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Grocery and Gasoline Prices Surge

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been more than five months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. One hundred and fifty-two days later, has the situation improved?

On January 21, 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our fifth update.

Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs $2.18 more than last month and $12.05 more than our first trip in January. The price of Oscar Meyer hot dogs went up, and shrinkflation raised the prices of Prego pasta sauce, which lost an ounce, and Bounty paper towels. The “6=12” package of Bounty paper towels we purchased on January 21 is now equivalent to 9.15 rolls, without a change in packaging.

Today’s bill increased from $245.17 to $247.35, a 0.9% rise from last month.

A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline has climbed $2.40 from a month ago and is now 63 cents a gallon higher than it was on January 21. Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson signed the state budget bill this morning, which will increase the gasoline tax by 6 cents on July 1, 2025.

The prices of popular fast food items at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s did not change.

Here are the Products

We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, including regular unleaded gasoline and meals from three major fast food brands.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityMay 21, 2025, Non-sale PriceJune 21, 2025
Non-sale Price
Change
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.69$3.69
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$5.99$5.99
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $5.49$5.49
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent102 count – 85.0 ounces$24.99$24.99
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.49$6.49
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 50 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 211 square feet
$14.99 for 233 square feet$14.99 for 211 square feetSize dropped from 233 square feet to 211 – a $1.56 price increase
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal20 ounces$6.99$6.99
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.49$14.49
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 90/1016 ounces, individual vacuum pack$9.99 for 90/10$9.99
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$5.49$5.99Increase, 50 cents
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers50 count$28.99$28.99
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$11.49$11.49
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$5.29$5.29
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$10.99$10.99
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato23 ounces by weight$2.79 for 24 ounces$2.79 for 23 ouncesIncrease, 12 cents
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99$1.99
Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.49$3.49
Staples
C&H premium pure cane granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$4.19-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees$4.39-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade feesA 6-cent increase in state gasoline tax will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBig Mac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.39 before tax$11.39 before tax
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax$21.99 before tax

Local Grocery Prices Climb Again

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been four months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. One hundred and twenty-one days later, has the situation improved?

On 21 January 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our fourth update.

Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs $1.90 more than last month and $9.87 more than our first trip in January. The price of Kraft Singles processed cheese and milk went down, and hamburger, Dawn dishwashing soap, and Tampax tampons went up.

Two products had very minor changes that didn’t significantly impact their prices. On January 21, the ground beef we used for our benchmark price was 16 ounces and 93/7 fat content. That changed to 91/9 in March and 90/10 in May. The weight for 102 Tide Pods 3-in-1 laundry detergent went from 84.7 ounces to 85.0 ounces.

Today’s bill climbed from $243.27 to $245.17, up 0.8%, an identical increase from last month.

A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline was unchanged from a month ago and is 43 cents a gallon higher than January 21. Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson signed the state budget bill this morning, which will increase the gasoline tax by 6 cents on July 1, 2025.

The prices of popular fast food items at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s did not change.

Here are the Products

We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, regular unleaded gasoline, and meals from three popular fast food brands.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityApril 21, 2025, Non-sale PriceMay 21, 2025
Non-sale Price
Change
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.99$3.69Decrease, 30 cents
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$5.99$5.99
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $5.79$5.49Decrease, 30 cents
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent102 count – 85.0 ounces$24.99$24.99Size increased from 84.7 ounces to 85.0 ounces
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.29$6.49Increase, 20 cents
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 50 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 233 square feet
$14.99$14.99
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal20 ounces$6.99$6.99
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.49$14.49
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 90/1016 ounces, individual vacuum pack$9.49 for 91/9$9.99 for 90/10Increase, 50 cents with a 1% increase in fat content
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$5.49$5.49
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers50 count$28.99$28.99
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$9.79$11.49Increase, $1.70
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$5.29$5.29
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$10.99$10.99
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato24 ounces by weight$2.79$2.79
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99$1.99
Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.49$3.49
Staples
C&H premium pure cane granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$4.19-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees$4.19-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade feesA 6-cent increase in state gasoline tax will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBig Mac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.39 before tax$11.39 before tax
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax$21.99 before tax

Local Grocery and Gasoline Prices Climb Compared to Last Month

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been three months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. Ninety-one days later, has the situation improved?

On 21 January 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our third update.

Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs $1.88 more than last month and $7.94 more than our first trip in January. The price of Land-O-Lakes butter decreased, and the price of Oscar Meyer All-Beef Classic Hot Dogs increased.

The quantity of Bounty 6=12 Doubles Paper Towels shrank 37 square feet, the equivalent of 1.65 rolls. Due to shrinkflation, the cost is $2.38 more expensive, despite selling for the same price of $14.99.

The total bill climbed from $241.39 to $243.27, up 0.8%.

A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline increased by $3.60, a 7.2% increase from a month ago and 43 cents a gallon higher than January 21.

The prices of popular fast food items at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s did not change.

Here are the Products

We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, regular unleaded gasoline, and meals from three popular fast food brands.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityMarch 20, 2025, Non-sale PriceApril 21, 2025
Non-sale Price
Change
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.99$3.99
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$6.99$5.99Decrease, $1.00
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $5.79$5.79
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent102 count – 84.7 ounces$24.99$24.99
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.29$6.29
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 50 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 233 square feet
$14.99 for 270 square feet$14.99 for 233 square feetTotal square footage reduced by 37, equal to 1.65 rolls of paper towels, price increase of $2.38 due to shrinkflation
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal20 ounces$6.99$6.99
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.49$14.49
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 91/916 ounces individual vacuum pack$9.49$9.49
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$4.99$5.49Increase, 50 cents
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers50 count$28.99$28.99
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$9.79$9.79
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$5.29$5.29
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$10.99$10.99
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato24 ounces by weight$2.79$2.79
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99$1.99
Kraft mac & cheese dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.49$3.49
Staples
C&H premium pure can granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$3.89-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees $4.19-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade feesPrice for 12 gallons of gas increased $3.60.
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBig Mac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.39 before tax$11.39 before tax
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax$21.99 before tax

Local Grocery and Gasoline Prices Fall Slightly Compared to Last Month

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been two months since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. Fifty-nine days later, has the situation improved?

On 21 January 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our second update.

Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs $2.26 less compared to last month and $6.06 more than our first trip in January. The price of Kraft Singles cheese, Tide 3-in-1 pods, and Oscar Meyer All-Beef Franks decreased, and the price of Cheerios increased. The total bill dropped from $243.65 to $241.39, down 1.0%. The quantity of Tide 3-in-1 pods dropped from 112 to 102, but the price per pod fell 1/2 a cent each. General Mills stopped selling the 18-ounce Cheerios. It has been replaced by the 20-ounce “giant size,” which is 1.7 cents per ounce more expensive.

Oreo cookies were tagged with a “new lower price” despite no price change from a month ago.

A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline decreased by $2.40, a 5.3% decrease from a month ago but still 4.7% higher than January 21.

The prices of popular fast food items at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s did not change.

Here are the Products

We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, regular unleaded gasoline, and meals from three popular fast food brands.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityFebruary 20, 2025, Non-sale PriceMarch 20, 2025
Non-sale Price
Change
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.99$3.99
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$6.99$6.99
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $6.29$5.79Decrease, 50 cents
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent102 count – 84.7 ounces$27.99 for 112, weight 93 ounces$24.99Decrease, 56 cents, price per pod decrease, 1/2 a cent
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.29$6.29
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 58 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 270 square feet
$14.99$14.99
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal20 ounces$5.99 for 18 ounces$6.99Increase, 30 cents, price per ounce increase, 1.7 cents
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.49$14.49
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 91/916 ounces individual vacuum pack$9.49$9.49
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$6.49$4.99Decrease, $1.50
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers50 count$28.99$28.99
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$9.79$9.79
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$4.99$5.29
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$9.99$10.99
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato24 ounces by weight$2.79$2.79
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99$1.99
Kraft mac & cheese dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.49$3.49
Staples
C&H premium pure can granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$4.09-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees $3.89-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade feesPrice for 12 gallons of gas decreased $2.40.
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBigMac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.39 before tax$11.39 before tax
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax$21.99 before tax

Local Grocery and Gasoline Prices Climb Despite Trump’s Pledge to Curb Inflation

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – It’s been a month since President Donald Trump was inaugurated after campaigning on controlling inflation to lower grocery and fuel prices. A month later, has the situation improved?

On 21 January 2025, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. This is our first update.

Based on actual retail prices, today’s grocery trip costs $8.32 more compared to last month. The price of diapers, Coca-Cola, and frozen pizza went up while the cost of coffee and bread went down. The total bill climbed from $235.33 to $243.65, up 3.5%. Most of that jump was caused by shrinkflation.

Two products, Barilla rotini pasta, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, were marked with a tag showing a “new lower price,” despite no price change from last month.

A 12-gallon fill-up of regular gasoline increased by $4.56, a 10% increase from a month ago.

The only change to fast food prices was at McDonald’s, where a Big Mac meal is now 10 cents cheaper.

Here are the Products

We are tracking the prices of 27 popular items, regular unleaded gasoline, and meals from three popular fast food brands.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityJanuary 20, 2025, Non-sale PriceFebruary 20, 2025
Non-sale Price
Change
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.99$3.99
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$6.99$6.99
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $6.29$6.29
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent112 count – 93 ounces$27.99$27.99
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.29$6.29
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 58 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 270 square feet
$14.99$14.99
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal18 ounces$5.99$5.99
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.99$14.49Decrease, 50 cents
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 91/916 ounces individual vacuum pack$9.49$9.49
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$6.49$6.49
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers64 count$28.99$37.11Count dropped from 64 to 50. Unit price increased from 45 cents per diaper to 58 cents.
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$9.79$9.79
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$4.99$5.29Increase, 20 cents
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$9.99$10.99Increase, $1.00
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato24 ounces by weight$2.79$2.79
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99$1.99
Kraft mac & cheese dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.99$3.49Decrease, 50 cents
Staples
C&H premium pure can granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$3.71-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees $4.09-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade feesPrice for 12 gallons of gas increased $4.56.
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBigMac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.49 before tax$11.39 before taxDecrease, 10 cents
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax$21.99 before tax

Can Trump Keep his Promise to Lower Grocery Prices

[Kirkland, WA – WBHG News] – During the 2024 United States elections, inflation and grocery prices took center stage, with the blame for post-COVID inflation placed on politicians from both parties, corporations, and private equity firms. President Donald Trump campaigned on the promise to lower grocery prices, while his opponents and some economists argued that the White House doesn’t have much direct control over the price of Kraft mac and cheese or a gallon of gasoline.

Inflation at the grocery store has been a very real problem for Americans since 2020, caused by COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. The reasons why prices have continued to increase, and inflation has remained stubborn are complex and go beyond national politics. According to the Federal Reserve Bank, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) peaked in 2022 at 8.0% and has since dropped to 3.2% in 2024. Economists prefer to see an inflation rate between 2% and 3%, so the U.S. economy remains slightly overheated. Additionally, CPI doesn’t account for shrinkflation, when companies make a product smaller without changing the price.

During Trump’s inauguration, our team benchmarked grocery, fuel, and fast food prices in Kirkland to track over the next four years. Will grocery prices drop now that the Republicans have control of the House, Senate, the White House, and confirmed a majority of the sitting Supreme Court justices?

Methodology

Our team established the following rules for identifying what items to track and how to keep the methodology as fair as possible.

  • We benchmarked prices using national brands, which are less impacted by local market fluctuations, with two exceptions. We benchmarked milk based on the Kroger store brand and ground beef using Kroger’s Simple Truth organic brand. Dairies in the United States are regional, which impacts local prices and supply. Four corporations control most of the meat product distribution and pricing in the United States, and the house Kroger brand provides a fixed product with a known weight.
  • We decided not to track the price of eggs or poultry due to the bird flu epidemic, which is decimating egg and poultry production across the United States. The current outbreak is outside of the control of the previous and current administration. Further, the egg cases in the local stores were practically empty and missing most of their price tags.
  • We did not benchmark the price of fresh produce because Washington is one of the largest producers of some items in the country, such as apples. This increases our supply and variety, which lowers our regional prices. In contrast, fresh corn and lettuce are more expensive in the winter months compared to the southern United States due to the need to import these items over very long distances. Additionally, prices are impacted by acts of God and weather, creating another layer of complexity.
  • The size of each product was carefully recorded, including the unit count and the weight or volume of each unit within the package. This will enable our team to track shrinkflation, which could hide a price increase.
  • We will recheck the prices once a month on the 20th. In the event that one of the stores we benchmarked is closed on the 20th, we will check prices on the closest opening day after the 20th. If a location permanently closes, we will record prices as the next closest location, preferably within Kirkland.
  • Prices from McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Domino’s were logged using their respective apps and are determined without using any coupons, incentives, or benefits from customer loyalty programs.

We Couldn’t Benchmark Every Item on our List

During our audit, we noted that almost all items were on sale or had new price reductions in the Kroger-branded stores in the Kirkland area. Some of the sale tags showed the normal retail price, while others didn’t. We were unable to benchmark shampoo, toothpaste, razors, canned and frozen vegetables, and other popular items.

In other cases, there were problems with the posted price tags. For example, we wanted to benchmark Cascade automatic dishwashing pods, which is the most popular national brand. However, the item on the shell was 62 count, while the price tag reflected a 57 count product. We could not determine if the 57 count price was an error or misplaced under the slightly larger product being sold or if Cascade is rolling out a smaller package.

We photographed each product with its published price tag, documenting the count, weight, and volume.

Here are the Products

We will track the prices of 27 popular items, regular unleaded gasoline, and three popular fast food brands. We will publish our next update on February 21.

ItemWeight, Volume, QuantityJanuary 20, 2025, Non-sale PriceMost Recent PriceChange
Dairy Products
Whole Milk – Kroger Brand128 fluid ounces$3.99
Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter4 count – total weight 16 ounces$6.99
Kraft Singles American processed cheese food product24 individual slices – 16 ounces by weight $6.29
Household Products
Tide 3-in-1 Pods laundry detergent112 count – 93 ounces$27.99
Dawn Ultra dishwashing soap38 fluid ounces$6.29
Bounty 6=12 doubles paper towels
6 2-ply rolls, 58 11 inches X 10.2 inches sheets per roll, 270 square feet
$14.99
Breakfast Foods
Cheerios toasted oat cereal18 ounces$5.99
Starbucks Pike Place Roast ground coffee – medium roast18 ounces$14.99
Meat
Kroger Brand “Simple Truth” prepackaged natural ground beef – 91/916 ounces individual vacuum pack$9.49
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – Classic10 count – total weight 15 ounces$6.49
Infant/Baby
Pampers baby-dry stage 6 diapers64 count$28.99
Health and Beauty
Tampax Pearl Large Light Day tampons36 count$9.79
Charmin Ultra Strong 12=48 Mega roll toilet paper12 2-ply rolls, 220 3.92 inches x 4 inches sheets per roll, 287 square feet$16.99
Snack and Convenience Foods
Red Baron brick oven crust pepperoni pizza17.89 ounces$4.99
Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza flavor8 count – total weight 36 ounces$10.99
Oreo cookies18.12 ounces$4.99
Doritos – Cool Ranch Flavor – party size14.5 ounces$6.99
Coca-Cola – canned, sweetened with corn syrup12 count – 12 fluid ounce cans$9.99
Soups and Broths
Swanson chicken broth32 fluid ounces$2.99
Quick Meals
Prego Traditional jarred prepared pasta sauce, tomato24 ounces by weight$2.79
Barilla rotini pasta16 ounces$1.99
Kraft mac & cheese dinner, original flavor7.25 ounces$1.29
Wonder Bread, white, sliced20 ounces$3.99
Staples
C&H premium pure can granulated sugar in bag64 ounces$4.99
Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, bleached and enriched80 ounces$5.69
Condiments
Hidden Valley Ranch ranch salad dressing16 fluid ounces$4.39
Heinz real tomato ketchup in the easy squeeze bottle20 ounces$3.99
Gasoline
Regular unleaded E-10 87-octane gasoline at the Totem Lake Fred Meyer location128 fluid ounces$3.71-9/10, which includes 18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax, 49.4 cents Washington state gasoline tax, and approximately 43.4 cents for Washington state cap and trade fees
Fast Food
McDonald’s Big Mac meal at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, locationBigMac with 2 2-ounce beef patties, medium French fry, and medium 21 fluid ounce Coca-Cola with regular ice$11.49 before tax
Taco Bell 3 Crunch Taco Combo at the 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, location3 hard shell tacos with ground beef filling, included toppings, and a large 30 fluid ounces Pepsi with regular ice$8.69 before tax
Domino’s large Ultimate Pepperoni pizza for store pickup at the 100th Ave NE, Kirkland location14″ pizza with hand-tossed crust, pepperoni (extra), shredded parmesan asiago and provolone cheeses, and tomato sauce$21.99 before tax

Starbucks, Costco, and Walmart join Trader Joe’s with updated in-store mask policy

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) A growing list of major retailers are making masks optional for individuals who have been fully vaccinated in a flurry of website updates and press releases. Starbucks has announced that starting Monday, vaccinated individuals don’t have to wear masks in their United States locations unless local rules require them. On Friday, Costco, Walmart, and Sam’s Club adopted the same policy. Sam’s Club is a membership-based warehouse store owned by Walmart and is similar to Costco. The retailer closed its western Washington locations several years ago.

Apple, Target, CVS, and Walgreens indicated they were maintaining requirements to wear a mask for now, but are evaluating CDC guidelines and might update their policies. Kroger, which owns QFC and Fred Meyer’s announced they would continue to mandate masks at its locations as did Home Depot.

Locally, Metropolitan Market issued a statement that masks are optional for fully vaccinated customers. PCC, a co-op-based grocery chain with 15 locations has also made masks optional for fully vaccinated customers.

Retailers, restaurants, bars, gyms, and other public businesses in King County are still in Phase 3 under the Safe Washington reopening program and can operate at 50% capacity. The Safe Washington reopening plan announced in March was essentially scraped by Gov. Inslee yesterday, with a new plan moving all counties to Phase 3 on May 18, and Washington state to full reopening on June 30.

The United States has administered over 250 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide. As of April 17, Washington state has administered more than 6 million doses, and over 43% of residents over 16-years old are fully vaccinated.

In King County, you can visit the Department of Health website to find a vaccination clinic, and many locations now support walk-up appointments. You can also visit the Facebook Group, Find a COVID Shot WA if you need language or technology assistance in making an appointment.