CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Numerator, a consumer data and technology company, released its January 2026 Numerator Consumer Price Index (CPI) with an advance read on inflation trends across everyday consumer goods. According to Numerator, prices for everyday household purchases declined 0.23% in January, following a 0.25% increase in December and a 0.35% increase in November. In January, prices for everyday goods are up 1.8% versus a year ago. A similar trend is expected for the comparable categories covered in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI release scheduled for Friday.
Similar to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Numerator CPI tracks prices and changes in consumer purchases over time. The data cover approximately 20% of the consumption basket captured in the overall PCE price index, and closely tracks the PCE Food & Beverage index, offering a reliable signal of retail price changes experienced by U.S. consumers.
“The year began with colder temperatures — and some welcome cooling in inflation,” said Paul Stanley, Senior Economist, Numerator. “January marks the lowest level of inflation since February 2025, offering consumers modest but meaningful price relief on essential purchases.”
Additional key findings from Numerator’s January CPI:
- Prices for everyday household purchases declined 0.23% in January 2026, its first month-over-month decline in nearly a year, after having increased 0.25% in December 2025 and 0.35% in November 2025.
- Over the past 12 months, prices for everyday household purchases are up 1.8%.
- Over the past several months, annual inflation for everyday household purchases has been cooling, providing some much-needed relief to consumers.
For a methodology description of the Numerator CPI, or to download the data charts, visit numerator.com/inflation.
DISCLAIMER
The Numerator Inflation Report has been prepared for informational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information contained in or provided from or through this report is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, financial advice, investment advice, trading advice, or any other advice. Numerator shall have no liability to any person or entity for any loss or damage resulting from the use of or reliance on the above-mentioned information.
METHODOLOGY
Numerator’s consumer inflation measure is constructed using both base-period and current-period quantity weights to combine item prices, an approach that is consistent with the structure of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ PCE Price Index.
The index is calculated from verified, item-level transactions provided by a panel of 200,000 geographically and demographically representative U.S. households. These data include purchases across categories such as grocery, household goods, and health and beauty. The data capture changes in consumer purchasing behavior when prices change, including brand switching, downsizing, and shifts in where consumers buy.
Values are aggregated monthly to produce index levels and month-over-month and year-over-year percent changes, providing a current view of inflation trends. The dataset uses verified household purchase data from the demand side, offering visibility into consumer behavior as prices evolve.
The Numerator CPI’s year-over-year inflation measure has a 0.93 correlation with the PCE Food and Beverage index since 2019.
About Numerator:
Numerator is a data and tech company bringing speed and scale to market research. Numerator blends first-party data from over 1 million US households with advanced technology to provide 360-degree consumer understanding for the market research industry that has been slow to change. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Numerator has 5,400 employees worldwide; 80 of the top 100 CPG brands’ manufacturers are Numerator clients.
PRESS CONTACT:
Bob Richter
212-802-8588
[email protected]
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