People in San Luis Obispo were not too surprised to learn that the Golden State tops all other states when it comes to paying the most for groceries.
“That doesn’t surprise me one bit. I’m getting tired of it,” said Jim DeBacker, San Luis Obispo resident.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse survey, the national average for weekly grocery spending is about $270. California surpasses all other 49 states with the highest spending in groceries per week at nearly $300, followed by Nevada ($294.76), Mississippi ($290.64), Washington ($287.67) and Florida ($287.27).
As those living in California spend nearly $1,200 a month on groceries, some in the community say the food price is getting out of hand. This is making shoppers much more aware of what they’re putting in their carts.
“I definitely watch the pricing a lot. As a college student, I don’t have a big budget so being able to find good deals and hunting deals and going to stores that are a little less expensive is really important to me,” said Peter Bradburn, Cal Poly student.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse survey, households without children spend about $235 per week on groceries whereas households with children spend more than 41% more at the grocery store at about $330.
Some in the community say paying for high groceries only adds to their growing list of bills at a time when it seems like it’s never-ending.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to stop, to be honest with you. It just keeps going up and up. As long as they keep letting it, it’s just going to keep soaring and that’s just the way it’s going to be,” DeBacker said.
“Just noticing that everything is going up, is hard on my wallet,” Bradburn said.
High prices have some in the community finding ways to save and balance out their spending.
“I got to look out a little bit more. I try to stick to stuff that’s relatively cheaper and staying at places like Trader Joe's and Food 4 Less definitely helps,” said Ted Krone, Cal Poly student.
Some say being a California resident comes with a hefty price in more ways than one.
“It’s not very surprising. California tends to be correlated with higher prices for everything like gas, living, because it’s a prime location, and also the taxes and everything,” Krone said.
Over the last year, the all-items consumer price index increased by 3.4% before seasonal adjustment.
