According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 735.93% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $36,796,435,930,611,464 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 $5,000,000,000,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $41,796,435,930,611,464 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 $5,000,000,000,000,000 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 | $5,000,000,000,000,000.00 | 5.44% |
| 1971 | $5,154,303,239,409,622.00 | 3.09% |
| 1972 | $5,367,069,196,856,431.00 | 4.13% |
| 1973 | $6,080,122,675,867,357.00 | 13.29% |
| 1974 | $6,916,810,427,448,726.00 | 13.76% |
| 1975 | $7,500,479,202,606,862.00 | 8.44% |
| 1976 | $7,732,413,264,328,157.00 | 3.09% |
| 1977 | $8,193,406,172,129,577.00 | 5.96% |
| 1978 | $8,993,674,525,589,420.00 | 9.77% |
| 1979 | $9,956,871,765,382,404.00 | 10.71% |
| 1980 | $10,808,894,000,383,362.00 | 8.56% |
| 1981 | $11,649,415,372,819,628.00 | 7.78% |
| 1982 | $12,123,825,953,613,186.00 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $12,394,096,223,883,458.00 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $12,859,881,157,753,496.00 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $13,159,861,989,649,224.00 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $13,589,227,525,397,736.00 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $14,142,227,333,716,696.00 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $14,725,896,108,874,832.00 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $15,560,667,050,028,748.00 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $16,456,775,924,861,030.00 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $17,043,319,915,660,344.00 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $17,279,087,598,236,536.00 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $17,640,406,363,810,618.00 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $18,050,603,795,284,648.00 | 2.33% |
| 1995 | $18,548,016,101,207,592.00 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $19,150,852,980,640,212.00 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $19,653,057,312,631,780.00 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $20,070,921,985,815,600.00 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $20,503,162,737,205,292.00 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $20,976,614,912,785,124.00 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $21,625,455,242,476,520.00 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $22,023,193,406,172,128.00 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $22,493,770,366,110,788.00 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $23,252,827,295,380,484.00 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $23,818,286,371,477,856.00 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $24,377,036,611,079,164.00 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $25,329,643,473,260,492.00 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $26,690,895,150,469,616.00 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $27,192,256,085,873,104.00 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $27,408,395,629,672,216.00 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $28,390,425,531,914,892.00 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $29,113,551,849,722,064.00 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $29,524,199,731,646,536.00 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $30,207,312,631,780,716.00 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $30,750,009,584,052,144.00 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $30,855,712,095,073,804.00 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $31,127,880,007,667,240.00 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $31,565,104,466,168,296.00 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $32,146,530,573,126,320.00 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $33,219,484,377,995,020.00 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $34,488,940,003,833,624.00 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $37,791,316,848,763,656.00 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $39,930,438,949,587,880.00 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $40,823,940,962,238,824.00 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $41,796,435,930,611,464.00 | 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 |