What tracking one Walmart store's prices for years taught us about the economy
Inside our shopping cart is a story of global trade, extreme weather, shrinking packages and rising prices.
consumer prices
Inflation hits another 40-year high. The war in Ukraine could make it worse
Annual inflation climbed to a new four-decade high in February, with consumer prices up 7.9% from a year ago. The increase does not reflect most of the recent jump in gasoline prices.
Inflation hits another 40-year high. It's bad, but older folks say they've seen worse
Consumer prices in January were up 7.5% from a year ago, the biggest annual gain since 1982. That may seem like a lot for those under 40, but older folks have lived through even sharper price hikes.
Amazon raises price of annual Prime membership to $139
Amazon is increasing the U.S. subscription cost to $139 a year from $119, citing more customer benefits and higher employee wages and transportation costs.
Cargo traffic jams affect glass bottles too. Your pantry staples could cost more
Makers of everything from pasta sauce to vinegar say it's getting harder to find glass bottles for their products, and it's leading to higher prices.
No, You Are Not Imagining It. Prices For A Lot Of Things Did Jump In April
Prices for a range of goods from used cars to bacon surged last month, pushing consumer inflation to 4.2% in April, the highest since September 2008.
NPR Shopping Cart Economics: How Prices Changed At A Walmart In 1 Year
Since August 2018, NPR has been tracking about 80 items sold at a Georgia Walmart with an eye toward products caught in the trade war. On average, prices rose 3%. Tariffs are one of many factors.
New Round Of Tariffs Takes A Bigger Bite Of Consumers' Budget
The latest round of tariffs on Chinese imports is expected to hit more products U.S. consumers actually buy, and businesses say they have no choice but to pass the added costs on to consumers.
Grocery Prices Have Been Falling. Did You Notice?
For 19 months in a row, food prices in America's supermarkets fell compared to a year earlier. This is good news for shoppers but has weighed on the grocery industry and the people who grow our food.