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Vintage grocery store ads from the 1960s are giving Americans a nostalgic look at a time when many grocery staples cost just pennies compared with today’s prices.
The decades-old newspaper advertisements offer a glimpse into how Americans once shopped and how much grocery prices and shopping habits have changed over the years.
The advertisements feature prices that seem almost impossible by today’s standards, from steak selling for less than a dollar a pound to five pounds of sugar for just 49 cents, according to food publication Tasting Table.
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However, after adjusting for inflation, the publication found that some grocery staples cost about the same as they do today, while others remain significantly more expensive.
Still, some foods really were bargains.
Sirloin steak sold for 78 cents per pound in 1966, which works out to about $7.95 in today’s dollars, well below modern prices of roughly $17.99 per pound, Tasting Table reported. Pot roast, lamb and grapefruit also remain significantly more expensive today, even after adjusting for inflation.
While the prices may seem like a steal, a closer look shows that not every grocery essential was actually the bargain it appeared to be.
A dozen medium eggs that cost 55 cents in 1966 would equal about $5.60 today after adjusting for inflation, while shoppers can now find a dozen medium eggs for as little as $1.59, according to the publication. Butter, milk and ice cream were also found to cost less today when inflation is taken into account.
The vintage ads also offer a snapshot of grocery shopping in another era, when families commonly bought 25-pound bags of potatoes, large canned hams and pound-sized bags of potato chips. Shoppers also stocked up on products such as oleo, a popular butter substitute.
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In recent years, vintage grocery advertisements have fueled conversations on social media, with users comparing old supermarket prices to today’s grocery bills.
“My family has a bunch of old newspapers and I found this in one from the 1960s. Look at these prices!” one Reddit user wrote while sharing a vintage grocery ad advertising chuck roast for 45 cents a pound, peaches for 29 cents and three cans of green beans for 29 cents.
Others reminisced about grocery shopping traditions that have largely disappeared.
“I remember sticking [Green Stamps] into little books and bringing them to the S&H store with my mom to get a toaster,” one commenter wrote, recalling the popular loyalty program that let shoppers redeem stamps for household items.
Others argued the prices were misleading without accounting for wages and inflation.
“Keep in mind the average worker only made $2.00-$3.00 an hour back then,” one Reddit user wrote.
“You’d be spending the exact same percentage of your paycheck back then. This is how adjusted dollars works,” another user added.
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