According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for cereals and bakery products are 2,817.27% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $563.45 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026:Cereals and bakery products experienced an average inflation rate of 3.95% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, cereals and bakery products costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $583.45 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for cereals and bakery products was higher.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -5.29%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for cereals and bakery products during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for cereals and bakery products was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Cereals and bakery products, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | -5.29% |
| 1940 | $20.48 | 2.42% |
| 1941 | $20.73 | 1.18% |
| 1942 | $22.26 | 7.40% |
| 1943 | $22.79 | 2.36% |
| 1944 | $22.91 | 0.53% |
| 1945 | $23.10 | 0.82% |
| 1946 | $26.45 | 14.51% |
| 1947 | $32.91 | 24.43% |
| 1948 | $36.18 | 9.94% |
| 1949 | $35.96 | -0.60% |
| 1950 | $36.59 | 1.76% |
| 1951 | $39.92 | 9.08% |
| 1952 | $40.89 | 2.43% |
| 1953 | $41.68 | 1.94% |
| 1954 | $42.66 | 2.36% |
| 1955 | $43.34 | 1.58% |
| 1956 | $43.93 | 1.37% |
| 1957 | $45.67 | 3.95% |
| 1958 | $46.58 | 2.00% |
| 1959 | $46.90 | 0.69% |
| 1960 | $47.87 | 2.07% |
| 1961 | $48.95 | 2.25% |
| 1962 | $49.93 | 2.01% |
| 1963 | $50.67 | 1.48% |
| 1964 | $50.86 | 0.37% |
| 1965 | $51.57 | 1.40% |
| 1966 | $53.73 | 4.18% |
| 1967 | $54.93 | 2.23% |
| 1968 | $55.22 | 0.54% |
| 1969 | $56.76 | 2.78% |
| 1970 | $59.87 | 5.48% |
| 1971 | $62.61 | 4.59% |
| 1972 | $63.03 | 0.67% |
| 1973 | $70.22 | 11.40% |
| 1974 | $91.35 | 30.09% |
| 1975 | $101.60 | 11.23% |
| 1976 | $99.29 | -2.28% |
| 1977 | $100.86 | 1.59% |
| 1978 | $109.91 | 8.97% |
| 1979 | $121.00 | 10.09% |
| 1980 | $135.49 | 11.98% |
| 1981 | $149.03 | 9.99% |
| 1982 | $155.85 | 4.58% |
| 1983 | $160.82 | 3.19% |
| 1984 | $167.86 | 4.38% |
| 1985 | $174.31 | 3.84% |
| 1986 | $179.10 | 2.75% |
| 1987 | $185.42 | 3.53% |
| 1988 | $197.24 | 6.37% |
| 1989 | $213.85 | 8.42% |
| 1990 | $226.07 | 5.71% |
| 1991 | $235.49 | 4.17% |
| 1992 | $244.64 | 3.89% |
| 1993 | $252.84 | 3.35% |
| 1994 | $263.27 | 4.13% |
| 1995 | $270.47 | 2.74% |
| 1996 | $280.94 | 3.87% |
| 1997 | $286.90 | 2.12% |
| 1998 | $292.54 | 1.97% |
| 1999 | $298.71 | 2.11% |
| 2000 | $304.05 | 1.79% |
| 2001 | $313.07 | 2.97% |
| 2002 | $319.85 | 2.17% |
| 2003 | $327.50 | 2.39% |
| 2004 | $332.77 | 1.61% |
| 2005 | $337.47 | 1.41% |
| 2006 | $343.76 | 1.86% |
| 2007 | $358.72 | 4.35% |
| 2008 | $395.46 | 10.24% |
| 2009 | $407.91 | 3.15% |
| 2010 | $404.49 | -0.84% |
| 2011 | $420.42 | 3.94% |
| 2012 | $432.33 | 2.83% |
| 2013 | $436.72 | 1.02% |
| 2014 | $437.78 | 0.24% |
| 2015 | $442.62 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | $441.09 | -0.35% |
| 2017 | $438.78 | -0.52% |
| 2018 | $440.56 | 0.41% |
| 2019 | $446.67 | 1.39% |
| 2020 | $456.49 | 2.20% |
| 2021 | $466.88 | 2.28% |
| 2022 | $527.69 | 13.02% |
| 2023 | $572.17 | 8.43% |
| 2024 | $575.18 | 0.53% |
| 2025 | $580.43 | 0.91% |
| 2026 | $583.45 | 0.52%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Cereals and bakery products:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 13.342 | 13.200 | 13.542 | 13.075 | 12.383 | 12.683 | 12.833 | 13.783 | 14.108 | 14.183 | 14.300 | 16.375 | 20.375 | 22.400 | 22.267 | 22.658 | 24.717 | 25.317 | 25.808 | 26.417 | 26.833 | 27.200 | 28.275 | 28.842 | 29.042 | 29.642 | 30.308 | 30.917 | 31.375 | 31.492 | 31.933 | 33.267 | 34.008 | 34.192 | 35.142 | 37.067 | 38.767 | 39.025 | 43.475 | 56.558 | 62.908 | 61.475 | 62.450 | 68.050 | 74.917 | 83.892 | 92.275 | 96.500 | 99.575 | 103.933 | 107.925 | 110.892 | 114.808 | 122.125 | 132.408 | 139.975 | 145.808 | 151.475 | 156.550 | 163.008 | 167.467 | 173.950 | 177.642 | 181.133 | 184.950 | 188.258 | 193.842 | 198.042 | 202.775 | 206.042 | 208.950 | 212.842 | 222.107 | 244.853 | 252.567 | 250.449 | 260.311 | 267.682 | 270.401 | 271.056 | 274.056 | 273.109 | 271.678 | 272.781 | 276.561 | 282.645 | 289.079 | 326.729 | 354.269 | 356.133 | 359.383 | 361.255 |