In Rhode Island, did the cost of groceries increase 35% this past year?

Groceries in the Northeast have increased slightly from April 2025 to April 2026, but nowhere near 35%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t collect state-specific data, but across the Northeast, grocery prices rose 4.2% between April 2025 and April 2026. According to the USDA, grocery store prices increased nationally by an average of 2.9% over the same period. 

Tomatoes experienced much higher price increases due to weather, tariffs and volatile fuel costs. They’re up 17% between March and April 2026 and more than 61% higher compared to last year at this time. Tomatoes are typically more expensive during the winter, but poor weather in Florida and Mexico is shrinking supply and further driving up prices.

Additional factors include a 17% tariff on Mexican tomatoes and the U.S.-Israel War on Iran, which is increasing the price of fuel used to run farm equipment.