WATCH: KJP Blames ‘Poor Weather’ For Skyrocketing Grocery Prices

In a Wednesday press conference, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made a bold claim, blaming the surge in grocery prices during Biden’s tenure on ‘poor weather’ and other factors.

She claimed that the Biden administration’s handling of weather-related challenges, such as severe storms, droughts, and wildfires, have now resulted in reduced agricultural production and subsequently led to higher grocery prices.

“As you know, grocery prices rose because of the global supply chain bottleneck and unforeseen supply shocks like avian flu and war in Ukraine and also poor weather.”

WATCH:

In 2023, the continuous rise in grocery prices has become a significant concern for numerous households. Despite a consistent decline in the overall inflation rate over the past seven months, the cost of food at home, which constitutes a substantial portion of every American’s budget, continues to escalate. According to the Labor Department, grocery inflation accelerated in January 2023, with food prices surging by 11.3% compared to the previous year.

The impact of these soaring food costs is particularly felt by households with limited incomes, especially seniors and those with lower incomes. Although Social Security recipients received an 8.7% cost-of-living increase in 2023, the largest hike since 1981, it still lags behind the rising food expenses.

This discrepancy is particularly significant because lower-income households generally allocate a larger proportion of their earnings to food. A survey revealed that 63% of respondents rated food costs as the fastest-growing spending category in their households, up from 58% the previous year.

The effect of high grocery prices is magnified for lower-income families due to their spending patterns. These households experience above-average inflation rate due to their higher relative expenditure on food and housing.

Since December, the bottom 40% of earners have faced the highest year-over-year inflation rate compared to other income groups. Unfortunately, the situation is expected to worsen as enhanced food stamp benefits expire, potentially affecting approximately 30 million people in 32 states.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are expected to rise at a reduced rate in 2023 compared to 2022. The forecast predicts an 8% increase in grocery costs this year, indicating a decline from the 11.8% increase experienced in 2022. However, even with this decline, it means that consumers could potentially face an almost 20% increase in the price of the same groceries by the end of 2023 compared to 2021.

REACTIONS:

So many excuses. I’m not buying it. Literally! I cannot afford to buy the groceries or the excuses as to why the prices have skyrocketed.

— BossyMother (@BossyMother) June 7, 2023

https://twitter.com/RoySethrich/status/1666508663408713733?s=20

And the lies continue!

— Jeff (@saltydog218) June 7, 2023