‘IT’S TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE’
Rising grocery prices force Forest Hills residents to spend less as infl ation soars
The increased prices at supermarkets is due in part to the supply chain turmoil, worker shortage, COVID-19 and other issues, according to reports. Photo via Getty
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BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
As inflation is raising the cost
of food items at supermarkets, some
residents in Forest Hills say they are
cutting down their shopping lists and
strategizing on how to save more money
when it comes to buying groceries.
A few months ago, Heather W. noticed
an increase in the cost of produce
and other food items that she usually
buys at the grocery store.
“I went shopping yesterday, and a
loaf of bread that was $1.99 for quite
some time is now $2.49. I was dumbfounded
when I saw that,” Heather told
QNS. “A bag of tomatoes has gone up
from $1.99 to $2.49, and a bag of potato
chips also went up from $1.99 to $2.49.”
According to Heather, who lives
with a roommate and does her own
shopping, her monthly budget for groceries
is more than $200. She goes grocery
shopping at least once a week to
buy fresh produce.
“Depending on what I need, I’ll go
to three main grocery stores: Trader
Joe’s, Whole Foods and ShopRite. My
main staples that I get every week is
an organic bag of salad, tomatoes,
carrots and celery. For other items
I’ll change my weekly list depending
on what’s on sale at Whole Foods and
ShopRite,” Heather said.
In order to save money, it’s important
for Heather to plan her budget accordingly,
and to buy items that are on
sale — such as toilet paper and paper
towels — rather than buying in bulk,
she said.
“I’m always on the lookout for coupons,
even if I go to a specific website
and print on occasion to use at the
grocery store,” Heather said. “I’m not
buying as many things as I normally
would at the grocery store, and it’s
unfortunate what is going on. Companies
are extorting people and taking
advantage of this time. I think in their
mind, they’re thinking, ‘well, the general
consumer already knows prices
are going up; we’ll just knock it up a
little bit more.’ I’ve heard the news
that inflation is at 7%, 7.5%, but what
I’m seeing at the grocery store is much
more than that.”
The Consumer Price Index (CPI),
the most widely followed inflation
gauge, increased 7% from December
2020 to December 2021 — its highest
rate in nearly 40 years, according to
the Pew Research Center.
The CPI is a measure of the average
change over time in the prices paid by
urban consumers for a market basket
of goods and services.
The price of food and utilities
surged in January from the previous
month, according to a report from
the U.S. Department Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Cereals and bakery products increased
1.8% over the month, according
to the Labor Department. The index
for other food at home increased
1.6% last month, while dairy and related
products rose 1.1%. Fruits and
vegetables rose 0.9% over the month,
while meats, poultry, fish and eggs increased
0.3%.
TIMESLEDGER | Q 10 NS.COM | MARCH 4 - MARCH 10, 2022
By far the largest increase was for
meats, poultry, fish and eggs, which
rose 12.2% over the year. Dairy and
related products increased 3.1%, the
smallest 12-month increase among the
groups, according to the Department
of Labor.
The increased prices at supermarkets
are due in part to the supply
chain turmoil, worker shortage, COVID
19 and other issues, according to
reports.
For families, who have been navigating
the challenges of the COVID-19
pandemic, the rising costs of groceries
have been difficult, resulting in cutbacks
on spending and omitting certain
items from their list.
One Forest Hills resident, who is
a parent of two children, says for the
most part he and his wife spend only
when necessary.
“I find myself buying cheaper grocery
items and avoiding the expensive
ones — for example, eggs and chicken
for protein, and lots of vegetables and
certain fruits only,” said the resident,
who requested to remain unnamed.
According to another resident, the
price of sweet potatoes at Key Food
on Queens Boulevard at 71st Road in
January was on average 99 cents per
pound. For one week, they were on
sale for 33 cents. Since February, they
have been $1.29, and the cost is similar
at Foodtown as well, he said.
In order to save money, some residents
have switched stores and commute
to other neighborhoods, where
the produce is sometimes fresher and
cheaper.
For Laura Reyes, who is a single
parent raising a teenager, she has now
resorted to shopping outside of Forest
Hills for groceries. Reyes commutes to
Corona, Flushing and Jamaica, and
if she’s in Brooklyn or the Bronx visiting
or just driving through, she’ll
make sure to pick up a few items since
it’s much cheaper.
“I used to pay a total of $25 for three
packs of different types of meats and
now it’s about $65, so I don’t pick it up,”
Reyes said. “I get chicken from Western
Beef which is cheaper and can be
cut into more pieces if I want to make
it last. We eat smaller portions and try
our best to save everything we don’t
eat.”
She also clips coupons and shares a
BJs card with her friend and racks up
points, which gives them more money
that they can spend at a later date.
“I no longer get name brand items,
only generic brands especially when
on sale. If I’m in CVS, I get their brand.
If I’m in Key Food, I get their store
brands, and if you use their coupon at
the store and online, you’ll get a cheaper
price all the time,” Reyes said. “We
also go to Walmart after September to
get supplies for the kids for next year,
which are on sale and have great discounts
when they want to empty their
inventory.”
Reyes added, “Though it has been
hard, I make it work the best I can.”
/NS.COM
