chuck roast, round roast and stew meat saw the steepest increases. To counter rising prices, the Trump administration recently announced cuts to tariffs on beef imports, but experts warn that persistent problems like drought may keep beef expensive for years.
Coffee prices also surged, climbing 35 percent in just one year. The administration rolled back coffee-related tariffs as well, though analysts say global supply issues also contributed to the spike.
Produce saw meaningful increases, too. Iceberg lettuce is up 21 percent, romaine is up 12 percent, and bananas climbed 7 percent. Orange juice prices were roughly 12 percent higher than last year, and cookies rose about 8 percent.
Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases data on a delay — and because the shutdown disrupted reporting — the full picture of 2025 inflation won’t be available until mid-January. The latest figures, released December 18, show overall inflation at 2.7 percent, though economists caution the numbers may be distorted. The October report was canceled entirely.
Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, said the data is incomplete and difficult to evaluate, adding that the shutdown may have cooled prices temporarily by disrupting government contracts and slowing certain economic activity.
A recent survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most Americans say they’re still feeling higher-than-normal prices for groceries, utilities and gifts heading into the holidays.
With grocery prices rising on items Americans buy every week, the question now is whether this becomes a political problem for President Trump — especially as he continues to claim inflation is under control and that his tariff policies are helping lower costs.