According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 735.93% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $49,307,224,147,019.36 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 $6,700,000,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $56,007,224,147,019.36 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 $6,700,000,000,000 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 | $6,700,000,000,000.00 | 5.44% |
| 1971 | $6,906,766,340,808.89 | 3.09% |
| 1972 | $7,191,872,723,787.62 | 4.13% |
| 1973 | $8,147,364,385,662.26 | 13.29% |
| 1974 | $9,268,525,972,781.29 | 13.76% |
| 1975 | $10,050,642,131,493.20 | 8.44% |
| 1976 | $10,361,433,774,199.73 | 3.09% |
| 1977 | $10,979,164,270,653.63 | 5.96% |
| 1978 | $12,051,523,864,289.82 | 9.77% |
| 1979 | $13,342,208,165,612.42 | 10.71% |
| 1980 | $14,483,917,960,513.71 | 8.56% |
| 1981 | $15,610,216,599,578.30 | 7.78% |
| 1982 | $16,245,926,777,841.67 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $16,608,088,940,003.84 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $17,232,240,751,389.69 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $17,634,215,066,129.96 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $18,209,564,884,032.97 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $18,950,584,627,180.37 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $19,732,700,785,892.27 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $20,851,293,847,038.53 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $22,052,079,739,313.78 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $22,838,048,686,984.86 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $23,153,977,381,636.96 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $23,638,144,527,506.23 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $24,187,809,085,681.43 | 2.33% |
| 1995 | $24,854,341,575,618.18 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $25,662,142,994,057.89 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $26,335,096,798,926.58 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $26,895,035,460,992.91 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $27,474,238,067,855.09 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $28,108,663,983,132.07 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $28,978,110,024,918.54 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $29,511,079,164,270.65 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $30,141,652,290,588.46 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $31,158,788,575,809.85 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $31,916,503,737,780.33 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $32,665,229,058,846.08 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $33,941,722,254,169.06 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $35,765,799,501,629.28 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $36,437,623,155,069.96 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $36,727,250,143,760.77 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $38,043,170,212,765.96 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $39,012,159,478,627.56 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $39,562,427,640,406.36 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $40,477,798,926,586.17 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $41,205,012,842,629.86 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $41,346,654,207,398.89 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $41,711,359,210,274.10 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $42,297,239,984,665.52 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $43,076,350,967,989.26 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $44,514,109,066,513.32 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $46,215,179,605,137.06 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $50,640,364,577,343.30 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $53,506,788,192,447.76 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $54,704,080,889,400.03 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $56,007,224,147,019.36 | 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 |