ECON Report food and grocery price increases/shortages here - UPDATE, new runs on the stores

[catskinner]

I went shopping early this morning, wanting to get ahead of the price increase on meat. My first stop was the local Kroger. Just about everybody was wearing masks and a few had gloves. Produce looked ok. Either they had plenty of an item, or it was empty. The bread was being stocked so I got 2 fresh loaves for the freezer. There were only 2 of the 4# bags of sugar that were under $4, They had a shelf full of the name brand at the higher price. Canned meats were wiped out. Canned fruit was extremely low. Canned vegetables were low. Not much variety and mostly store brand or large cans. They had 3 packages of toilet paper, but plenty of Tide. Other cleaning supplies were hit or miss. I just looked down the aisle. All in all, they had some of most things as long as you weren't brand loyal. Then I went to the meat dept. Oh boy! Saw a sign for ground beef at $3.97. They were out of it. It must have been the price on the 1# rolls they have. They only had 3# packages for $15. They had a few packages of pork chops, but the pork roast that was on sale was empty. The total number of packages of fresh pork was maybe 20. Chicken was better. They even had 3 whole fryers, but at almost $8 each. I did get a couple of packages of thighs and a couple of pork chops. I say a couple, because that was the limit allowed. I also grabbed a box of Williams sausage.

Next I went to a locally owned store. This place made Kroger look like a Soviet era grocery store. The meat department was literally overflowing. Lots of everything. The best part was that the meats were all a lot cheaper per pound than at Kroger and there were no limits. The price difference was shocking. Chicken thighs at Kroger were $1.99 a pound and at the local store they were only 97 cents. Pork chops at Kroger were $4.19 a pound and at the local store, only $1.97. Williams sausage box was over a dollar cheaper. And, no limits. I will be shopping there first from now on.

I think the large chain stores are having supply chain problems, while the smaller local stores are doing ok on that end. Yes, their groceries are a little higher, but the avaliability of and price difference of their meat makes up for it as far as I'm concerned.

 

[vessie]

I've been buying a 33# bag of Pedigree dry dog food on Amazon for as long as I can remember for $19.99. I went online last night and the same bag is now $49.10!! I'll have to try the store again because that's just ridiculous.

I too found a lot of price gouging of pet food on Amazon.

So I went over to Chewy.com and put in Pedigree dry dog food in their search engine Dry Pedigree - Free shipping | Chewy

What I have found with the cat food I buy from Amazon, they'll limit you to 6 boxes of 12 of Weruva BFF wet cat food pouches, the dry Purina Pro Plan cat food is 50+% more in price as opposed to Chewy.com

I have now been buying all my pet food from Pet Food, Products, Supplies at Low Prices - Free Shipping | Chewy.com with way lower prices and free shipping!

I no longer use Amazon as my 'go to' source for cat food.

It's Chewy who's getting my money now. V

 

[packyderms_wife]

I've been buying a 33# bag of Pedigree dry dog food on Amazon for as long as I can remember for $19.99. I went online last night and the same bag is now $49.10!! I'll have to try the store again because that's just ridiculous.

I ordered a new hairbrush on Amazon about two weeks ago, yes it arrived just fine, I paid around $13ish for the brush, went back to order a second one for OC since he likes it a lot as well and it was now $39.00!

 

[eens]

We ordered grinders from the pizza place menu online. It should have been $36.25 + tax. When we got there it was $49.38 tax included!!! They haven't updated their online menus. We aren't going back there and if I find a yelp for them to leave a bad reveiw I will. We've gotten food there for years.

 

[Red Baron]

We were at Sam’s Club this afternoon chubs of 90% ground beef was $10.99 a pound, up from $3.99 a pound a week ago. Sirloin tip roast was $18.99 a pound, up from $6.99 a week ago.

I feel for those on a really tight budget right now.

Those prices are outrageous!

Wally World's vaunted supply chain is collapsing and is a pathetic joke now.

That and/or bald faced profiteering.

 

[mecoastie]

Went to the grocery store yesterday. Everything was available but yeast including toilet paper. Restriction of one on that but it was the only limit I saw in the store including meat. I did not check on meat prices. This is the first time I have seen flour there in 2 months.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Those prices are outrageous!

Wally World's vaunted supply chain is collapsing and is a pathetic joke now.

That and/or bald faced profiteering.

He bought a ten pound chub of 85% at Fareway tonight for $5.95 a pound, up a dollar from last week.

 

[Meemur]

Next paycheck, I'm going to buy another 3 months' worth of cat food from Petsmart and store it in the basement.

 

[Codeno]

Next paycheck, I'm going to buy another 3 months' worth of cat food from Petsmart and store it in the basement.

We just switched our cats to Farmina N&D, which comes from Italy. Anticipating supply line issues between here and Europe, we bought a 6 to 9 month supply, which really doesn't take up much room, considering. Hope to keep buying ahead and rotating, so long as it's available.

Where beef is concerned, I saw 90% ground beef yesterday at an independent local grocer for $9.99 per pound, and a fairly large T-bone steak for $41.00, serious truth. No empty or picked over shelves that I noticed , very well stocked. Went to Walmart later just to check, and they had 85% ground beef for $5.99ish. Beef was just about all gone, chicken on it's heels.

 

[jward]

I've got the cat food, and livestock, running at three months on hand, and have for a while. I wish I could do more, but the issue of storing and keeping it safely concerns me, apparently even more than supply chain issues.

I had a "subscription" for elderberry tincture through AMAZON, and although the first shipment to fulfill it's once a month contract was honored, they've cancelled this last one for "lack of supply".

 

[meandk0610]

We bought a 15 dozen box of eggs at Sam’s Club yesterday for $33.98. I paid $20.98 when I bought a box in February when I saw the writing on the wall.

We’re buying eggs because, out of our three older hens and two laying ducks, one of each went broody. Since we have a drake, I tried to leave the duck eggs, but something (possibly our GSD) slowly took them. The hens got better at hiding them. They should be a nice, new enclosure within the next 1.5 weeks (plus we got new chicks in Friday). Hopefully, this will be the last time we buy eggs.

 

[vessie]

Next paycheck, I'm going to buy another 3 months' worth of cat food from Petsmart and store it in the basement.

That's what I've been doing.

It's only a matter of time til the pet food prices go way up! V

 

[Cyclonemom]

Not mocking you at all here but I do have an honest question and that is what's the obsession with the clorox wipes? I've never used them.

YOUNG BOYS.

BATHROOM.

It is much easier to just grab and wipe down the loo than pull out paper towels and spray bottle. I keep a tub of wipes on the top of the tank at all times.

 

[Meemur]

That's what I've been doing.
It's only a matter of time til the pet food prices go way up! V

That's what is motivating me! I can go partly vegan in the summer when the mushrooms get cheaper, and we're awash in fresh produce, but she needs meat.

She'll get it. I've cut other expenses, and she's a small cat. I wouldn't want to be feeding a large dog right now.

 

[packyderms_wife]

That's what is motivating me! I can go partly vegan in the summer when the mushrooms get cheaper, and we're awash in fresh produce, but she needs meat.

She'll get it. I've cut other expenses, and she's a small cat. I wouldn't want to be feeding a large dog right now.

P
I’m now allergic to mushrooms so stocked up on various types of lentils and three types of split peas. Need to process the squash I have on hand for the freezer.

 

[Meemur]

I’m now allergic to mushrooms so stocked up on various types of lentils and three types of split peas. Need to process the squash I have on hand for the freezer.

The point is the same: there will be several weeks when it will be affordable to eat from the garden, whatever you choose to fix, and storing the harvest will be critical this year.

 

[John Deere Girl]

Very few spices at our local Rural King, and not very much clothing, shoes, or boots available either. White vinegar was totally out.

 

[Digger]

Hubby had to go to True Value hardware for some bolts. We wanted to get more bags for our vacuum sealer. He got the last box of bag rolls. The ones where you cut and make the size bag you want. Clerk said they are having trouble getting them in.

Our Harps had my good chicken. We got 2 packages of breast and 2 of thighs. Not much price increase. They did have a lot of packages of chicken liver which I have not seen there. Usually it is in a bowl with lid. This was in meat trays. But ground beef was $6.49- 6.99 a pound. There were signs up asking people to limit there meat purchases, but no limit stated. Steaks were expensive. We are thankful for the half a beef we bought from a friend.

Still no yeast on the shelf. But shelves looked much better over all. They should have gotten a truck that morning.

 

[Zahra]

After reading reports from your various locations I'm seeing major distortions in regional meat supplies & pricing. I don't know what accounts for it, but so far the Boise, Idaho area is seeing pretty big price hikes on eggs & chicken, but good prices on beef.

Chicken legs & thighs used to run around .89 cents a lb or less around here, but now I see them averaging $1.49 a lb & availability of all chicken cuts is often spotty. On the other hand, this week Albertsons has 93% lean ground beef for $3.99/lb (limit 10 lbs), boneless tri tip roast for $3.99/lb (limit 2), and round tip roasts for $3.99/lb (limit 2). Fred Meyer has pork spareribs for $1.99 lb, and petite sirloin steaks for $2.77/lb (limit 2). ETA that Fred Meyer also has 3 lb packs of thick sliced bacon on sale for $1.99/lb. (I need to find room to fit more of that in my freezer too!)

I cut up some whole hams and repackaged the slices & vacuum sealed them to free up more freezer space, so I think I can fit the 10 lb limit on the hamburger meat - and after reading prices many of you are reporting, I think I'll go procure that today. Luckily I managed to buy another pack of 100 Weston pint sized vacuum bags & 100 of the quart size before they ran out again on Amazon, so I'm vac sealing everything going into the freezer thinking that I need to make sure it lasts a very long time.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I saw 90% ground beef yesterday at an independent local grocer for $9.99 per pound, and a fairly large T-bone steak for $41.00,

There is NO WAY I’d pay that. Ever. I’ll trap and eat the neighborhood cats first....

 

[parocan]

Went shopping yesterday, haven't been to the superstore in over a week. I saw about 5 people wearing
masks. Still lots of stuff avail, but def showing more holes in their inventory. meat, specially beef has gone up,
almost double here. no free range eggs avail in the store, only factory eggs. will be so glad when my chickens
start laying. if you can find free range eggs they want 6-8 bucks a doz now. More places are starting to reopen
around here as well, which is a good sign.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

My DW stopped by Fleet Farm yesterday to pick up some electric netting (fencing) that she purchased online and showed in stock. They didn't have it. Customer service said their inventory system was a disaster. It hasn't kept up with store vs. online purchases.

The electric netting is for some perpetual dog food that she purchased. I guess we're going to be goat farmers again.

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Talked to my son down in Brush CO on Friday and he said their local store is well stocked with everything. Not so in the big city of Denver. We compared notes about what I couldn't find and he said to drive on down and get it there.

I don't want to do that because the bigger cities are descending like locusts on the smaller towns and wiping them out. I warned him about that too.

 

[Profit of Doom]

I feed the chickadees and woodpeckers in the winter, but after the bears wake up here (first of April-ish) I pull the bird feeder for the summer and it doesn't go back out until the bears are hibernating, late fall. I feed the orioles their oranges in the spring, but only for a few weeks. At this time of spring, the bears aren't a problem. They are busy feasting on newborn fawns.

Bambi buffet?

 

[WalknTrot]

Bambi buffet?

"Circle of life " stuff. Something has to control the deer population I guess.

 

[Profit of Doom]

"Circle of life " stuff. Something has to control the deer population I guess.

Unfortunately, yes. Doesn’t make us like it, though.

 

[packyderms_wife]

There is NO WAY I’d pay that. Ever. I’ll trap and eat the neighborhood cats first....

Those prices are going to be the new reality here in about a month, unfortunately. The farmers won't benefit from the new prices.

 

[annieosage]

I decided to go to the grocery store this morning. This will be my second trip out into the public since March. I do wear a mask but the Smith's store did not require it. I did wear gloves.

A few holes mostly in cleaning supplies but they had pretty much everything except wipes. All cleaning limited to 1 per customer. No tissues. Paper towels and toilet paper were there but not a lot. I did pickup a Mr. Clean multi surface refill so that was nice. I got some lunch meat all well stocked. Meat department had tons of bacon and the limit was 2 per customer of each type. I have plenty but I did buy 2 packs of bacon and a package of chicken thighs I'll cook up for the pups. Speaking of which they had plenty of dog food so picked up another 33# bag for $22.99 NOT $49 like on Amazon.

Ground beef ranged from $3.99/ pound for 85/15 to $7.49/ pound for 96%. I know that's a lot but I'll only get the lean ground beef since I rarely eat it. I have some so didn't buy any. They had some of everything but the display looked different somehow I think to make it look more stocked than it was. The the butcher case was empty. No seafood at all that I could see.

Chips and snacks there were loaded. I got some sourdough Snyder pretzel bits. Frozen foods seemed OK and canned veggies and fruits seemed OK too but I just glanced down that aisle because by this time my glasses were fogging over and I was on the wrong way end of that aisle. Arrows to go one was down each aisle. Bread was fine. I did get a 12 pack of 32oz. mason jars for $11.49. I don't do any canning but I like to drink from them- especially cocktails LOL. I've broken a couple lately so needed to replace them. They had no single jars except the small 16oz.

Cashier knew me because I've shopped at this store for probably 20 years now. She said business has been steady but no crowds like in the beginning. To be honest, I probably won't go in person that often as long as curbside pickup is free. But more out of curiosity I wanted to see things for my self. I left the store and took my mask and gloves off and threw them in the trash. Came home, wiped everything down, took a shower, washed the clothes I was wearing and now time for a refreshing cocktail. It's 5 o'clock somewhere right?

 

[Zahra]

Hello folks I'm here to provide an after action report of my foray out to Albertsons & Fred Meyer today. The beef & pork prices for the advertised items were definitely loss leaders - so I got all of the hamburger packs & the bacon I was allowed to, however I took time to check prices for the entire fresh protein section as well as the cold cut aisle and this area is definitely NOT immune to what you guys are seeing.

Besides the specials on that 93% burger, the rest of the packs started at $4.99 for 78%, $6+ for the 85%, and over $7 for the 93% - grass fed was more of course and buffalo - well, out of my comfort zone entirely. Chicken legs & thighs - forget last week's $1.49/lb, now they're $1.79/lb, and regular packages of bacon (not the packs on sale At Fred Meyer) is running $4.50 and up for even low quality thin sliced junk brands. UGG!

Otherwise, no gaps noticed in supply of anything, but the eggs are now $2.49 a dozen for large, butter is $4.50/lb and up, and there's plenty of TP, detergents & cleaning supplies to be had. My freezer is absolutely stuffed for now though and I've canned enough chicken & roast beef chunks to last a long time.... so I guess I'm as set as possible for the moment. It's good to be a part of this community & others where we keep each other informed of trends ahead of the pack!

 

[Dennis Olson]

they had plenty of dog food so picked up another 33# bag for $22.99 NOT $49 like on Amazon

My TOTW dog kibble is always $45-$50 a bag (sigh)

I'll only get the lean ground beef since I rarely eat it

This is me. At the beginning, I bought about 6 1-lb chubs (back in March) and have used only one. OTOH, I’ve used several frozen fish portions (maybe 5?) I historically eat out of cans (sigh again.) I have yet to touch any of my ribeye portions, and have used only one pork portion (center cut boneless loin.)

 

[annieosage]

OK so I went online to check toilet paper. Holy crap! Previous to C19- I was buying 12 mega rolls Kroger brand for $9.99. That's been out of stock for a while. The last 2 online ship to home orders the only thing available was the Charmin Ultra Strong 6 mega roll pack. Each time they were $6.97. I didn't even grab any at the store this morning because I don't need it. I have enough for a long time. I just happened to look online and the same 6 pack is now $14.99!! That's more than 2x the amount!!

 

[Troke]

Aldi's this last week. Meat area seemed a little thin but most shelves were filled otherwise. Prices were up but not enough to cause little old ladies to break out in tears. I expect that will change from here on out.

Half customer masks, 100% staff masks. Fair number of customers well dispersed.

 

[bluelady]

My TOTW dog kibble is always $45-$50 a bag (sigh)


This is me. At the beginning, I bought about 6 1-lb chubs (back in March) and have used only one. OTOH, I’ve used several frozen fish portions (maybe 5?) I historically eat out of cans (sigh again.) I have yet to touch any of my ribeye portions, and have used only one pork portion (center cut boneless loin.)

Yes, fortunately TOTW hasn't gone up. It completely cured the different skin issues that cat & dog had. We have a Petsense here; they have buy 10 get one free, and periodic coupons, so those help a bit.

 

[Txkstew]

I went to the local HEB flagship store in Beaumont, Tx this morning. Place was packed with people. Produce has been consolidated, but still most available. Seafood department well stocked. Meat department was disappointing. Beef was spotty, and damn...prices are skyrocketing. Pork and chicken looked stocked. My freezer is full, so I was only looking for a top off. Other areas had gaps and overall, I was disappointed. I didn't need much, so got out for around $140. Prices are going up for sure.

Then I went to Home Depot for a Swanson Speed Square, and they didn't have one, so I bought a Milwaukee. I wanted a Estwing carpenter hammer, but they didn't have the heavy one I wanted. I went to the garden center to get some Okra seed, but they had none. I did buy some herb seed and carrot seed.

 

[Silverfox]

Wally World's vaunted supply chain is collapsing and is a pathetic joke now.

That and/or bald faced profiteering.

Lots of empty spaces on shelves today in Grants Pass Walmart. Seems chronic.

 

[rafter]

We bought a 15 dozen box of eggs at Sam’s Club yesterday for $33.98. I paid $20.98 when I bought a box in February when I saw the writing on the wall.

We’re buying eggs because, out of our three older hens and two laying ducks, one of each went broody. Since we have a drake, I tried to leave the duck eggs, but something (possibly our GSD) slowly took them. The hens got better at hiding them. They should be a nice, new enclosure within the next 1.5 weeks (plus we got new chicks in Friday). Hopefully, this will be the last time we buy eggs.

Do you have an Aldi's near by? I paid 70 cents a dozen with no limit last week.

 

[cyberiot]

We were at Sam’s Club this afternoon chubs of 90% ground be.ef was $10.99 a pound, up from $3.99 a pound a week ago. Sirloin tip roast was $18.99 a pound, up from $6.99 a week ago.

I feel for those on a really tight budget right now.

Thanks for the reality check, Ms. Packy. Various cuts of steak at Fry's (Kroger) in Chandler today were $17.99, $18.99, and $19.99 a pound. Even chuck eye was $7.99 a pound. I thought it was a fluke until I read your post.

Chicken was cheap--$1.99 a pound--but limited to two packages per household.

 

[mzkitty]

Hmmm, I was just going to throw out this week's flyer from the store, but thought you might care to see their meat prices - Winn Dixie FL:

Angus Choice whole boneless eye round $4.49

Angus Choice boneless top sirloin $6.99

Angus Choice bone-in ribeye steaks $10.99

Bone-in ribeye steak, big pack $5.99

Pork spareribs (prev frozen) $3.99 (buy one get one)

Bone-in center cut pork chops big pack $2.99

Pork loin baby back ribs or St. Louis style spareribs $6.99 (buy one get one)

Not bad, but I mostly don't buy big chunks of meat like that.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Thanks for the reality check, Ms. Packy. Various cuts of steak at Fry's (Kroger) in Chandler today were $17.99, $18.99, and $19.99 a pound. Even chuck eye was $7.99 a pound. I thought it was a fluke until I read your post.

Chicken was cheap--$1.99 a pound--but limited to two packages per household.

Unfortunately I think these prices are here to stay.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Probably not. But they’re here for awhile.