"Fresh food and perishables are almost like the canary in the coal mine," when energy prices go up, according to Vidya Mani, an associate professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.
What we're seeing in the U.S., including higher prices, smaller sizes and less cocoa in some products, reflects longer-term adjustments. Prices are likely to stay high through 2026 and could climb further if supply expectations don't hold.
High energy prices are kryptonite for the housing market. Affordability, especially for those first-time home buyers, is now an elusive dream until oil prices come down and interest rates come down.
From Minnesota to Mississippi we're lifting up our hard working farmers and ranchers and growers and we're putting more money in American pockets. We're going to prove that the golden age of American agriculture is right here and right now.
Outside, it's an overcast and blustery February day in Kent hardly the ideal conditions for growing tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Yet inside the enormous glasshouses run by grower Thanet Earth, the climate has been optimised to a humid 20C, perfect for the regimented rows of small pepper plants poking out of raised trays. Growing fresh produce indoors in the south of England year-round requires plenty of energy to provide light, warmth and carbon dioxide.
Many of us take the simple, everyday task of grocery shopping for granted. You walk through the doors, grab a cart, throw in the things you need, pay the (ever-increasing) bill, and then go on your way. In theory, it should be simple. But actually, grocery shopping can be challenging, especially when the things you need aren't on the shelves.
