Super Bowl munchies will cost slightly less than last year, according to industry reports that show food prices cooling ahead of Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
Market researcher Datasembly said prices for common party snacks sold in grocery stores from Jan. 19-26 dropped 4.16% nationwide from the same week last year.
The company’s review of shelves at over 150,000 stores in 30,000 ZIP codes found prices fell from $6.69 to $4.49 for tortilla chips, from $3.16 to $2.51 for a can of chunky chili with beans, from $3.16 to $2.93 for a 16-ounce container of guacamole dip and from $9.99 to $9.49 for a frozen cheese pizza.
“Game day just got a little more affordable,” said Ben Reich, CEO of Datasembly. “For the first time in years, we’re seeing the cost of a typical Super Bowl grocery basket drop.”
Datasembly has surveyed grocery shelf prices since October 2019.
In a separate report, industry researcher Pattern estimated that the average price of Super Bowl snacks sold on Amazon.com fell 3% in January from a year ago. That includes a 38% drop for tortilla chips from $12.95 to $8.07, a 16% decline for hamburger patties from $12.42 to $10.48, a 14% dip in ranch dressing from $5.90 to $5.05 and an 11% decrease for mustard from $5.26 to $4.69.
Pattern data scientist Hamilton Noel chalked up the falling prices to “a mix of improved supply chain efficiencies, lower production costs for key ingredients, and retailers adjusting pricing to stay competitive in a still-price-sensitive market.”
He added, “While inflation remains a factor, we’re seeing price relief on items like hamburger patties, tortilla chips and condiments, which suggests that certain food categories are recovering faster than others.”
At the same time, the reports noted that some items will cost more than last year, and prices are still up from before the pandemic.
Datasembly found the sticker price of French onion dip rose 10% from $2.50 last year to $2.75 this year. Prices also ticked up 1% to 3% for a six-pack of soda, a 13-ounce bag of potato chips and a 15-ounce container of medium queso blanco.
Pattern estimated that veggie platters, artichoke dip and guacamole are selling online for between 3% and 6% more than last year.
Both companies estimated that beer prices are down slightly and chicken wings are up from last year.
Neither company shared prices from before the pandemic. New York University marketing professor Angelica Gianchandani estimated that the items they track will still cost football fans 20% to 25% more than the last pre-pandemic Super Bowl.
“Consumers continue to feel the pressure on wallets at the grocery stores,” she said. “Fresh foods like guacamole, wings and veggie platters are more affected by labor, farming costs and unpredictable supply chain factors, leading to continued price hikes.”
She blamed the ongoing inflationary pressure on recent bird flu outbreaks, sustained Super Bowl demand, “cumulative inflation, higher labor costs and shrinkflation” or the practice of companies selling smaller portions at the same price.
“Bird flu outbreaks directly reduce chicken supply, making wings more expensive,” Ms. Gianchandani said.
Prices will also depend on where fans watch the game Sunday.
According to Datasembly’s report, Super Bowl snack prices are up by 5.6% in Kansas City, Missouri, compared with a 0.7% increase in New Orleans — the host of the title game — and a 3.7% drop in Philadelphia.
“It’s a combination of repeat demand from the Chiefs’ third straight Super Bowl appearance, the Travis & Taylor effect and regional grocery pricing dynamics,” Ms. Gianchandani said, referring to the romance between Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce and superstar singer Taylor Swift.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.