September’s pricing of the 47 item PracticalDad grocery basket showed that the cost of the basket rose .81% from August’s level with the September index now at 105.71; cumulatively, the cost of the market basket is now 5.71% higher than that at the November 2010 inception.
Inflation at the retail grocery level appears to be starting to surge as the cost of the market basket rose almost 2% from July to September; it had risen 3.71% in the preceding nine month period of November 2010 to July 2011.
| Month | Price ($) | Index | 3 Month Moving Average |
| Nov 2010 | 178.39 | 100 | |
| Dec 2010 | 180.30 | 101.07 | |
| Jan 2011 | 179.51 | 100.63 | 100.56 |
| Feb 2011 | 179.51 | 100.63 | 100.78 |
| Mar 2011 | 180.51 | 101.08 | 100.78 |
| Apr 2011 | 181.91 | 101.97 | 101.56 |
| May 2011 | 182.10 | 102.08 | 101.71 |
| Jun 2011 | 184.07 | 103.18 | 102.38 |
| Jul 2011 | 185.00 | 103.71 | 102.99 |
| Aug 2011 | 187.05 | 104.85 | 104.06 |
| Sep 2011 | 188.57 | 105.71 | 104.76 |
So what’s notable about the September pricing?
- Grocers are making significant changes to keep prices under control. In one instance this month, a grocer kept the same price and size for coffee (@ 11 oz) but went from a can to a vacuum-packed brick. In another, a grocer actually dropped the price of their 42 ounce container of one-minute oatmeal by 30% but did so by completely eliminating their own store-brand and replacing it with a much lower cost off-brand oatmeal. Had it not been for this particular effect, the Index would have been higher.
- Produce at the retail level rose again as the average cost of potatoes from three stores rose by an additional 7.9% and apples also rose by a full 10%. Eggs shot up in price by almost 17%, but this product has shown that it can fluctuate in price over the past year so it’s uncertain whether such an increase will stick.
- There were fewer items that had price increases than last month, as well as items with rises greater than 5%.
| Item | Size | Category | 7/11 | 8/11 | 9/11 |
| hot dog rolls (ct) | 8 | bread | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 |
| loaf, wht bread, store brand (oz) | 20 | bread | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.26 |
| spaghetti, store brand (oz) | 16 | bread | 1.21 | 1.24 | 1.21 |
| child cereal, sugar flakes, store brand (oz) | 17 | cereal | 2.90 | 2.90 | 2.90 |
| cereal, rice chex, store brand (oz) | 12.8 | cereal | 2.74 | 2.74 | 2.74 |
| oatmeal, one minute, store brand (oz) | 42 | cereal | 3.26 | 3.26 | 2.92 |
| milk, 2% (gallon) | 1 | dairy | 3.98 | 4.01 | 4.04 |
| butter, unsalted, store brand (lb) | 1 | dairy | 3.49 | 3.49 | 3.49 |
| vanilla ice cream, store brand (qt) | 1 | dairy | 2.01 | 2.01 | 2.01 |
| grated parmesan cheese, store brand (oz) | 8 | dairy | 3.08 | 3.08 | 3.08 |
| American cheese, deli (lb) | 1 | dairy | 5.52 | 5.52 | 5.59 |
| peanut butter, store brand (oz) | 28 | grocery | 2.96 | 3.06 | 3.09 |
| grape jelly, store brand (oz) | 32 | grocery | 1.92 | 1.99 | 1.99 |
| kidney beans, dark, store brand (oz) | 15.5 | grocery | .87 | .93 | .92 |
| can green peas, store brand (oz) | 15 | grocery | .94 | .96 | .96 |
| can diced tomatoes, store brand (oz) | 14.5 | grocery | 1.01 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| can cut green beans, store brand (oz) | 14.5 | grocery | .94 | .96 | .96 |
| can corn, store brand (oz) | 15.25 | grocery | .94 | .96 | .96 |
| spaghetti sauce, store brand (oz) | 26 | grocery | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.26 |
| cola, store brand (L) | 2 | grocery | .96 | .96 | .96 |
| caffeinated coffee, store brand (oz) | 13 | grocery | 4.15 | 4.32 | 4.36 |
| diapers, store brand (ct) | 100 | hlth/bty | 18.63 | 18.63 | 18.70 |
| formula, Enfamil Premium, Lipil (oz) | 23.4 | hlth/bty | 22.94 | 23.29 | 23.59 |
| child ibuprofen, OS, store brand (oz) | 4 | hlth/bty | 4.99 | 4.96 | 4.96 |
| adult ibuprofen, caplet, store brand (ct) | 100 | hlth/bty | 6.89 | 7.41 | 7.41 |
| shampoo, Suave (oz) | 22.5 | hlth/bty | 1.71 | 1.81 | 1.86 |
| pads, long/maximum, Poise (ct) | 42 | hlth/bty | 16.09 | 16.09 | 16.09 |
| bath soap, Dial (ct) | 8 | hlth/bty | 5.39 | 5.39 | 5.84 |
| aluminum foil, store brand (sq ft) | 75 | hshld | 2.97 | 2.97 | 3.01 |
| kitchen trash bags, handletop, store brand (ct) | 26 | hshld | 4.16 | 4.31 | 4.31 |
| paper towels, 2 ply, store brand (ct) | 8 | hshld | 7.26 | 7.26 | 7.26 |
| hot dogs, meat franks, store brand (oz) | 16 | meat | 2.69 | 2.69 | 2.69 |
| ground beef, 80% lean (lb) | 1 | meat | 3.46 | 3.46 | 3.46 |
| eggs, large (doz) | 1 | meat | 1.81 | 1.78 | 2.08 |
| lunchmeat, deli ham, chopped (lb) | 1 | meat | 4.06 | 4.39 | 4.06 |
| chicken, roaster (lb) | 1 | meat | 1.56 | 1.66 | 1.59 |
| fish sticks, Gortons (ct) | 44 | meat | 7.66 | 7.49 | 7.49 |
| tuna, chunk lt, water packed, store brand (oz) | 5 | meat | .81 | .81 | .81 |
| bananas (lb) | 1 | produce | .59 | .59 | .59 |
| apples, Red Delicious, bag (lb) | 3 | produce | 3.76 | 3.99 | 4.32 |
| carrots, bag (lb) | 2 | produce | 2.39 | 2.39 | 2.39 |
| OJ, non-concentrate, store brand (oz) | 64 | produce | 2.76 | 2.79 | 2.79 |
| potatoes, Russet (lb) | 5 | produce | 4.32 | 4.32 | 4.66 |
| sugar, store brand (lb) | 5 | staple | 3.22 | 3.22 | 3.22 |
| flour, store brand (lb) | 5 | staple | 2.20 | 2.20 | 2.29 |
| canola oil, store brand (oz) | 48 | staple | 4.46 | 4.39 | 4.39 |
| rice, white, long-grain, store brand (oz) | 2 | staple | 1.73 | 1.73 | 1.81 |
| Total | 185.00 | 187.05 | 188.57 |