I don't know about you, but every time I grocery shop, I worry about sticker shock when my total comes up at the checkout. So, why are groceries so expensive? And what Missouri grocery store is so costly? You'll be shocked at how expensive everything is before you checkout.

Why Are Groceries So Expensive?

According to Nerd Wallet, food prices have risen 28% in five years. So yes, we're paying more at the grocery store, fast food joints, restaurants, and pretty much anywhere else we get our food.

There isn't one culprit, but a few, some of which we became familiar with during the pandemic a few years ago.

Nerd Wallet says operating costs for every area, from the farm to the supermarket, have risen over the past several years. Then there are supply chain issues. Costs rose during the pandemic, and since then, a bird flu epidemic and the war in Ukraine have all contributed to supply issues and rising grocery costs.

Finally, corporate profits. Despite food producers' challenges, they've done their best to stay or become more profitable. Nerd Wallet says, "Grocery stores’ profit margins increased in recent years, according to a March 2024 report by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC report notes that food and beverage retailers saw revenues outpace their costs by more than 6% in 2021. That was a new high for that particular profit measure until 2023 when it reached 7%."

Will Food Prices Decrease Moving Forward?

The Nerd Wallet article doesn't address whether food will get cheaper in 2025, yet if there's any good news, food prices aren't increasing as they have been. In October, food prices, including groceries and restaurant purchases, increased only 0.2% from September. Yet a year ago, we were paying 2% less than we are now. Grocery prices only increased 0.1% from September to October and are 1.1% higher than a year ago.

While I don't know if food will get cheaper, it's good to see it not get more expensive.

Here is One of the Most Expensive Grocery Stores In Missouri

Delish created a list of what they call "the most overpriced grocery stores in America." One of the five grocery stores on their list has stores in Missouri, and that would be the Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods has three locations in the St. Louis area and one in Kansas City. Delish says the Chain's reputation and nickname, "Whole Paycheck," are well deserved. They mention the scandal that found the chain selling a bottle of water and three stalks of asparagus for $6 and the time a former CEO blamed America's obesity crisis on ignorance and poor choices. They say Amazon's ownership led to price decreases, but the store is still "Financially inaccessible to many shoppers" and says that with rising prices, that's even more so today.