“The Same Groceries Would Cost Nearly $400 Now”: Viral 2001 Walmart Receipt Has the Internet Spiraling Over Inflation

A woman was cleaning out her house and stumbled upon a Walmart receipt from the year 2001. Now that the receipt has gone viral on social media, it has people talking about how much inflation has affected consumers in the last 25 years. The receipt seems to be from a Walmart in Pueblo, Colorado, showing 103 purchased items.

Many users reacted to the price comparison as the post was captioned the same amount of food now “[costs] nearly $400.”

One commenter pointed out that “a thermal receipt didn't fade after a few months.” Another user responded, “Did they even have thermal printing a quarter century ago?” HOIN Printers says that Walmart started using ink ribbon or thermal printers in the 1990s and that even by the beginning of the 2000s, some still had dot matrix printers, which would make sense, given that this receipt is still intact. 

An X user said, “It’s just like that scene from Home Alone where Kevin buys all those groceries for $20.” Other commenters focused on inflation instead. One wrote that inflation isn't “transitory” as the government had made people across generations believe. Another said, “I still have all my old receipts because I like to compare the prices.” They added that they are offended by the difference in the amount of money they spend on food now compared to a few years ago. Similarly, another wrote, “We're being gouged terribly.” 

The receipt listed several items at notably lower prices. In 2001, Walmart hamburger buns were priced at 67 cents, and brown sugar was around $1 per pack. 

Here are some more prices one might find shocking in 2026: 

• Ramen noodles for $1 to $1.50
• Celery for $1.27
• Shredded wheat cereal for $1.56
• Hash browns for $2.50
• Canned fruits and vegetables between 50 and 84 cents

Another comment took the opportunity to share an old circular they found from 2013. “It makes you sick,” they wrote. It's up to a reader then to decide if pork shoulder ribs for $1.99 or a farm-fresh whole chicken for 99 cents would make them sick as well.

Take a look at it here:

Some other commentators pointed out the reality of inflation.

One said, “The food didn't get 3x bigger or 3x tastier. Money got 3x weaker.” Another commentator sarcastically wrote: “You mean inflation is high? Wow, we didn’t know this. Water is wet.”