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I know that they manipulate these figures to meet their political needs.
However, I noticed on my last trip to the grocery store that some things have come back down in price to pre covid levels.
For example, Freshetta frozen pizzas were on sale for $3.99.
This is just one example. I do not keep track of these things, but this seemed like a pretty good price.

Eggs also are back down in price. I typically buy my eggs from locals who have chickens. They have been steady at between $4-$5/dozen.

New and used car prices have come down. One YouTuber said they were down 23% from their highs. Big pickup trucks are sitting on the Ford dealership lot down the street. Two years ago the lot was empty.

Housing prices have come down in a lot of markets. Some markets like Austin are down dramatically. Other markets like New England are hardly down at all. All real estate is local.

Lumber and other building materials are back to their pre covid levels. In fact we have seen two British Columbia sawmills announce permanent shutdowns in the last month. Other BC mills are cutting shifts. This is because the timber prices in BC have stayed high. The mills are now losing money at the current wholesale price.

I know that they manipulate these figures to meet their political needs.
However, I noticed on my last trip to the grocery store that some things have come back down in price to pre covid levels.For example, Freshetta frozen pizzas were on sale for $3.99.
This is just one example. I do not keep track of these things, but this seemed like a pretty good price.

You cannot go by shelf price without knowing if the size remained at the pre-covid size. If it didn't, that back down price is actually higher due to the unendingly galling shrinkflation.

I don't like paying higher prices any more than the next guy, but when you play the shrinkflation game of giving me a smaller size for the same price, I'm in orbit. I noticed the other day that Turkey Hill has now gone the way of those hosers at Blue Bunny with 46 ounce containers instead of 48. Not that I'm happy with 48 ounces because I still want the half gallon container I grew up with since I'm paying the same higher price anyway whether it's a half gallon or 48 ounces. Like I said, unendingly galling.

Good points, and I do not have solid “economics” numbers. But, I probably do more than half the shopping, and prices are up probably more than 25-30% from where they were 3 years ago, across the board - whatever that comes down to in annual inflation. The thing is, I remember nothing like this during Trump’s tenure.

I don’t know how to factor this, but “sale” prices and the number and duration of “sales” are definitely off, too. Kerosene fuel used to have frequent sales, where I live. It doesn’t, any more - and its base price is almost 50% higher than pre-covid.

I am not sure, also, how to factor in a lack of goods. Store prices remain unchanged for what they do not have, and I do not buy it. I would imagine that this lowers inflation and “saves” me money.

It sounds like you are saying foreign timber is undercutting the local suppliers. I would agree that this is one way that “inflation” is fought. I have believed, for decades, that inflation has been fought by replacing US manufacturers with China. The customer does not see inflation, but the unemployment numbers grow.

Fun times.