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Popular barbecue staples experience sharp price increases

The typical cost of US shoppers’ barbecue baskets has risen by 12% over the past year – the fastest annual rise in a decade, figures from The Economist show.

Its summer BBQ index tracked 10 popular barbecue products across 25 American cities and found that the contents of a typical barbecue basket now cost an average of $81 (€70), marking the fastest yearly rise in 10 years.

At a glance:

• US barbecue basket prices jumped 12% in July, marking the sharpest annual rise in a decade.
• Price hikes for goods such as steak, ground beef, and Coca-Cola outpaced wage growth, putting a strain on shoppers’ budgets.
• Supply chain issues and inflation are driving up costs, leading consumers to seek cheaper alternatives.

Grocery staples including steak, Coca-Cola, and ground beef experienced the biggest price hikes.

These increases are outpacing pay rises, growing at approximately twice the rate of the median pay across the cities surveyed.

To afford the 2026 cost of a typical barbecue shop, US workers now need to work 16 minutes longer than in 2020.

It follows a similar pattern to recent years, with the cost of barbecue products having grown by 40% over the past five years.

Summer barbecuing has got pricier

Researchers analysed a typical barbecue basket designed for four hungry adults. It included protein (1.5lb, or 675g, of ribeye steak, 2lb of ground beef and chicken, and a pack of pork sausages), carbohydrates (2lb of potatoes, a big bag of potato crisps, and a loaf of bread), beverages (a 64oz, or 2l, bottle of Coke and a six-pack of beer), and lettuce.

They found the prices of steak, ground beef, and Coca-Cola increased the most, while the smallest rise was in the cost of potatoes.

According to The Economist, ground beef inflation looks fairly moderate in its sample – in part, because prices are already higher than one year ago.

In the US, the price rose by almost a fifth in the year to the first quarter, adding around $10 (€9) a month to the cost of hamburgers for a family of four buying 2lb a week.

Steak prices increased by more than 25% on average, Coca-Cola by roughly 15%, and a bag of potato crisps by almost 10%.

Multiple factors are behind the price surge

With grocery price inflation below 3%, the 12% year-on-year figure far exceeds this, with several items showing significantly higher prices. As these cannot be explained by inflation alone, the researchers looked at the wider food and drink supply chain.

Looking beyond inflation, supply chain issues, including a cattle shortage; expensive farm policies relating to biofuels; fertiliser costs; higher energy prices resulting from the war in Iran; and US tariffs are key drivers.

Will prices put an end to the summer barbecue?

Despite the price increases, barbecuing remains ever popular with consumers. More than 60% of global revenue in the grill and barbecue market is generated by the American market alone, exceeding $4 billion (€3.5 billion).

Social media is also encouraging year-round barbecuing at home. Today, barbecues are planned meal occasions and often include a socialising aspect.

“This has grown as the cost of eating out has risen,” Tony Goodger, head of communications at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), told Ingredients Network.

“Supermarkets have seen summer and barbecue as an extended season that can easily match or be bigger than Christmas.”

As a result, shops have introduced convenient sides such as sweetcorn “cobblettes”, high-end sauces, dips, dry rubs, and marinades.

“The entry point price for the protein element of the meal is no longer a challenge to demand,” said Goodger.

While barbecuing remains popular with consumers, these price increases are expected to affect shoppers’ food and drink choices, prompting consumers to consider alternative products to bring their basket costs down.

“Social media is full of slow-barbecued and smoked cuts such as whole shoulders of pork, which, kg for kg, are considerably cheaper than steaks,” said Goodger.

At the same time, certain shoppers are looking for premium options.

“Consumers are trading up in terms of burgers and sausages with things like Wagyu burgers and premium high meat content lower fat sausages,” he added.

In recent years, brioche rolls, subs, and other breads, from gyros to flatbreads, have emerged. The elements of the meal, beyond the meat (or fish), have turned the barbecue into an occasion.

“Many consumers wouldn’t want to skimp on bread or buns when they have spent a lot of money on the meat, salads, and drinks,” Goodger said.