‘Absolutely insane’: Instacart shopper finds Publix grocery list from 2019. He can’t believe how much it costs today

Grocery store prices have grown significantly in the past several years. The year 2022 saw some of the largest increases in recent memory, with food prices increasing by 9.9 percent, “faster than in any year since 1979,” per the USDA.

“Food-at-home prices increased by 11.4 percent, while food-away-from-home prices increased by 7.7 percent,” the report notes.

While grocery prices are now increasing at a much slower rate, shoppers are still struck by just how high some prices can be at the grocery store.

Numerous internet users have virally shared their shock after comparing the grocery prices of today to those of yesteryear. For example, one user compared a shopping list from 2022 to today and found that, while a month of groceries used to cost them around $126, it now costs them over $400. Another compared her grocery bill between 2021 and 2023 and found that the 2023 prices were 42% higher.

Now, another internet user has sparked a discussion after comparing his first Instacart order to a comparable order today.

How much have Instacart prices increased?

In a video with over 1.4 million views as of Sunday, TikTok user Crisman White (@roomesc) says he paid $35.19 for a 12-item Instacart order in 2019 from Publix. This order included items like bagels, cookie dough, Roma tomatoes, and more.

While he can’t perfectly recreate the list, he attempts a full recreation to the best of his ability, swapping out missing items for their approximate equivalents in size. The result, he says, is frightening.

“$62.64,” he says of the new total. “Yeah, we all be struggling out here.”

This is an increase of around 78%. For context, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute found that prices for “‘food at home,’ which represents groceries and excludes restaurant meals, increased 23.2 percent.”

@roomesc #greenscreen #greenscreensticker #grocery #inflation ♬ original sound - DadHat

Commenters share their thoughts on food inflation

In the comments section, users offered their own experiences with the high costs they’ve had to pay to get basic necessities.

“My daughter had surgery last month & I couldn’t leave the house to get unexpected supplies,” recalled a user. “$40 on an Uber order for one medicated spray, one bottle of Tylenol, and one pack of cotton balls.”

“Price gouging at its finest,” declared another.

“You gotta account for the serving size shrink that they've done too!!! you're getting even less and paying more,” wrote a third.

The Daily Dot reached out to Instacart and Publix via email and White via Instagram direct message.

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