Business
The Wall Street Journal - To understand how people are navigating inflation these days, go to a groc
To understand how people are navigating inflation these days, go to a grocery-store parking lot.An afternoon spent talking with shoppers and reviewing grocery receipts outside of Rouses Market in Houma, La., nearly 60 miles southwest of New Orleans, painted a picture of the trade-offs and difficult decisions families are facing to afford steadily rising food bills.The consumer-price index—which measures what consumers pay for goods and services—rose 8.3% in August from the same month a year ago, driven by higher prices for everything from new vehicles to medical care and electricity. Grocery prices were 13.5% higher in August compared with a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is the biggest 12-month jump since March 1979. With no relief in sight, many consumers say they are struggling to keep up.In the Houma area, just over half of households are considered middle class, with a median income of $44,956, according to Pew Research Center. The stories people told coming out of Rouses—a middle-of-the-road local chain—were all the same. They saw ever-higher prices on staples from milk to bread, while wages fail to keep up. The shoppers told stories of planning meals around what is on sale and driving to four stores to find the best price.Read more at the link in our bio.📷: for
#entrepreneurship #bestentrepreneurship #thewallstreetjournal