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BUSINESS

Who Says There's No Inflation? Grocery Shoppers Think Otherwise

Most Americans continue to say they are paying more for groceries now compared to a year ago, and the number who expect to spend more a year from now is at its highest level in nearly two years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 84% of Adults say they are spending more money on groceries than they were a year ago. Only nine percent (9%) say they are spending less money compared to last year, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

While a strong majority of adults reported paying more for groceries in eight surveys conducted over roughly a two-year span, the latest finding marks the highest level measured since July 2009.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of adults nationwide now believe the amount they spend on groceries will be higher a year from now. That’s up eight points from October of last year and the highest level measured since April 2009. Only four percent (4%) expect the amount they spend on groceries to be lower in one year’s time, while 22% say they will spend about the same amount.

Through out 2010, the number of adults who expected to pay more for groceries in a year's time fell in the narrow range of 62% to 66%.

The belief that they will be paying more for groceries in a year's time runs high across all demographic groups.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 8-9, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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