JANUARY 2026 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

Written by Michael Thervil

JANUARY 2026 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

[January 2026 Consumer Price Index] The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows that America had an estimated 0.2% increase for urban consumers. Looking at the major categories, “All Items” stood at a 2.4% growth rate, while “Food” increased to 2.9%, with “Energy” dipping down into the negative at -0.1%, and “All Items Food and Energy” standing at 2.5%. Drilling down into “Food”, “Food at Home” stood steady at 2.1% and “Food Away From Home” increased to double that at an even 4.0%. In the “Food at Home” category, the sector that showed the most growth was nonalcoholic beverages which increased to 4.5%. The growth in this sector has caused many alcoholic brands to either close their doors or implement a sharp reduction in output because Generation Z is drinking far less than previous generations.

“Cereals and Bakery Products” came in second showing a growth rate of 3.1%, followed by “Meats, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs” standing at 2.2%. “Other Food At Home” followed and stood at 2.1%, as “Fruits and Vegetables” showed only a slight increase in growth at 0.8%. “Dairy and Related Products” displayed negative growth at -0.3%. In the “Food Away From Home” category, “Full-Service Meals and Snacks” towered over “Limited-Service Meals and Snacks” which stood at 3.2% with an increase of 4.7%. The “Energy” displayed a polarizing dip and gain with “Energy Commodities” dipping to -7.3% and “Energy Services” increasing to 7.2%.

Within the “Energy Commodities” sector, both “Fuel Oil” and “Gasoline (All Types)" sharply fell by -4.2% and -7.5% respectively. In the “Energy Services” category, both “Electricity” and “Natural Gas (Piped)” showed an increase in growth to 6.3% and 9.8% respectively. In the “All Items Less Food and Energy” category, both “Commodities Less Food and Energy” and “Services Less Energy Services” were up 1.1% and 2.9% respectively. In the “Less Food and Energy Commodities” the biggest winner was “Tobacco and Smoking Products” which saw an increase of 8.5% in January.

This is a trend that has been going on since the Biden Administration. All other sectors either showed slight, marginal, or dipped into the negative. Both "Apparel" and “Alcoholic Beverages” appeared to be somewhat equal with an increase at 1.7% and 2.0%, while both “New Vehicles” and “Medical Care Commodities” remained flat at 0.4% and 0.3% growth. The purchase of “Used Cars and Trucks” fell into the negative at -2.0%. Currently consumer prices have increased to 2.4% since the turn of the new year, indicating a nearly invisible decrease from 2.7%. The average yearly change in the “all items” index stood at 3.0%