It was a survey measuring a bunch of things, not sure why that was the metric they focused on for the headline though.
“Since the start of the pandemic, grocery prices have risen 25%, the report also found.
Some consumers have had to sacrifice necessities to afford food, the personal finance company found.
That includes 28% who sacrificed other needs like rent or bills to pay for groceries, and 27% who occasionally skipped meals. Additionally, 18% have either applied for or considered applying for food stamps, while 15% rely on or have considered turning to food banks.
Yet, 53% indicated they earn too much to qualify for food stamps or other government assistance but still have difficulties paying for necessities.
While most consumers report noticing higher grocery costs,51% have also seen increases in gasoline prices; 39% said other bills like cable, electricity and internet have spiked; 27% said housing costs have gone up; and another 27% said dining out costs have risen.”