Rising Gas Prices Fuel Grocery Cost Increases in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — Shoppers are noticing higher prices on several grocery items as elevated fuel costs ripple through the supply chain, making transportation more expensive for retailers.

Customers at a local food market on 16th and North expressed frustration with the increases. One shopper described prices as “pretty insane,” while others reported cutting back on purchases as “everything is starting to increase.”

Brian Jacobson, a finance instructor at Marquette University, explained that while multiple factors influence grocery prices—including supply and demand, shelf life, and tariffs—fuel costs often have one of the largest impacts.

“Things like fresh produce. They need to be refrigerated. So those trucks are a lot heavier. They take a lot more fuel,” Jacobson said. “Plus they come from oftentimes very far distances.” He noted that fuel costs are a “really powerful driving force of what we see on the shelves in terms of cost.”

Items seeing the biggest price surges include fresh produce and proteins. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, from March to April, uncooked ground beef rose 3.1%, whole milk increased nearly 3%, and tomatoes jumped nearly 13%.

GasBuddy reported that Milwaukee’s average gas price reached nearly $4.70 per gallon on Thursday, further pressuring household budgets. Shoppers said they can’t shop as freely as usual because they have to “make ends meet.”

Jacobson advised consumers to take advantage of customer loyalty programs. “If you give up a little bit of personal information, you might actually get a little bit of a discount,” he said. Some programs also offer gas savings. For example, Pick n Save and Metro Market let customers earn fuel points—one point for every dollar spent. Festival Foods partners with Kwik Trip for similar benefits.

The combined pressure of high fuel prices and rising food costs is creating a domino effect for many households in the area.