A discovery of a 27-year-old supermarket receipt has sparked a viral online conversation about the staggering rise in the cost of living, with prices for everyday essentials soaring by more than 220%.
A Blast from the Past: The 1997 Receipt
Zoe Dippel, 24, was looking through old photo albums with her sister-in-law when she stumbled upon a piece of history: a grocery receipt from June 20, 1997, from the American chain H-E-B. The receipt, carefully saved by her sentimental mother-in-law, listed a massive haul of 122 items, including baby food, nappies, fruit, and yoghurt.
The total cost for this substantial shop, which would fill a family's cupboards, was a mere $155.34. In a video shared on TikTok that has been viewed over 2.2 million times, the pair read out some of the jaw-dropping prices. Little Debbie brownies cost $1.09, Dannon yoghurt was just 50 cents, tortillas were $1.50, and a loaf of bread set them back $1.26.
Other notable items included Gerber baby food at 55 cents a carton, a jumbo pack of Pampers nappies for $12.99, and a one-pound carton of strawberries priced at $1.89.
The Stark Reality of Modern Prices
Driven by curiosity, Dippel undertook a detailed comparison using a spreadsheet to calculate what the same basket of goods would cost today. The result was a sobering figure of approximately $500.
This represents an increase of nearly $350, or around 220%, since the late 1990s. Individual item comparisons are equally stark. On H-E-B's current website, Dannon yoghurt now costs $3.24, Gerber baby food has risen to $1.88, a pack of 84 nappies is $29.97, and a 1.2lb carton of strawberries sells for $5.98.
A Wider Conversation on Financial Strain
The viral clip has resonated deeply with viewers, prompting a flood of comments from people sharing their struggles. Dippel described the response as "eye-opening and heartbreaking," noting that many feel the system is fundamentally broken.
"It shouldn't be this hard to live, and it shouldn't take multiple jobs just to stay afloat," she stated. "An entire generation is struggling to imagine buying a home, building savings or planning for the future."
She highlighted one poignant comment from a woman whose father earned the same salary she does now, yet supported a family of five with a stay-at-home mother. Today, that commenter and her husband both work, have two children, and still barely make ends meet each month.
Dippel reflected on the find, telling the Today show: "It wasn't until that moment that I truly realised how much the world has changed in nearly 30 years." The simple receipt has become a powerful symbol of the immense financial pressures facing households today.
