Report: Inflation drives Fourth of July cookout items to reach record prices.

Average Per-Person Spending on Fourth of July Food Reaches Record High Amid Inflation

Average per-person spending on Fourth of July food items rose to $93.34 in 2023 amid persistent inflation, according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey.

This figure marks the highest ever recorded by the NRF since the survey began in 2003, representing a $9.22 increase from last year’s average of $84.12. The survey, conducted from June 1st to June 7th, gathered responses from 8,225 consumers.

While the average per-person cost of Fourth of July food items was just $68.16 in 2014, the sum has grown every year except 2019. The report comes as Americans continue to struggle with inflation, which hit a 40-year high in 2022.

“The cost of a 4th of July cookout in 2021 is down $0.16 from (2020),” the Biden administration previously boasted despite severe inflation. However, NRF found that the price actually increased by more than $4 from 2020 to 2021.

Planning a cookout this year? Ketchup on the news. According to the Farm Bureau, the cost of a 4th of July BBQ is down from last year. It’s a fact you must-hear(d). Hot dog, the Biden economic plan is working. And that’s something we can all relish. pic.twitter.com/7h9qLauIbC

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 1, 2021

Impact of Inflation on Food Prices

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a 10.9% increase in the price of consumer food goods from July 2021 to July 2022, the largest increase over 12 months since May 1979. BLS notes that “prices for food at home rose 13.1 percent,” while there was a 7.9% increase in the cost of food away from home in the 12-month span. 

Specific Food Price Increases

A recent report on food inflation from Wells Fargo reveals that the average cost of beer has increased by 8% since last year, while the price of an average 12-ounce soft drink has risen by 54 cents, or 14%. The cost of a pound of chocolate chip cookies is up about 14% since last year, while the price of bread increased by 22%. Prices for ground beef and pork chops showed minor price increases of about 1%.

 The costs of ice cream and processed cheese are up 9% and 10%, respectively, though the average cost of milk fell in 2023. The price of potato chips surged 15% since last year, while the costs of chicken breasts and eggs decreased.

Despite rising costs, the NRF survey found that 87% of respondents plan to celebrate the Fourth of July this year.

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