Nine states and jurisdictions across the United States continue to impose taxes on grocery purchases, making food more expensive for consumers in those areas compared to other parts of the country.

While the majority of U.S. states have abolished grocery taxes, these nine locations still charge sales tax on food items purchased at grocery stores. This means families in these jurisdictions pay more for identical food products than consumers in states without such taxes, even when the pre-tax advertised prices are the same.

The practice of taxing groceries has become increasingly uncommon as most states have moved to eliminate these levies on essential food items. Grocery taxes are often viewed as regressive because they disproportionately impact lower-income households, who spend a higher percentage of their income on food.

The continued existence of grocery taxes in these nine jurisdictions creates geographic disparities in food costs across the United States. Consumers in neighboring states without grocery taxes can purchase the same items at lower total costs, highlighting regional differences in tax policy approaches to essential goods.