Key facts
- Lettuce prices fell 6.2% from July to August.
- Lettuce prices dropped 16.4% from June to July.
- A cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce caused demand to wilt.
- The outbreak has led to over 19,500 US cases since May, with 1,000+ hospitalizations and two deaths.
- US diesel prices exceeded $6 per gallon.
- Fuel oil prices increased 52% year-on-year in August.
Lettuce prices in the US have seen a dramatic decrease this summer, driven by a cyclospora outbreak that led to a significant drop in consumer demand. New data released on Friday shows lettuce prices fell another 6.2% from July to August, following a 16.4% decrease the previous month, marking the largest decline in recent history.
The outbreak, linked to recalled iceberg lettuce, has caused over 19,500 confirmed cases in the US since May, resulting in more than 1,000 hospitalizations and two deaths across 20 states, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Experts, like David Ortega, a food economics and policy professor at Michigan State University, noted that consumers reduced consumption of not only lettuce but other produce as well due to fear. This downturn in demand has impacted food chains, with salad chain Sweetgreen cutting its annual outlook and Chipotle reporting a 2% dip in sales in late July. Taco Bell, directly linked to the outbreak, also reported a short-term sales impact.
Prior to the outbreak, lettuce prices were already rising due to supply constraints like adverse weather and disease. However, the drop in demand has now stabilized prices to levels seen a year ago, with a 2.2% decrease from August 2025 to August 2026.
This decline in lettuce prices stands in contrast to broader inflationary pressures affecting other goods. The ongoing war in Iran has driven up energy prices, with US diesel breaching $6 a gallon and average gas prices increasing by $1.10 year-on-year. Fuel oil prices were up 52% for the year in August. Additionally, trade disputes, such as President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada, are expected to impact prices on various imported goods.