Grocery prices see a record-breaking spike as US shoppers continue to stock up at the supermarket during the coronavirus pandemic

• Grocery prices ticked up 2.6% in April, according to the latest Consumer Price Index Summary from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that grocery prices have not seen such a spike since February 1974.
• Prices for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs saw the biggest price hike at the grocery store.
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Shoppers in the United States may have undergone a bit of a sticker shock at the grocery store last month. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest Consumer Price Index Summary on Tuesday, which found that grocery prices saw a record-breaking spike in April.

BLS reported that the index for "food at home" — predominantly food items purchased in grocery stores — increased by 2.6%. That is the largest monthly increase since February 1974.

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs saw the most significant price hike of 4.3%. The egg index alone saw a 16.1% increase, and the price of cereals and baked goods ticked up a record-breaking 2.9%. Nonalcoholic beverages saw a 2.9% increase in April. Fruits and vegetables and dairy products proved to be the two least affected grocery categories, with only a 1.5% monthly increase each.

Over the past year, the food at home index went up 4.1%. In April, the United States Department of Agriculture posted an outlook on food prices that noted that "grocery stores are experiencing increased demand," thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. With more and more people stocking up on food at the grocery store, demand for products in the "food at home" category has spiked.

The trend of drastically increasing prices has not spread beyond the grocery aisles. The food away from home index — which measures food bought at restaurants — only rose 0.1%, as consumers continue to avoid eateries. In contrast, the food away from home index saw a 0.4% increase in January 2020.

In addition, the overall food and energy index saw a 0.8% drip in prices, while the non-food and energy index — which includes purchases like cars, apparel, and shelter — saw an overall 0.4% decrease.