Many foods are seeing a decline in sales, but others are seeing a surprising spike in demand.<\/p>\n
“When we look at the data for hamburger helpers specifically, we see that from June to August of this year, sales have increased about 14.5%, which is a big jump in a relatively short period of time,” said Abby Hall,<\/a> associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa.<\/p>\n Similar increases in the just-add-meat meals were seen during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.<\/p>\n And demand for other cheap staples and shelf stable foods like boxed macaroni and cheese, beans and pasta is also on the rise.<\/p>\n “So things that people can get relatively cheaply and things that can stretch out,” Hall said.<\/p>\n Rice sales are up 7.5% in 2025. People are also buying more canned meats like tuna, salmon and sardines.<\/p>\n “We’re kind of seeing all of these different, again, national level policies coming together and manifesting in people’s grocery carts,” Hall said.<\/p>\n Those policies include changes in trade agreements and, of course, inflation.<\/p>\n “Inflation, even though it’s not as high as it was a few years ago, it’s still impacting a lot of families in really meaningful ways and nowhere more meaningful than at the supermarket,” said Dr. Noa Gafni<\/a>.<\/p>\n