Are Food Price Projections for 2026 Good or Bad News for Shoppers? As 2026 unfolds, economists and industry analysts are releasing their updated forecasts for food inflation. While the rampant, double-digit inflation of the early 2020s has largely subsided, shoppers should not expect a return to pre-pandemic prices. The Structural Labor ShiftA permanent floor has been placed under grocery prices due to structural changes in labor costs. Shoppers must remain vigilant about unit pricing, as official inflation data often struggles to fully capture this stealthy erosion in value.