TAMPA BAY, Fla. — You're not imagining things—your grocery bill has gone up. A new study analyzing 2025 grocery prices found that Tampa Bay had the second-highest increase in the country when compared to last year.
To conduct the study, SmartAsset, a financial technology company, looked at price changes on specific goods using metrics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Researchers noted that prices of fruits, vegetables and dairy products either increased or decreased depending on the location, but eggs, meat and poultry soared almost unanimously. In fact, the prices of these three categories tripled the general rate of inflation, reaching over 9% or higher than just a year prior.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area saw a 4.3% increase in groceries when compared to March 2024, ranking second on the list behind Hawaii. When it came to specifics, eggs, meats, poultry and fish rose by a whopping 7.8%.
Fruits and vegetables, however, had the smallest increase at 0.2%. Dairy products increased by 5%.
As everyday people find it increasingly difficult to stock their pantries, they're turning to resources like food pantries and giveaways.
Local nonprofit Feeding Tampa Bay stocks its bins and coolers with fresh fruits, veggies, and more, so guests can form a line and fill their carts one by one. Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg, Saving Our Seniors sells produce at a lower price than typical chain stores, thanks to volunteer efforts. Both nonprofits share the same goal: helping people get food on the table.
If you're in need or want to help out in your community, click here.
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