According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 217.61% higher in 2025 versus 1985 (a $544,013,568,749,544.88 difference in value).
Between 1985 and 2025: 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 $250,000,000,000,000 in the year 1985 would cost $794,013,568,749,545 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.77% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was higher.
In the year 1985: Pricing changed by 2.33%, which is below the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1985-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1985 (3.55%), inflation for food and beverages was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $250,000,000,000,000 beginning in 1985. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | $250,000,000,000,000.00 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $258,156,725,657,271.88 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $268,662,151,336,392.09 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $279,750,200,276,746.09 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $295,608,477,168,450.94 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $312,632,000,582,623.25 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $323,774,670,453,717.94 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $328,253,586,774,452.00 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $335,117,617,070,861.56 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $342,910,203,189,862.38 | 2.33% |
| 1995 | $352,359,624,207,996.56 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $363,811,812,686,621.44 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $373,352,268,589,323.44 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $381,290,510,523,632.63 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $389,501,857,111,645.19 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $398,496,103,706,940.50 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $410,822,227,077,416.06 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $418,378,122,496,540.75 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $427,317,748,161,095.25 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $441,737,673,876,629.50 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $452,479,790,255,625.94 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $463,094,457,796,227.50 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $481,191,282,499,453.75 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $507,051,198,019,080.88 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $516,575,631,782,098.88 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $520,681,669,215,643.38 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $539,337,448,110,115.81 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $553,074,794,261,160.88 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $560,875,937,659,311.06 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $573,853,142,524,215.25 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $584,162,843,201,514.88 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $586,170,890,685,310.50 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $591,341,307,989,221.50 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $599,647,330,857,184.50 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $610,692,775,471,560.63 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $631,075,850,265,821.88 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $655,191,901,536,668.88 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $717,927,681,887,699.50 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $758,564,926,079,673.75 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $775,538,926,516,641.25 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $794,013,568,749,545.00 | 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 |