US Food and Beverages Consumer Price Index
US Food and Beverages Consumer Price Index stood at 347.26 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 1967 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headline CPI | 336.3 | 334.13 | 332.81 | 332.57 | 333.98 | 332.41 | 330.29 | 327.46 | 326.59 | 326.03 | |
| Food and beverages1 | 347.26 | 347.1 | 346.68 | 346.39 | 345.72 | 345.2 | 343.51 | 343.48 | 342.19 | 341.56 | |
| Food | 350.48 | 350.31 | 349.88 | 349.61 | 348.89 | 348.35 | 346.6 | 346.62 | 345.27 | 344.63 |
Understanding US Food and Beverages Consumer Price Index
The food and beverages Consumer Price Index (CPI) covers purchases of food and beverages within the consumer basket, including food consumed at home and food service activities consistent with the classification scope. It is broader than the food price index due to the inclusion of separately categorized beverages, while narrower than headline CPI as it excludes housing, energy, healthcare, and non-food goods and services. Index fluctuations are therefore concentrated on household food and dining budgets.
When reading the series, a distinction must be made between index levels and price growth rates: an upward-sloping curve only shows price levels higher than the base period. Year-on-year comparisons are generally suitable for limiting the impact of harvest seasons, festivals, and shifts in dietary habits; month-on-month comparisons are useful when identifying new price shocks. Raw material costs, transportation, service wages, and consumption structures can exert varying impacts on individual components. Changes in weights or the classification between food and beverages can also render long-term series splicing less homogeneous.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index include dining at restaurants?
- It may include food service components within the classification scope, alongside food purchased for home consumption.
- How does it differ from the food price index?
- The scope of food and beverages is broader because it contains additional beverage components classified separately.
- If raw material prices fall, does the index drop immediately?
- Not necessarily, because processing, transportation, real estate, and labor costs can transmit into selling prices with a lag.