Rise in Staple Prices Outpacing Luxury Goods

From DemocracyNow.org:
A new analysis shows inflation has led to a greater increase in prices of staples needed for basic daily life than it has on luxury goods. According to the Washington Post, prices for basics including groceries, gasoline, and health care have risen more than nine percent over two years ago. By contrast, prices for luxuries including restaurant meals, alcoholic beverages, new cars, furniture, and clothing have risen just two point four percent. Meanwhile increases in earnings for non-managerial workers were just over half the increase in staple costs, at five percent. The rise in staple prices is attributed to increasing demand for oil but also ethanol—which drives up food prices by making food crops more scarce.