Mississippi shoppers struggle to keep up with rising grocery prices

According to an analysis from HelpAdvisor, Mississippi has the third most expensive groceries. The average household in the Magnolia State is spending $290 per week – $20 more than the national average.

People in Mississippi are making the lowest-average salary in the United States and paying more at the grocery store than in 45 other states.

Not only are grocery prices at an all-time high in the state, but Mississippi has the highest grocery tax at 7% and is one of only thirteen states that still tax groceries.

“We can’t even afford to put a decent meal on the table every day,” said Carmen Lebron, a local WXXV spoke to after her grocery shopping trip.

While prices have fallen since 2022, it hasn’t been enough to help the average Mississippi consumer.

Carmen Lebron has had to cut back at the grocery store to make ends meet.

“I struggle every day,” Lebron said. “The majority of my pay goes to my bill, and by the time I get done, I don’t have enough to buy a pack of meat or a drink, or oil. It’s too expensive.”

At the Salvation Army food bank, they’re seeing an increase in need from people who, at one point, could sustain their families on their own.

“The need for families.. these are working families,” said Morgan Shiyou, Marking Coordinator for The Salvation Army. “They’re just trying to provide for their children in their household. Working people who are just trying to make ends meet are coming in struggling.”

It’s to a point where food banks can barely keep up with the need.

“This food will be gone by the end of the week. It’s not going to last,” Shiyou said. “We just restoked these shelves. So, this, while it looks good now, today… we’re prepared for tomorrow’s families to come in and wipe it all out.”

“There’s really no hope,” Lebron said. “Right now, it’s basically a miracle for anything to help.”

Representative Jeffrey Hulum III says the only way to bring hope to Mississippi consumers is if Republicans and Democrats in the legislature can work together to pass a grocery tax cut.

“What we’re going to propose again is eliminating the grocery tax by 3.5%, so cutting the tax in half. But also, our speaker of the house, Mr. Jason White, he has put together a select committee on tax reform,” Hulum said. “Some of the things they’re going to look at – grocery tax, gas tax. We’re still waiting to see the outcome of that meeting, seeing what they’re going to propose. Because traditional people who used to donate to food pantries, they’re now in line at a food pantry to receive donations.”

Mississippians would still spend more on groceries than other states, but lowering the grocery tax would put Mississippi closer to the national spending average.