A variety of sandwich meats, cheese, bread, vegetables, and condiments on a table.

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

The latest source of pain for grocery shoppers is coming at the deli counter.

Consumer prices for lunch meats jumped 4.2% in September, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Friday, Oct. 24. The rise came as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.3% in September and inflation reached a yearly rate of 3.0%, well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.

The spike is the largest monthly increase on record for deli meats, Bloomberg News reported. It's also far ahead of the 0.3% increase in overall food costs.

Cold-cut costs are climbing as beef prices hit record highs, driven by declining US cattle herds, droughts in key grazing areas, and the spread of a flesh-eating fly known as the New World screwworm. President Donald Trump's 50% tariff on Brazilian imports has further strained on meat supply chains.

About 23% of US beef imports come from Brazil, according to Genial Investimentos.

"The same issues you're seeing in beef, you're seeing reflected everywhere — feed prices, processing costs are up," said American Association of Meat Processors spokesperson Sam Gazdziak. "Everybody has to raise prices along the food chain. There are a lot of steps along the chain from the live animal to the meat you see in your case, and if you see rising prices at one end of it, it has a ripple effect."

The rising sandwich meat costs come as many low-income families brace for a potential pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Pennsylvania halted new SNAP payments on Thursday, Oct. 16, while other states are preparing for potential disruptions in November.

The Trump administration posted another partisan message on the US Department of Agriculture's website, warning about a nationwide pause to SNAP benefits.

"Bottom line, the well has run dry," the message read. "At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance."

The shutdown comes as Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress. The last government shutdown was the longest in US history, spanning 35 days during Trump's first term in December 2018 and January 2019.

Senate Democrats have opposed a House-passed stopgap bill and are pushing for extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, along with seeking to reverse Medicaid cuts in the GOP-passed spending plan previously called the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Republicans argue that the federal government should be reopened before starting negotiations.

Market research firms 210 Analytics LLC and Circana reported that packaged lunch meat sales are down almost 5% from 2024, while deli meat sales are stabilizing after a major listeria recall.