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Vintage grocery store ads from the 1960s give Americans a nostalgic look at a time when grocery staples cost pennies compared to today’s prices.
Decades-old newspaper ads provide insight into how Americans used to shop and how much grocery prices and shopping habits have changed over the years.
These ads feature prices that seem impossible by today’s standards, from selling meat for less than a dollar a pound to five pounds of sugar for just 49 cents, according to the food publication Tasting Table.
Decades old newspaper ads show how much grocery prices and shopping habits have changed over the years. (Lambert/Getty Images)
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However, after adjusting for inflation, the book found that some grocery staples cost about as much as they do today, while others still cost more.
However, some of the meals were truly feasts.
Sirloin steak sold for 78 cents per pound in 1966, which works out to about $7.95 in today’s dollars, below modern prices of about $17.99 per pound, Tasting Table reports. Pot roast, lamb and grapefruit are also still very expensive today, even after adjusting for inflation.
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While the prices may seem like a steal, a closer look shows that not all grocery needs are actually what they seem.
A medium-sized egg that cost 55 cents in 1966 would be the equivalent of $5.60 today after adjusting for inflation, while consumers can now get a dozen medium-sized eggs for as little as $1.59, according to the book. Butter, milk and ice cream were also found to be less expensive today after inflation.
When adjusted for inflation, some grocery staples were found to cost about as much as they do today, while others are still more expensive today. (Camerique/Getty Images)
The old ads also provide a snapshot of grocery shopping at one time, when families would buy 25-pound bags of potatoes, large tins of hams and pound-sized bags of potato chips. Consumers also stock up on products like oleo, a popular butter substitute.
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In recent years, vintage grocery ads have fueled conversations on social media, with users comparing old store prices to today’s grocery costs.
“My family has a lot of old newspapers and I found this one from the 1960s. Look at these prices!” one Reddit user wrote while sharing a grocery promotion for chuck roast for 45 cents a pound, peaches for 29 cents and three cans of green beans for 29 cents.
In recent years, vintage grocery ads have resurfaced on social media, where users compared prices from decades ago to today’s grocery costs. (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Others remember the traditions of grocery shopping that have all but disappeared.
“I remember going [Green Stamps] in small books and brought to the S&H store with my mom to get a toaster,” one commenter wrote, recalling the popular loyalty program that allows shoppers to use stamps for household items.
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Others said the prices were misleading without accounting for wages and inflation.
“Remember the average worker only makes $2.00-$3.00 an hour back then,” one Reddit user wrote.
“You’ll be spending the exact same percentage of your income then. This is how adjusted dollars work,” another user added.
