Why Are Potato Chips So Expensive?

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We all love to snack on some potato chips once in a while. From the globally known favorites to the regional hidden gems, chips are delicious, come in so many flavors, and are so afforda— wait, they cost how much?! According to the Bureau of Labor, the average 16-ounce bag of chips costs $6.82, up from $4.44 at the beginning of 2016. That's a rate quicker than inflation for something that's not exactly a luxury item. So why are potato chips getting so expensive? Besides inflation, the rising cost of transportation along with climate change is leading to pricier potatoes.

Pennsylvania is the "Snack Food Capital of the World", and has more potato chip factories than any other state (via The Allegheny Front). The problem? Pennsylvania doesn't grow as many raw potatoes as other places, so they have to be shipped from elsewhere like Wisconsin, Michigan, or Idaho. Around one third of the cost of potatoes is just transporting the taters around, and with the price of fuel not looking like it'll come down any time soon, that cost is going to be reflected in your bag of Lay's.

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Moving the potatoes around isn't the only problem leading to rising chip prices. It's growing the potatoes themselves. For such a popular crop, these tubers are pretty finicky, and won't grow at all if the temperature goes beyond 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The problem is, there are way more of those superhot days than there used to be: Pennsylvania has around 15 more 90-plus degree days than 25 years ago. That's two weeks of potato-growing time down the drain, which in turn makes them hit your wallet harder.

There might be other factors at play, too. One Reddit user theorized that prices went up during the pandemic and the global logistics problems that followed, but people still paid extra for their chips, so companies haven't felt the pressure to lower their prices. Who knows if we'll see these salty snacks at reasonable prices any time soon, so in the meantime, why not make your own potato chips? Just don't charge your neighbors $9 a bag, okay?