Connect with us

Minnesota

How grocery prices in Minnesota have increased since 2020

Published

on

How grocery prices in Minnesota have increased since 2020


For this assignment, we are going shopping. We have some old receipts from my FOX 9 co-worker’s groceries from back in 2020 and 2022. We’re comparing those items to prices at the same stores today in 2024. 

Advertisement

We shopped online and in-person at Cub Foods, Hy-Vee and Target to see how the prices compare. Across separate lists, from three different stores, we shopped for 60 total available items, ranging from produce to laundry detergent.

Ten items came down in price from 2022, 11 had no change and 39 increased in price.

Cub Foods

Advertisement

Based on this list, the Cub Foods in White Bear Lake had the biggest increase in price. A 52% increase in grocery prices from 2020 to now, and a 16% increase from 2022 to now. 

Here’s how much 16 items cost at Cub Foods in 2020, 2022, and 2024:

  • 2020 – $44.48
  • 2022 – $58.56
  • 2024 – $67.74

Target

Advertisement

Next is Target in Plymouth, whose prices are up 35% from 2020 and up 17% from 2022. 

Here’s how much 19 items cost at Target in 2020, 2022, and 2024:

  • 2020 – $63.15
  • 2022 – $72.63
  • 2024 – $85.12

Hy-Vee

Advertisement

Hy-Vee in New Hope’s list of items was up 33% since 2020, and up just 5% from 2022.

Here’s how much 25 items cost at Hy-Vee in 2020, 2022, and 2024:

  • 2020 – $58.38
  • 2022 – $74.01
  • 2024 – $77.67

“It’s almost like a Wack-a-Mole game, the prices are just changing constantly,” said Joe Redden, professor of marketing analytics at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Advertisement

Redden is constantly comparing prices. He invited FOX 9 into his home kitchen to look over our list, and noticed between 2020, coming out of the pandemic, to 2022, prices had massive increases.

While most prices are still rising, it’s no longer across the board, and mostly depends on what’s on your grocery list. 

Advertisement

The price of soups on our list even went down or stayed steady at Cub Foods.

Here’s how much Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup 10.5oz costs: 

  • 2020 – $1.29
  • 2022 – $2.29
  • 2024 – $1.69

“Makes sense right? If I have one really big price change before, I don’t need as big of a price chance now,” says Redden. “I think the companies are all struggling with it too. They are trying to figure it out with all the inflation, because they are paying a lot more for all their employees to make the product, for the interest they need to pay on their factories. All these things are going up, and they are certainly going to pass some of those costs to the customers.”

Advertisement

Redden points out companies still use the so-called “shrinkflation” technique for pricing. Slightly fewer ounces of a given product might prevent a price from rising to the next dollar point. 

What many might find annoying, could help you, if you are on a fixed budget. Plus, it’s the price per ounce we should all pay the closest attention to.

Advertisement

“If I’ve only got $10 left to spend on a tight budget, and that item is $5 instead of $7, that maybe a good deal for me,” said Redden. “There’s kind of an assumption that when I buy in a larger quantity it’s going to be cheaper per unit. That’s not necessarily the case.”

Foods with a shorter shelf life, such as fresh produce, meats, eggs, will forever have the greatest price swings. For meats, we saw a 57% increase in prices from 2024 to 2020, and a 12% increase from 2022 to 2024. But, for fruit, just a 10% increase from 2020 to 2024, and 5% increase from 2022 to 2024.

Item Since 2020 Since 2022
Bread prices 25% increase 14% increase
Milk prices 13% increase 6% increase
Fruit prices 10% increase 5% increase
Meat/deli meat 57% increase 12% increase

Advertisement

The egg market is still healing from the bird flu outbreak from 2022, greatly reducing the number of chickens and the nation’s egg supply. There’s no way of getting around the ripple effect from that ingredient alone and the price impacts on your recipes, and other products.

“Unfortunately, it’s harder. It’s not like when eggs are cheap, I can just buy three months’ worth,” Redden said. 

So, what does Redden suggest for saving on grocery bills?

Advertisement

  • Conduct taste tests. Redden does this frequently with his family and his students, comparing name-brand products to store brands. Many are often shocked at how often they can’t tell the difference and start purchasing the cheaper option.

“For us, ice cream doesn’t matter, and kettle chips doesn’t matter, they are all the same,” says Redden.

  • Look for substitutions,  especially when it comes to proteins. Let the lower price option guide your meal planning.

“Maybe this week, instead of sausage, I’m going to buy the chicken. Maybe next week I’m going to flip it. Maybe bacon is expensive now,” said Redden. “Be flexible.”

Advertisement
  • Shop in multiple stores, and pay attention to prices. Each have different strategies as far as how they price items, what days of the week prices might change. Prices within the same chain often vary by location and can be different online compared to in the store.

“I think what this data is telling us there is so much variance, so it’s really hard to just take a snapshot and get a clean picture, ever because prices are constantly moving and constantly changing,” says Redden. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the next time someone did this you might see certain ones that go down because we have seen some of the manufacturing wages abating a bit. So maybe some of that gets passed through.”



Source link

Minnesota

Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com

Published

on

Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com


Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good. 

“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”

Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.

Advertisement

“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes. 

“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”

Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”

Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.

Advertisement

“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”



Source link

Continue Reading

Minnesota

ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors

Published

on

ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors



Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.

play

Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.

Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Advertisement

The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.

Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.

“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.

Advertisement

The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.

Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.

Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police. 

State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.

Advertisement

The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.

On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Minnesota

Reds Brandon Williamson beats Twins in first Minnesota homecoming

Published

on

Reds Brandon Williamson beats Twins in first Minnesota homecoming


play

  • In his first professional start in Minnesota, Trimont, MN, native Brandon Williamson pitched into the sixth to beat the Twins 2-1.
  • The victory was the opener of a six-game road trip for the Reds, who improved to 12-8.

MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Williamson came to this ballpark as a kid, rooted for Joe Mauer and the Twins, maybe even dreamed a little of playing there one day.

“Oh, yeah. Joe Ma,” Williamson said. “That’s my guy.”

Advertisement

By the time that day came, Mauer had a statue outside the stadium, and Williamson had 29 career starts across three big-league seasons for the Cincinnati Reds.

And then the kid from tiny Trimont, Minnesota, came up big enough to beat the Twins in his first professional start in his home state – a 2-1 victory Friday in front of 200 or more personal friends and family from Trimont. And about 31,000 other people.

“It was awesome,” said Williamson, whose personal contingent at the game represented close to one-third of greater Trimont (pop. 705). “It was everything I thought it would be.”

The left-hander didn’t pitch especially deep into the game, getting two batters into the sixth. But on a night made for native Minnesotans, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees, Williamson looked right at, well, home, pitching to the conditions and setting down the first six batters he faced – and eight of the first nine.

Advertisement

As one local press box wag quipped during the second inning, “These Minnesota boys know how to pitch in the cold.”

A pair of one-out runs in the fourth inning provided the scoring for a Reds team lineup still trying to break free from its early season woes – albeit with the twin obstacles of the weather and All-Star starter Joe Ryan’s presence on the mound for the Twins for the first six innings.

The only two hits off Ryan were doubles in the fourth by Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez, sandwiched around a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Kreidler. Suárez’s hit drove in two.

Advertisement

The only run against Williamson scored after he inexplicably followed four strong innings with three consecutive walks to open the fifth, including a four-pitch walk to No. 8 hitter Brooks Lee leading off the inning.

Austin Martin followed the three freebies with a sacrifice fly on a dying liner to the gap in right that Will Benson caught with a slide.

Williamson then rallied to get Luke Keaschall on an inning-ending, 5-4-3 double play started by Suárez, who got the rare start at third base.

“I thought he handled himself really good,” manager Terry Francona said. “He looked like he was having fun pitching. I know he didn’t like walking the bases loaded. But he looked like he was enjoying himself out there. I like that when guys are enjoying competing; then we’re OK.”

Advertisement

Williamson also left the bases loaded in the third after a hit batter and two-out single followed by a walk. He struck out Keaschall on a called third strike that was confirmed after Keaschall challenged.

“I could have kissed whoever was running the ABS,” Williamson said.

The Reds improved to 12-8 and remained tied for first place in the National League Central after their third win in four games – the second in that stretch by a 2-1 score.“That was cool,” said closer Emilio Pagán, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save in his first outing since experiencing hamstring tightness Tuesday.

“I don’t have a team in my home state (of South Carolina),” Pagán said, “so I don’t know what that feels like. But to pitch against probably his favorite team growing up in front of that many friends and family had to be a surreal feeling. And he handled it great.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending