Amanda Feltz // Shutterstock

Potatoes, cookies, and other groceries that rose in price in the South last month

Ongoing food supply-chain issues kicked off by the COVID-19 pandemic are still affecting the cost of groceries today.

The cost of groceries inflated about 0.3% from January to February, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Annually, the price is up about 10.2%.

During the initial lockdowns, food producers struggled with a manageable system that would allow them to serve consumers. Labor disruptions also increased food production costs as more funds had to be invested in training workers and protecting food from contamination. Food growers, processors, and distributors were required to adjust packaging, heed new labeling requirements, and meet heightened demand from food retailers.

The effects of these changes are still plaguing grocery store shoppers. So, which food items have seen the biggest uptick in pricing recently? Stacker used monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the five grocery items that experienced the largest price increases in the Southern region in February, using year-over-year changes as a tiebreaker where needed.

For this analysis, the South includes Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Stacker excluded some hyper-specific meat categories in order to better understand grocery price fluctuations more broadly.

You may also like: Marijuana violations are taking truck drivers off the road, adding more supply chain disruptions

Brent Hofacker // Shutterstock

#13. Ham (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +0.3%
– Annual change in cost: +9.8%
– February 2023 cost: $4.23

Canva

#12. Beef steaks (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +0.8%
– Annual change in cost: -1.1%
– February 2023 cost: $9.19

You may also like: 50 car companies that no longer exist

Canva

#11. Malt beverages (per 16 oz.)

– One-month increase in cost: +0.9%
– Annual change in cost: +6.1%
– February 2023 cost: $1.66

Angie Yeoh // Shutterstock

#10. Potato chips (per 16 oz.)

– One-month increase in cost: +1%
– Annual change in cost: +20.2%
– February 2023 cost: $6.72

06photo // Shutterstock

#9. Wine (per 1 liter)

– One-month increase in cost: +1.2%
– Annual change in cost: -0.3%
– February 2023 cost: $12.32

Canva

#8. Navel oranges (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +1.2%
– Annual change in cost: +6.3%
– February 2023 cost: $1.56

Canva

#7. Spaghetti and macaroni (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +1.2%
– Annual change in cost: +42.8%
– February 2023 cost: $1.17

Sheila Fitzgerald // Shutterstock

#6. Ground beef (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +1.9%
– Annual change in cost: +0.1%
– February 2023 cost: $5.10

Jon Sullivan // Flickr

#5. Frozen concentrate orange juice (per 16 oz.)

– One-month increase in cost: +2%
– Annual change in cost: Not available
– February 2023 cost: $2.47

You may also like: This is what really happens to retail food waste

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#4. Whole chicken (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +2.2%
– Annual change in cost: +20.8%
– February 2023 cost: $1.76

Canva

#3. All-purpose white flour (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +3.5%
– Annual change in cost: Not available
– February 2023 cost: $0.48

pkajak201 // Shutterstock

#2. Chocolate chip cookies (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +3.7%
– Annual change in cost: Not available
– February 2023 cost: $5.42

Suriyawut Suriya // Shutterstock

#1. White potatoes (per lb.)

– One-month increase in cost: +5.4%
– Annual change in cost: +20.2%
– February 2023 cost: $1.01