The Illinois Farm Bureau says there may be sticker shock on that turkey and grocery list this holiday season.
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 36th annual survey indicates the average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving feast for 10 has risen to $53.31, or less than $6 a person, a 14% increase since last year. The Illinois survey was slightly higher than the national average with the cost of a Thanksgiving feast for 10 coming in the state at $58.15, or an 8% increase from the national average.
AFBF Senior Economist Veronica Nigh said in a press release that the increase in cost this year can be attributed to the dramatic disruptions; to the U.S. economy and supply chains over the last 20 months; inflationary pressure throughout the economy; difficulty in predicting demand during the COVID-19 pandemic; and high global demand for food, particularly meat.
Nigh also says that the trend of consumers eating more at home during the pandemic also added extra stress on supermarket demand and higher retail food prices.