Food and beverages priced at $1 in 1972 $1.13 in 1973

Food And Beverages Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Food And Beverages, 1972-1973 ($1)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages were 13.29% higher in 1973 versus 1972 (a $0.13 difference in value).

Between 1972 and 1973: Food and beverages experienced an average inflation rate of 13.29% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food and beverages costing $1 in the year 1972 would cost $1.13 in 1973 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 6.18% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was significantly higher.

In the year 1972: Pricing changed by 4.13%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1972-1973 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1972 (3.27%), inflation for food and beverages was higher.

Price Inflation for Food and beverages since 1967

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1974 (13.76%), 1973 (13.29%), and 1979 (10.71%).

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Buying power of $1.00 since 1972

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $1 beginning in 1972. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1972$1.004.13%
1973$1.1313.29%
1974$1.2913.76%
1975$1.408.44%
1976$1.443.09%
1977$1.535.96%
1978$1.689.77%
1979$1.8610.71%
1980$2.018.56%
1981$2.177.78%
1982$2.264.07%
1983$2.312.23%
1984$2.403.76%
1985$2.452.33%
1986$2.533.26%
1987$2.634.07%
1988$2.744.13%
1989$2.905.67%
1990$3.075.76%
1991$3.183.56%
1992$3.221.38%
1993$3.292.09%
1994$3.362.33%
1995$3.462.76%
1996$3.573.25%
1997$3.662.62%
1998$3.742.13%
1999$3.822.15%
2000$3.912.31%
2001$4.033.09%
2002$4.101.84%
2003$4.192.14%
2004$4.333.37%
2005$4.442.43%
2006$4.542.35%
2007$4.723.91%
2008$4.975.37%
2009$5.071.88%
2010$5.110.79%
2011$5.293.58%
2012$5.422.55%
2013$5.501.41%
2014$5.632.31%
2015$5.731.80%
2016$5.750.34%
2017$5.800.88%
2018$5.881.40%
2019$5.991.84%
2020$6.193.34%
2021$6.433.82%
2022$7.049.58%
2023$7.445.66%
2024$7.541.40%*

* 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:

Year1967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI34.98536.25438.06240.13141.36943.07748.80055.51560.20062.06265.76272.18579.91586.75493.50097.30899.477103.215105.623109.069113.508118.192124.892132.085136.792138.685141.585144.877148.869153.708157.738161.092164.562168.362173.569176.762180.538186.631191.169195.654203.300214.225218.249219.984227.866233.670236.966242.449246.804247.653249.837253.346258.013266.625276.814303.319320.488324.986

Adjust food and beverages prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 1973 / CPI in 1972 * 1972 USD value = 1973 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Food and beverages was 43.077 in the year 1972 and 48.800 in 1973:

48.800 / 43.077 * $1 = $1.13

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $1 in 1972 has the same "purchasing power" as $1.13 in 1973 (in the CPI category of Food and beverages).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Food and beverages in 1967. In addition to food and beverages, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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