This Fourth of July, your beer may be cheaper than hot dogs

America is ready to get back to its Fourth of July traditions. A typical celebration of US’ Independence Day will include a backyard grill, juicy meats, toasty hot dog buns and ice-cold beer in the chiller. The star-spangled banner will also accompany various patriotic songs in the backdrop.

But like all other things, the Fourth of July celebrations will also take a hit from growing inflation. Your cookout party might be a bit more expensive this year, but the cheap beer will help. United States’ inflation rates have been the highest in decades.

Also Read: Fourth of July: Which US cities have cancelled fireworks and why

According to CNN reports citing the Consumer Price Index, groceries in the country are 12% more expensive in the year ending in May. This has been the largest increase ever recorded since 1979.

How much will the traditional grill cost you?

According to market research firm IRI, retail prices of items commonly used to prepare hot dogs and buns have spiked over the last few months. Heat-and-eat hot dog packages now cost 17% more than what they cost this time last year.

Prices of ground beef increased by 11%, hot dog and hamburger buns by 13% and condiments like ketchup by 21% in the United States, according to CNN reports citing IRI research.

And what about your beer?

Cracking open a cold one this Fourth of July might not be as heavy on your wallet, at least compared to what other traditional Independence Day items cost. 

The Personal Consumption Expenditures, a statistic that indicates inflation levels, increased by 6.3% for the year ended in May 2022. Considering that such a sharp increase was recorded, the price of beer increased by only 4%.

Also Read: This fourth of July, airports brim as US flies out of pandemic shadow

How about just travelling?

If you are planning to travel, there is another surprise waiting for you. The airports are jammed due to mass cancellation of flights, mostly due to bad weather on the east coast. Most of those who are travelling have paid high prices for a ticket.

Taking the road is also expected to be more expensive as gas prices in the US have soared over the last month. The national average price for gasoline is hovering around $5 per gallon — and above $6 per gallon in California and all its popular tourist attractions.