According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 735.93% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $1,251,078,821,640.79 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2025: Food and beverages experienced an average inflation rate of 3.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food and beverages costing $170,000,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $1,421,078,821,640.79 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.92% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was higher.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 5.44%, which is above the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), inflation for food and beverages was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $170,000,000,000 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $170,000,000,000.00 | 5.44% |
| 1971 | $175,246,310,139.93 | 3.09% |
| 1972 | $182,480,352,693.12 | 4.13% |
| 1973 | $206,724,170,979.49 | 13.29% |
| 1974 | $235,171,554,533.26 | 13.76% |
| 1975 | $255,016,292,888.63 | 8.44% |
| 1976 | $262,902,050,987.16 | 3.09% |
| 1977 | $278,575,809,852.41 | 5.96% |
| 1978 | $305,784,933,870.04 | 9.77% |
| 1979 | $338,533,640,023.00 | 10.71% |
| 1980 | $367,502,396,013.03 | 8.56% |
| 1981 | $396,080,122,675.87 | 7.78% |
| 1982 | $412,210,082,422.85 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $421,399,271,612.04 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $437,235,959,363.62 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $447,435,307,648.07 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $462,033,735,863.52 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $480,835,729,346.37 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $500,680,467,701.74 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $529,062,679,700.98 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $559,530,381,445.28 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $579,472,877,132.45 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $587,488,978,340.04 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $599,773,816,369.56 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $613,720,529,039.68 | 2.33% |
| 1995 | $630,632,547,441.06 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $651,129,001,341.77 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $668,203,948,629.48 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $682,411,347,517.73 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $697,107,533,064.98 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $713,204,907,034.69 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $735,265,478,244.20 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $748,788,575,809.85 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $764,788,192,447.77 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $790,596,128,042.94 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $809,821,736,630.25 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $828,819,244,776.69 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $861,207,878,090.86 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $907,490,435,115.97 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $924,536,706,919.69 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $931,885,451,408.86 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $965,274,468,085.11 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $989,860,762,890.55 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $1,003,822,790,875.98 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $1,027,048,629,480.54 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $1,045,500,325,857.77 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $1,049,094,211,232.51 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $1,058,347,920,260.69 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $1,073,213,551,849.72 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $1,092,982,039,486.29 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $1,129,462,468,851.83 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $1,172,623,960,130.34 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $1,284,904,772,857.96 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $1,357,634,924,285.99 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $1,388,013,992,716.12 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $1,421,078,821,640.79 | 2.38%* |
* 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 Food and beverages:
| Year | 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 |
| CPI | 34.985 | 36.254 | 38.062 | 40.131 | 41.369 | 43.077 | 48.800 | 55.515 | 60.200 | 62.062 | 65.762 | 72.185 | 79.915 | 86.754 | 93.500 | 97.308 | 99.477 | 103.215 | 105.623 | 109.069 | 113.508 | 118.192 | 124.892 | 132.085 | 136.792 | 138.685 | 141.585 | 144.877 | 148.869 | 153.708 | 157.738 | 161.092 | 164.562 | 168.362 | 173.569 | 176.762 | 180.538 | 186.631 | 191.169 | 195.654 | 203.300 | 214.225 | 218.249 | 219.984 | 227.866 | 233.670 | 236.966 | 242.449 | 246.804 | 247.653 | 249.837 | 253.346 | 258.013 | 266.625 | 276.814 | 303.319 | 320.488 | 327.659 | 335.465 |