Skip to content

Trump says, “Groceries (even eggs!) are down.” The numbers tell a different story.

Food prices have been increasing for decades, and lately they have been outstripping inflation. This year, grocery prices have continued their upward trend.

Why you can trust Investigate Midwest /Content type: Explainer
Trump says, “Groceries (even eggs!) are down.” The numbers tell a different story.
EGG PRICES

During his campaign for the presidency, Donald Trump centered on the increasing price of groceries to attack Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. If elected, Trump said he would “defeat inflation” and bring food prices down.

Trump has the same message now that he’s in office. In April, he posted on his Truth Social account, “groceries (even eggs!) are down.”

But food prices, including those of eggs, continue to rise.

Grocery prices have sharply increased since the 1950s, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and that trend has continued through the first three months of 2025.

Lately, food prices have even increased beyond the rate of inflation for all consumer items. However, in 2024, consumers experienced some relief — prices continued to rise, but not as fast as in previous years.

chart visualization

Egg prices reached an average of $6.23 per dozen in March, a record high, according to the Federal Reserve Bank. Data for April will be released in May so it’s possible prices have gone down in the past month, according to CNN.

As food prices increase, some consumers are resorting to buy now-pay later loans to purchase groceries, according to CNBC.

The loans are an alternative to credit cards and do not charge interest. They allow consumers to split purchases into several smaller payments. However, consumers can be charged high fees if they pay the loan back late, according to CNBC.

More in Data Harvest

See all

More from Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

See all

THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS

Reva & David Logan Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation, Lumpkin Family Foundation, Builders Vision Philanthropy, Gary Marx Journalism Fund, Kirkpatrick Foundation, Chicago Region Food System Fund, Illinois Food Movement Fund, GRACE Communications, Good Chaos, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, Fund for Investigative Journalism, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, Rural News Network, Google News Initiative, Data-Driven Reporting Project, Arnold Ventures.

We are proud to hold the Candid Seal of Transparency, demonstrating our commitment to openness and accountability in all that we do.

MEMBER OF