According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food and beverages are 735.93% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $2,509,516,930,467.70 difference in value).
Between 1970 and 2025: Food and beverages experienced an average inflation rate of 3.94% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food and beverages costing $341,000,000,000 in the year 1970 would cost $2,850,516,930,467.70 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.92% during this same period, inflation for food and beverages was higher.
In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 5.44%, which is above the average yearly change for food and beverages during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), inflation for food and beverages was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food and beverages, over time, for $341,000,000,000 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $341,000,000,000.00 | 5.44% |
| 1971 | $351,523,480,927.74 | 3.09% |
| 1972 | $366,034,119,225.61 | 4.13% |
| 1973 | $414,664,366,494.15 | 13.29% |
| 1974 | $471,726,471,152.00 | 13.76% |
| 1975 | $511,532,681,617.79 | 8.44% |
| 1976 | $527,350,584,627.18 | 3.09% |
| 1977 | $558,790,300,939.24 | 5.96% |
| 1978 | $613,368,602,645.20 | 9.77% |
| 1979 | $679,058,654,399.08 | 10.71% |
| 1980 | $737,166,570,826.15 | 8.56% |
| 1981 | $794,490,128,426.30 | 7.78% |
| 1982 | $826,844,930,036.42 | 4.07% |
| 1983 | $845,277,362,468.85 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | $877,043,894,958.79 | 3.76% |
| 1985 | $897,502,587,694.08 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | $926,785,317,232.13 | 3.26% |
| 1987 | $964,499,904,159.48 | 4.07% |
| 1988 | $1,004,306,114,625.26 | 4.13% |
| 1989 | $1,061,237,492,811.96 | 5.67% |
| 1990 | $1,122,352,118,075.52 | 5.76% |
| 1991 | $1,162,354,418,248.04 | 3.56% |
| 1992 | $1,178,433,774,199.73 | 1.38% |
| 1993 | $1,203,075,714,011.88 | 2.09% |
| 1994 | $1,231,051,178,838.41 | 2.33% |
| 1995 | $1,264,974,698,102.36 | 2.76% |
| 1996 | $1,306,088,173,279.66 | 3.25% |
| 1997 | $1,340,338,508,721.49 | 2.62% |
| 1998 | $1,368,836,879,432.62 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $1,398,315,698,677.40 | 2.15% |
| 2000 | $1,430,605,137,051.95 | 2.31% |
| 2001 | $1,474,856,047,536.90 | 3.09% |
| 2002 | $1,501,981,790,300.94 | 1.84% |
| 2003 | $1,534,075,138,968.76 | 2.14% |
| 2004 | $1,585,842,821,544.95 | 3.37% |
| 2005 | $1,624,407,130,534.79 | 2.43% |
| 2006 | $1,662,513,896,875.60 | 2.35% |
| 2007 | $1,727,481,684,876.37 | 3.91% |
| 2008 | $1,820,319,049,262.03 | 5.37% |
| 2009 | $1,854,511,865,056.55 | 1.88% |
| 2010 | $1,869,252,581,943.65 | 0.79% |
| 2011 | $1,936,227,021,276.60 | 3.58% |
| 2012 | $1,985,544,236,151.04 | 2.55% |
| 2013 | $2,013,550,421,698.29 | 1.41% |
| 2014 | $2,060,138,721,487.45 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | $2,097,150,653,632.36 | 1.80% |
| 2016 | $2,104,359,564,884.03 | 0.34% |
| 2017 | $2,122,921,416,522.91 | 0.88% |
| 2018 | $2,152,740,124,592.68 | 1.40% |
| 2019 | $2,192,393,385,087.21 | 1.84% |
| 2020 | $2,265,568,834,579.26 | 3.34% |
| 2021 | $2,352,145,708,261.45 | 3.82% |
| 2022 | $2,577,367,809,085.68 | 9.58% |
| 2023 | $2,723,255,936,361.89 | 5.66% |
| 2024 | $2,784,192,773,624.69 | 2.24% |
| 2025 | $2,850,516,930,467.70 | 2.38%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food and beverages:
| Year | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CPI | 34.985 | 36.254 | 38.062 | 40.131 | 41.369 | 43.077 | 48.800 | 55.515 | 60.200 | 62.062 | 65.762 | 72.185 | 79.915 | 86.754 | 93.500 | 97.308 | 99.477 | 103.215 | 105.623 | 109.069 | 113.508 | 118.192 | 124.892 | 132.085 | 136.792 | 138.685 | 141.585 | 144.877 | 148.869 | 153.708 | 157.738 | 161.092 | 164.562 | 168.362 | 173.569 | 176.762 | 180.538 | 186.631 | 191.169 | 195.654 | 203.300 | 214.225 | 218.249 | 219.984 | 227.866 | 233.670 | 236.966 | 242.449 | 246.804 | 247.653 | 249.837 | 253.346 | 258.013 | 266.625 | 276.814 | 303.319 | 320.488 | 327.659 | 335.465 |