Shoppers feel squeeze as cost of essential groceries spike up to 20%
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Mannette Williams and other shoppers are feeling the squeeze in the grocery aisle during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prices on essential groceries are on the rise at the worst time for many.
“Probably what people spend in rent, we’re spending on groceries right now,” Williams said.
With the pandemic, more than ever people are eating in. But, the costs of many staples are spiking.
Beef is one of the items that has risen at least 20% in just a couple of months nationwide.
“I wish I was still working,” shopper Robert Murphy said.
Murphy was laid off from his job at a day care and relies on Social Security to pay the bills.
“It’s hard, pinching pennies,” Murphy said.
While he’s been home, he can’t help but notice his grocery bill hasn’t remained flat.
“Prices are up on ground beef, milk, cereal, all the essentials,” he said.
While there’s just kitty litter in his bag Friday evening, even that is higher than normal, too.
“It’s atrocious,” he said.
Williams has a much longer grocery bill than Murphy to prove what’s going on.
“I have two teenage boys and a 7-year-old, and they are eating me out of house and home,” she said.
She’s making breakfast for dinner Friday night.
Her egg crate, which is normally $1.49, is 2.09. Although it’s just 60 cents, it all adds up.
“I think that meat is extremely expensive,” Williams said.
She’s not wrong.
According to numbers just released from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, meat and poultry has increased almost 11% from February to June. Beef and veal is even worse at 20%. Eggs are up 10%. Cereal and vegetables are up 4%.
“We eat a lot of cereal, vegetables and a lot of meat,” Williams said.
The increase is not because of a lack of food. It’s because the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the supply chain by forcing various processors to close or slow down because of sick workers and new safety protocols.
Williams is resigned to higher bills. He know others, especially those without a job who just lost their extra $600 a week in federal stimulus benefits, are worse off.
“That’s why my door is always open. If you need something, I’m handing out plates in the neighborhood,” she said.
As for Murphy, “not buying as much ice cream, sodas,” he said with a laugh. “It’s the pandemic all right.”
A recent survey from the Census Bureau revealed that almost 30 million Americans said they didn’t have enough to eat at some point in the previous week.