NEW YORK - The newest numbers from Nielsen Total US dollar sales data shows that grocery sales are slowing compared to previous weeks. Although still elevated, instore consumer packaged goods sales (CPG) in the United States were up 13.9% the week ending on May 23, compared to 15.2% the week prior. During the same week, online food sales were up 44% compared to 64.4% the previous week. 

Within departments, patterns from previous weeks held with seafood remaining the most elevated category for the third week in the row, followed by frozen and meat, while product prices continued to rise. Overall food prices were up 5.8% for the week. 

The charts below break down Nielsen’s sales data by department and meat, seafood, dairy and alternatives for the week ending on May 23 and the 12 weeks leading up to it and show differences in sales prices compared to 2019: