Food prices should continue to climb for shoppers, experts say
Monthly prices per gallon of all types of gas from May to December 2021 were the highest they've been in our area since 2014.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- From gas prices to the cost of food, people are having to tighten up on the amount they are putting out for essentials.
Monthly prices per gallon of all types of gas from May to December 2021 were the highest they've been in our area since 2014.
On Tuesday, gas on City Ave in Bala Cynwyd is $3.45 for a gallon of regular.
Last year prices were about a dollar less, and in December of 2019, gas ran about $2.56.
When it comes to food prices, from December 2019 to December 2021, prices of meat, poultry, fish and eggs rose 14.0% in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area, while the prices of all food in the area rose 8.6%.
Dr. John Stanton, a professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph's University, says he expects prices to continue to climb.
"I think more is still to come. I don't expect it to be as dramatic but I think we will still see some inflation, for sure," said Dr. Stanton.
He expects another 3-5% increase in food prices in the next six months.
Many business owners are having a hard time keeping shelves stocked.
Ryan Haggerty, who owns Haggerty Deli in Manayunk, says one of the difficult things he is dealing with is not knowing how much money he has to put out for the product he brings in.
"More frequently something will change in one jump. Like cheese used to go up 10-15 cents every six months and now I might see that two or three times in two months.
For now, consumers have buckled up for this bumpy ride of inflation and supply chain issues and are hoping we start to turn a corner sooner than later.
