Grocery shopping is becoming depressing. We spend more money, and we’re bringing home less bags. And if you happen to have kids at home as a result of summer break as I do, you know that the demand for snacks is even higher.
Since earnings haven’t increased, what exactly are we supposed to do?
Alastair Steel, the client engagement executive from Circana, a market research firm, has talked about how shopping is fueled heavily by price increases. People are being careful about not throwing food out. There’s also a heavier emphasis on eating leftovers.
Ultimately, people are looking for bargains – and that means that stores like Walmart, Costco, and Aldis are becoming busier. It’s also not uncommon for people to download the circulates to find out where the best deals of the week are found.
Even though there are deals to be had, quite a few things are more expensive than they once were. At the top of the list are such groceries as:
- Beef
- Milk
- Eggs
- Packaged bread
- Root vegetables
Those who could always afford groceries are making cuts. And those who were barely able to make ends meet are now turning to savings and credit cards to complete their trips to the grocery store.
Oh, and those without savings and credit cards? Many are struggling to get the food they need – and that includes depending on food banks.
According to CNN Business, there are tighter restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a result of the new debt ceiling negotiations. What this means is that hundreds of thousands of Americans could lose access to their benefits.
And yet, the Biden administration continues to push for illegal immigrants to enter the country.
If only we could make sure that Americans had food on the table before rolling out the red carpet for anyone else.
