Inflation has made it very hard to find affordable groceries in Midtown, especially for college students in the area.
Inflation is a gradual loss of purchasing power that is reflected in a broad rise in prices for goods and services over time. According to NBC News, which tracks changes in the prices of grocery items, prices have been on the rise for most of the last five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That rise can be attributed to factors such as the war in Ukraine, supply chain issues, and more.
According to Emory University professor and economic expert Dezhbakhsh Hashem, the Consumer Price Index, which is used to measure inflation, was 237 in 2015. It now sits at 320, which is a 35% increase over the decade.
The Consumer Price Index shows that inflation has been slowing down over the past couple of years, but President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs have not made matters easier when it comes to prices.
“A $10 tariff on a good will increase its price by anywhere between 0 to $10 depending on sensitivity of consumers to changes in price and existing competition for the tariffed product,” Hashem said.“The more sensitive the consumers are to a price change, the smaller the tariff effect on prices. But when there is little competition or consumers are not very price sensitive, then tariffs translate into higher prices to the point that the entire tariff can be passed on to consumers in terms of higher prices.”
This affects every American. However, high prices hit young adults in college very hard.
“I’ve definitely felt the rise of inflation, especially for things like food,” Cashmere Chillious, a student at Savannah College of Art and Design, said. “I remember when I could get a good amount of groceries for about $90 and now just getting the necessities cost $150 or more.”
Rising prices aren’t just affecting the price of food and groceries.
“I think things have grown more expensive over the years, especially the cost of technology,” said Josiah Kinslow, another student of Savannah College of Art and Design.
Even those working in the stores can feel the effects of rising prices. Publix employee of 11 years, Mercedes Thomas, said that the prices of snow crabs have risen significantly.
“Snow crabs were $11.29 and the prices went up to $14.59,” Thomas said.
It’s not just seafood, but other items as well. The prices of eggs hit a record high earlier this year, and tariffs caused a rise in the prices of items like coffee, cheese, candy, and other imported foods. Walmart also recently said that consumers will soon start seeing higher prices as Trump’s tariffs begin to take effect.
According to the April 2025 Food Price Outlook forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are expected to keep rising in 2025.
College is an expensive endeavor to take on by itself, and that’s before factoring in costs like groceries, school supplies, and anything else that would be needed over the course of four or more years of a young adult’s life. All of those costs can add up very quickly, and inflation can exacerbate the problem.
