Charlotte’s grocery prices keep rising. Here are some tips to save you money now.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlotte-area grocery stores confronted product hoarding, delivery pivots, curbside pickup, labor shortages and supply chain issues. Now comes inflation for food prices.

Grocery stores nationally saw the largest 12-month price index increase for the six major food groups since December 1990, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statics available.

The price index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 11.9%, beef rose 20.1 % and pork, 14.1%, according to Consumer Price Index figures. Dairy products rose 1.8% and non-alcoholic beverages went up 4.5%.

UNC Charlotte economist John Connaughton blames rising inflation on the federal stimulus checks included in federal pandemic rescue packages. “That started this inflation run up,” he said.

A household with two adults and two children received about $8,000 from three rounds of stimulus checks in spring and fall 2020 and spring this year, he said, even as unemployment dropped by more than half in that time.

“Most of the people who got checks didn’t need them. They were still working,” Connaughton said.

He said it created too much money chasing too few goods. Citing the CPI, he said food went up 5.3%, comparing this October to last year.

‘Bacon is through the roof’

In supermarkets, Connaughton said inflation is especially impacting protein foods because of workforce and supply shortages in meat and processing plants.

But he said, Charlotte may have suffered a little less than other parts of the country because of the supermarket competition. Grocers continue to expand in Charlotte with more than 730 in the metro including Concord, Gastonia and York County, S.C.

“Supermarket Guru” Phil Lempert, who analyzes consumer behavior and market trends, agreed with Connaughton that Charlotte’s competition could be helping keep grocery prices in check.

Normally, Lempert said, competition drives down prices. But because of supply and labor shortages, expect to see rising prices especially with any animal products — milk, butter, eggs, poultry, beef, pork.

“Bacon is through the roof,” he said. That is, even if you can find some on the shelves.

What grocery shoppers can do

Inflation is expected to continue to impact goods, including food, for the next 12 to 18 months, Lempert said.

He said even though shoppers may have a favorite store, now is the time to shop around — look at all the grocery store circulars, price compare online and “you might have to go to two stores for the best prices.”

This year’s traditional Thanksgiving feast including turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie for 10 people cost $53.31, up $6.41 or 14% from last year, according to the American Farm Bureau.

And the next few months continue to be “heavy duty” food shopping with Christmas, New Year’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday. “This where we have to be the most careful,” Lempert said.

Along with price shopping comparisons, Lempert cautioned that as prices go up on food products, people should also look at the net weight of package.

“Some companies will decrease the amount in the package,” he said.

For example, a pint of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s is 16 ounces, Lempert said, while many of the other same-size containers are actually 14 ounces.

He also recommends with ground coffee to look at Arabica, which is a higher quality than Robusta, which may include ground sticks and twigs.

“Be more aware than ever before and shop with your eyes open,” Lempert said.

Price comparison in Charlotte

In the Observer’s price check comparison of 11 products at 11 stores from Nov. 27-Dec. 1, not all food categories followed national inflationary trends.

Comparing last year’s three cheapest total grocery bags of the same products: Aldi’s price increased 58 cents, Walmart was up $2.49 and Food Lion cost $3.07 more.

In 2020, the Observer’s meatloaf ingredients were cheapest at Aldi, for $9. This year, newcomer Lidl was still the cheapest at $8.15, a decrease of over 9% followed by Aldi at $8.43 with a decrease of nearly 7%.

Sometimes, prices were a mixed bag. For example, Milk increased 34 cents at Walmart and 28 cents at Harris Teeter and Publix, while Food Lion’s price dropped $1.35.

Eggs saw similar disparities. Food Lion was 68 cents cheaper and Harris Teeter, 10 cents, while Walmart’s price rose 28 cents and Publix went up $1.29.