According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 602.38% higher in 2026 versus 1973 (a $602,377,049,180,327,772,160 difference in value).
Between 1973 and 2026:Food and beverages experienced an average inflation rate of 3.75% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food and beverages costing $100,000,000,000,000,000,000 in the year 1973 would cost $702,377,049,180,327,772,160 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.83% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was lower.
In the year 1973: Pricing changed by 13.29%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1973-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1973 (6.18%), inflation for food and beverages was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $100,000,000,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1973. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | $100,000,000,000,000,000,000.00 | 13.29% |
| 1974 | $113,763,661,202,185,797,632.00 | 13.76% |
| 1975 | $123,360,655,737,704,890,368.00 | 8.44% |
| 1976 | $127,168,715,846,994,526,208.00 | 3.09% |
| 1977 | $134,750,683,060,109,295,616.00 | 5.96% |
| 1978 | $147,916,666,666,666,655,744.00 | 9.77% |
| 1979 | $163,763,661,202,185,781,248.00 | 10.71% |
| 1980 | $177,783,469,945,355,141,120.00 | 8.56% |
| 1981 | $191,598,360,655,737,716,736.00 | 7.77% |
| 1982 | $199,402,322,404,371,562,496.00 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $203,842,213,114,754,039,808.00 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $211,509,562,841,530,007,552.00 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $216,444,672,131,147,530,240.00 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $223,497,267,759,562,817,536.00 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $232,599,043,715,846,963,200.00 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $242,196,038,251,366,121,472.00 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $255,925,546,448,087,416,832.00 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $270,662,568,306,010,882,048.00 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $280,310,792,349,726,769,152.00 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $284,187,158,469,945,393,152.00 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $290,129,781,420,765,020,160.00 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $296,874,999,999,999,967,232.00 | 2.32% |
| 1995 | $305,054,644,808,743,124,992.00 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $314,976,092,896,174,866,432.00 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $323,241,120,218,579,206,144.00 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $330,105,874,316,939,886,592.00 | 2.12% |
| 1999 | $337,209,699,453,551,902,720.00 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $344,996,584,699,453,505,536.00 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $355,669,398,907,103,936,512.00 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $362,209,699,453,551,902,720.00 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $369,962,431,693,989,019,648.00 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $382,445,355,191,256,743,936.00 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $391,734,972,677,595,660,288.00 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $400,922,131,147,540,922,368.00 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $416,597,506,830,600,962,048.00 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $438,986,168,032,786,841,600.00 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $447,232,069,672,131,100,672.00 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $450,786,885,245,901,733,888.00 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $466,938,353,825,136,508,928.00 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $478,831,625,683,060,064,256.00 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $485,585,553,278,688,362,496.00 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $496,820,696,721,311,399,936.00 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $505,746,584,699,453,505,536.00 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $507,484,972,677,595,463,680.00 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $511,961,407,103,825,084,416.00 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $519,152,493,169,398,841,344.00 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $528,715,163,934,426,136,576.00 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $546,362,021,857,923,366,912.00 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $567,240,778,688,524,648,448.00 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $621,555,157,103,825,125,376.00 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $656,737,363,387,977,957,376.00 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $671,432,889,344,262,275,072.00 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $690,273,224,043,715,624,960.00 | 2.81% |
| 2026 | $702,377,049,180,327,772,160.00 | 1.75%* |
* 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 | 2026 |
| CPI | 34.983 | 36.258 | 38.058 | 40.133 | 41.367 | 43.075 | 48.800 | 55.517 | 60.200 | 62.058 | 65.758 | 72.183 | 79.917 | 86.758 | 93.500 | 97.308 | 99.475 | 103.217 | 105.625 | 109.067 | 113.508 | 118.192 | 124.892 | 132.083 | 136.792 | 138.683 | 141.583 | 144.875 | 148.867 | 153.708 | 157.742 | 161.092 | 164.558 | 168.358 | 173.567 | 176.758 | 180.542 | 186.633 | 191.167 | 195.650 | 203.300 | 214.225 | 218.249 | 219.984 | 227.866 | 233.670 | 236.966 | 242.448 | 246.804 | 247.653 | 249.837 | 253.346 | 258.013 | 266.625 | 276.814 | 303.319 | 320.488 | 327.659 | 336.853 | 342.760 |