According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 266.59% higher in 2026 versus 1981 (a $266,588,235,294,117,632 difference in value).
Between 1981 and 2026:Food and beverages experienced an average inflation rate of 2.93% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food and beverages costing $100,000,000,000,000,000 in the year 1981 would cost $366,588,235,294,117,632 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.88% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was higher.
In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 7.77%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1981-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for food and beverages was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $100,000,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | $100,000,000,000,000,000.00 | 7.77% |
| 1982 | $104,073,083,778,966,144.00 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $106,390,374,331,550,800.00 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $110,392,156,862,745,088.00 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $112,967,914,438,502,672.00 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $116,648,841,354,723,696.00 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $121,399,286,987,522,272.00 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $126,408,199,643,493,760.00 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $133,573,975,044,563,264.00 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $141,265,597,147,950,096.00 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $146,301,247,771,836,000.00 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $148,324,420,677,361,856.00 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $151,426,024,955,436,736.00 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $154,946,524,064,171,136.00 | 2.32% |
| 1995 | $159,215,686,274,509,824.00 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $164,393,939,393,939,392.00 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $168,707,664,884,135,520.00 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $172,290,552,584,670,240.00 | 2.12% |
| 1999 | $175,998,217,468,805,696.00 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $180,062,388,591,800,352.00 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $185,632,798,573,975,072.00 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $189,046,345,811,051,680.00 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $193,092,691,622,103,424.00 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $199,607,843,137,254,880.00 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $204,456,327,985,739,680.00 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $209,251,336,898,395,712.00 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $217,432,709,447,415,328.00 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $229,117,914,438,502,688.00 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $233,421,657,754,010,720.00 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $235,277,005,347,593,600.00 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $243,706,862,745,098,048.00 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $249,914,260,249,554,400.00 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $253,439,304,812,834,240.00 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $259,303,208,556,149,728.00 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $263,961,853,832,442,112.00 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $264,869,162,210,338,656.00 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $267,205,525,846,702,336.00 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $270,958,734,402,852,032.00 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $275,949,732,620,320,800.00 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $285,160,071,301,247,744.00 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $296,057,219,251,336,960.00 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $324,405,258,467,023,168.00 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $342,767,736,185,383,168.00 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $350,437,700,534,759,360.00 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $360,270,944,741,532,928.00 | 2.81% |
| 2026 | $366,588,235,294,117,632.00 | 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 |