As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its second year, Food prices continue to rise globally, and the U.S. is no exception, as the Epidemic hits the supply chain, causing food supply to outstrip demand. From early 2020 to early 2021, many food prices in U.S. grocery stores have increased, with some of them rising several times.
Pandemics are already having an impact on all aspects of Life. In addition to the health risks, in some cases the virus has made food production more difficult and expensive, as well as rapidly changing consumer demand for certain types of food, with frequent disruptions in the food supply chain and food production companies struggling to keep up with demand.
Global food price index rises for ninth consecutive month
The February food price index released by the United Nations has risen for the ninth consecutive month, averaging 116 points in February, up 2.4 percent from the previous month and 26.5 percent from a year ago, at the highest level since 2014. Prices in many categories, including dairy products, sugar and meat, rose in tandem, with sugar and vegetable oil offering the largest increases.
The vegetable oil price index rose 6.2%, with palm oil, soybean oil, canola oil and sunflower oil prices all increasing. The price index for dairy products rose 1.7%, while meat prices rose slightly by 0.6%.
The cereal price index rose 1.2 percent from the previous month. Grains were the basis for driving overall food prices higher, in large part because China pushed import volumes and prices to record levels.
Epidemic causes changes in Americans’ food consumption
As more states issued “stay-at-Home” orders in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans rushed to the grocery store to purchase many storable foods in case the outbreak worsened and led to stockouts. The “stay-at-home” orders also changed consumer behavior, with more people spending more Time cooking at home. Consumers are also buying high-protein foods like meat, especially those that can be frozen and kept for a long time.
The “home order” has also changed consumer behavior, with more people spending more time cooking at home.
As demand increases and supply chains are affected, these foods become more expensive. Meat processing plants also often suspended production due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
In order to determine which grocery items will see the most price increases during a plague pandemic, 247wallst.com researched the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index changes for all food categories from January 2020 to January 2021, and here are the 15 everyday foods and beverages that will see the most price increases.
- Pork Chop (Pork Chop)
Price increase during the one-year period: +7.8%
No grocery item saw a greater price increase than Pork Chop during COVID-19. Compared to the same period in 2019, sales were up 14.9% and dollar sales were up 22.6% through September 2020 in all types of pork.
Pork chop prices peaked in June 2020, rising 21 percent in just a few months.
Grilled pork chops. (Epoch Times)
- Carbonated beverages (Carbonated drinks)
Price increase over the one-year period: +7.4%
The main reason for the price increase is the disruption of the CO2 supply chain. Ethanol producers, whose products are eventually converted to gasoline, collect and sell carbon dioxide as a byproduct to beverage producers. However, because Americans are driving less and demand for ethanol is down, ethanol producers are emitting less CO2. Carbonated beverage manufacturers report that carbon dioxide prices have increased by about 25 percent, with much of the increase passed on to consumers.
Carbonated beverages on the shelf.
- Uncooked beef steaks (Uncooked beef steaks)
Price increase over a one-year period: +6.6%
The increase in consumer cooking at home, as well as the epidemic affecting many meat processing plants, are the main reasons for the increase in the price of raw steaks.
Prices for uncooked steaks peaked in June 2020, then prices fell by more than 15%, but were still 6.6% higher in January of this year than in January 2020.
Steak.
- canned vegetables (Canned vegetables)
Price increase over the one-year period: +6.5%
With COVID-19 causing restaurant closures and disruptions in the fresh produce supply chain, many consumers are buying canned vegetables. After the first spike in prices in March-April 2020, canned vegetable prices continued to rise, peaking in June 2020.
Canned goods on the shelf.
- fresh and frozen chicken (Fresh and frozen chicken parts)
Price increase over the one-year period: +6.2%
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans cooked at home more frequently and people stocked up on meat and protein-based foods.
During the COVID pandemic, the U.S. chicken supply was not as tight as beef and pork.
- Sugar and artificial sweeteners (Sugar and artificial sweeteners)
Price increase during the year: +6.1%
- Poultry (Poultry)
Price increase over the one-year period: +6.1%
- Storable fish and seafood (Shelf stable fish and seafood)
Price increase over the period of one year: +5.5%
- Citrus fruits (Citrus fruits)
Price increase during the year: +5.4%
The virus pandemic led to a significant increase in demand for citrus fruits, which are rich in vitamin C and help strengthen the immune system.
- Bacon and related products (Bacon and related products)
Price increase during the year: +5.0%
- Frozen fish and seafood (Frozen fish and seafood)
Price increase over the one-year period: +5.0%
Fish file photo, the figure is a diagram.
- Juices and non-alcoholic drinks (Juices and nonalcoholic drinks)
Price increase over the one-year period: +5.0%
- Processed fish and seafood (Processed fish and seafood)
Price increase over a one-year period: +4.9%
Starting in summer 2020, seafood prices will increase as consumers seek alternatives to beef.
- Bread other than white bread (Bread other than white)
Price increase over the one-year period: +4.8%
The picture shows the dairy counter.
- Fresh whole milk (Fresh whole milk)
Price increase over the year: +4.7%
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, fresh whole milk prices began to fall as major milk consumers such as schools and restaurants closed and dairy farmers were forced to abandon supplies due to falling demand. summer 2020 saw a surge in seasonal demand, but supplies remained low and prices soared and remained high.
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