Doritos Prices in the United States from 2020 to 2025

2020

• Price: A 9.75 oz bag of Doritos (e.g., Nacho Cheese) typically retailed for about $4.29 at major stores like Walmart. This aligns with pre-pandemic pricing, though the year saw disruptions from COVID-19 affecting supply chains.

• Context: Prices remained relatively stable early in the year, but by late 2020, supply chain issues and increased demand for packaged snacks began nudging costs upward. No significant size reduction was noted yet.

2021

• Price: The same 9.75 oz bag stayed around $4.29-$4.50, with slight increases depending on location. Some reports suggest promotional prices (e.g., 2 for $7) were common at stores like No Frills or Walmart.

• Context: Inflation started to emerge, and input costs (ingredients, packaging, fuel) rose, but PepsiCo (Frito-Lay’s parent company) largely absorbed these early increases rather than passing them fully to consumers. Bag sizes remained consistent.

2022

• Price: Prices climbed noticeably to around $4.79-$5.29 for a 9.25 oz bag. This reflects a roughly 11-23% increase from 2020, depending on the retailer.

• Shrinkflation: In March 2022, PepsiCo reduced the bag size from 9.75 oz to 9.25 oz (five fewer chips per bag) while keeping the price steady at $4.29 in some markets initially, effectively raising the per-ounce cost. By year-end, prices caught up to reflect both inflation and the smaller size.

• Context: Inflation peaked, and PepsiCo cited rising costs for ingredients, packaging, and transportation. Consumer frustration with smaller bags and higher prices, with sales remaining inelastic—demand held despite the changes.

2023

• Price: A 9.25 oz bag averaged $5.49-$5.99, a further 14-25% jump from 2022’s adjusted prices. Some regions saw prices hit $6 for family-sized bags.

• Context: Inflation remained high, though it began cooling mid-year. Shrinkflation persisted as a strategy, with no reversion to larger sizes. Private-label alternatives gained traction as consumers sought cheaper options. Frito-Lay’s profits soared, with reports tying this to price hikes outpacing cost increases.

2024

• Price: By mid-2024, prices for a 9.25 oz bag ranged from $5.99-$6.49, with some outliers at $7 in high-cost areas or convenience stores. Promotional deals (e.g., $2-$3 per bag on sale) were still available at grocers like Sobeys or Harris Teeter.

• Context: Inflation eased, but prices didn’t drop—PepsiCo maintained higher margins. Early 2024 highlighted a perceived “price jump” to nearly $7 for some flavors (e.g., Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch), reflecting regional spikes or premium editions. Full-year data suggests a 26% increase since 2019, with 10% attributed to shrinkflation, per broader snack trends.

2025

• Price: Early 2025 data shows a 9.25 oz bag at $6.29-$6.99 at major retailers like Walmart or Target, with some reports of $7-$8 for specialty flavors or in urban markets. January 2025 prices align with a slight uptick from late 2024’s $6.25 average.

• Context: With only two months of data, trends suggest a modest 3-5% increase from 2024, driven by steady demand and lingering cost pressures (e.g., labor, energy). No further shrinkflation is confirmed yet for 2025, but the 9.25 oz size persists. Projections for the full year are uncertain, but if inflation remains low, prices might stabilize unless production costs spike.

Broader Trends

• 2020-2022: Prices rose from $4.29 to $5.29 (23% nominal increase), compounded by a 5% size reduction in 2022, effectively a 30%+ real cost-per-ounce hike.

• 2023-2024: The climb to $6.49 (another 23% from 2022) reflects corporate profit strategies over inflation alone, with Frito-Lay’s tortilla chip dominance (1.14 billion units sold in 2024) supporting price resilience.

• 2025 Outlook: Early signs point to $6.50-$7 as the new norm, a 51-63% increase from 2020’s $4.29, outpacing general inflation (cumulative CPI increase of ~20% from 2020-2024).

Notes

Prices vary by flavor (e.g., Nacho Cheese vs. Spicy variants), store (Walmart vs. Walgreens), and region (urban vs. rural).