US Fats and Oils Consumer Price Index
US Fats and Oils Consumer Price Index stood at 311.82 in Sep 2026, according to FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). It is one of the indicators in the CPI table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1989 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the CPI table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food at home | 321.11 | 321.34 | 321.22 | 321.45 | 320.84 | 320.63 | 318.46 | 318.99 | 317.59 | 316.98 | |
| Other food at home | 282.36 | 283.02 | 282.75 | 282.82 | 281.55 | 281.48 | 282.73 | 282.77 | 280.57 | 281.54 | |
| Fats and oils | 311.82 | 312.36 | 307.77 | 308.64 | 304.18 | 311.77 | 314.09 | 312.59 | 316.53 | 319.25 |
Understanding US Fats and Oils Consumer Price Index
Cooking oils, fats, and fat products used for home cooking are tracked in the fats and oils basket within the scope of retail consumer goods. The index does not represent crude oil, fuel, or any single vegetable oil; fats and oils embedded within home-prepared restaurant dishes are likewise excluded. Compared to other food at home, this series concentrates on a relatively narrow group of cooking ingredients susceptible to agricultural input developments.
Developments must be understood as price changes of a weighted basket, not uniform increases across all oils and fats. Year-on-year comparisons help soothe seasonal influences of oilseed crops and occasion-based demand; month-on-month comparisons are suited for spotting supply shocks though they may be noisy due to retail discounting. Agricultural commodities, processing, packaging, and transport typically transmit to buyers with varying lags. Consumer shifts between cheaper and expensive oils can also alter actual weights over time.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the fats and oils index related to fuel prices?
- They are not the same basket, but fuel prices can indirectly impact through transportation and processing.
- If one cooking oil falls in price, does the index definitely fall?
- No, because the result also depends on the movements and weights of other fats and oils in the basket.
- How long does it take for rising raw material prices to reflect in retail prices?
- There is no fixed lag; inventories, procurement contracts, processing, and retail competition all influence the timing of price transmission.