Grocery prices continue to strain Yuma families as costs fluctuate
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Grocery prices remain a growing concern for families in Yuma, with many everyday items still costing more than they did a year ago. While some prices have started to stabilize, shoppers say the overall cost of a trip to the store continues to add up.
Locals describe the experience as frustring, with prices seemingly changing from one visit to the next.
“Just about everything, I mean it doesn’t matter what you buy, it is expensive," Vicki Knapp, a Yuma local said. "My husband and I were just talking about it, it’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.”
Recent data shows food prices are still trending upward overall. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ground beef has risen to about $6.70 per pound, compared to $5.50 this time last year.
Those increases are impacting everyday meals. A simple taco night for a family of four has increased 18.6% over the past year. Highlighting how even routine dinners are becoming more expensive.
Some locals question if the issue goes beyond just rising prices.
“When you start talking price, is the price really higher or is the value of the dollar lower?" Dennis Franklin, a local man said. "So if I go back four years ago, five years ago, that dollar that I’m spending today is only worth 75 cents.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices in February 2026 were 3.1% higher than February 2025, reflecting continued inflation across the economy. Ongoing global factors have also contributed to higher costs, leaving some uncertainty about when prices might level off.
For many shoppers, that uncertainty is part of the frustration.
“One thing I’ve never been able to understand, once a price is up, does it ever seem to go down," Franklin said. "I don’t know, but it just seems that they like to seem to hang there.”
As prices continue to shift, some Yuma families remain hopeful that costs will stabilize over time, while others say they're looking for relief sooner rather than later.
