Federal inflation data showed Colorado grocery prices rose 2.9% in April from a year earlier, with fruits and vegetables posting the sharpest increase at more than 6%.
Rising energy costs are driving much of the increase, according to an MSU Denver economist, because fuel prices lift transportation costs across the food supply chain.
Colorado is especially exposed because much of its produce is shipped in from other states and countries, adding to the cost pressure on store shelves.
Denver shoppers say the increases are forcing trade-offs between groceries and bills, and economists warn summer travel demand could push gas and food prices higher.
How has a Middle East conflict made Colorado's drought even more costly for families at the supermarket?
With beef soaring and egg prices plummeting, what is truly driving the dramatic shifts on our grocery receipts this year?
As global crises disrupt food supplies, is this the permanent end of affordable groceries for American families?