Walmart vs. Albertsons vs. Target: Which Has the Cheapest Groceries?
No matter where you shop, you’re probably paying more for groceries than you’re used to thanks to inflation. But some retailers offer better prices on groceries than others.
TradingPedia analyzed the price of groceries at Walmart, Albertsons and Target, and found that in some categories, price differences could be as much as 41%. Here’s a look at which chain has the cheapest groceries.
Overall Winner: Walmart
To do its cost comparison, TradingPedia selected 37 common grocery items from major brands across the following categories: bakery; meat and seafood; fruits and vegetables; beverages; condiments/sauces; dairy and eggs; canned foods; frozen foods; and chips, snacks, nuts and popcorn.
The total cost of all 37 items was the cheapest at Walmart, with a total of $187.22. The full cart cost about 13% more at Albertsons, with a total cost of $210.90. And Target fell in the middle, with a total cost of $193.21.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Fruits and Vegetables?
In the fruit and vegetable category, TransPedia compared the costs of 1 pound of strawberries, one banana, one Roma tomato, one orange, one onion and one bunch of broccoli. In this category, Walmart won again, with groceries that were significantly cheaper than the other retailers.
The total cost for the fruits and vegetables was $6.61 at Walmart, $7.94 at Target and $9.34 at Albertsons — 41% more than the cost at Walmart.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Snacks?
A bag of Lay’s potato chips, a container of Planter’s pistachios, a box of Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn and a package of Oreos will set you back $37.46 at Albertsons — over $10 more than at Walmart, which is the winner in this category as well. That snack stash will cost you $27.06 at Walmart and $28.06 at Target.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Beverages?
Walmart is the winner in the beverage category as well. A six-pack of Evian, a 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola and a 64-ounce bottle of Mott’s Apple Juice costs $17.90 at the big-box chain. For those same items, you’d pay $19.07 at Target or $22.27 at Albertsons — 24% more than you’d pay at Walmart.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Dairy and Eggs?
In this category, Walmart and Target are neck and neck. The cost for butter, milk, eggs and Babybel cheese totaled $21.26 at Walmart and $21.36 at Target. Albertsons is 17% more expensive than Walmart in this category, with the total cost of those items coming to $24.86.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Canned Food?
The three retailers offered comparable prices for basic canned food. A can of Bush’s Pinto Beans, Hunt’s Tomato Sauce and Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup costs $4.20 at Walmart, $4.33 at Target and $4.73 at Albertsons.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Meat and Seafood?
Although meat and seafood can get pretty pricey at all of the retailers, Walmart still offered the best prices in this category. For a package of bacon, a package of ground beef, 1 pound of shrimp and 1 pound of salmon, you would pay $30.31 at Walmart. Albertsons beat out Target in this category, with a total cost of $31.96 at Albertsons versus $33.68 at Target.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Baked Goods?
There wasn’t a huge price difference among the chains in this category, with the difference in costs at the cheapest and most expensive chains falling at just 10%. But once again, Walmart offers the best bang for your buck. The total cost of a package of bagels, lemon cookies, hamburger buns and Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls was $16.47 at Walmart, $17.76 at Albertsons and $18.16 at Target.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Condiments?
Condiments is the only category where Walmart was not the cheapest — though costs were only 10% more than at the cheapest retailer for this category. TradingPedia compared the costs of name-brand condiments and sauces, including ketchup, mustard, mayo, honey and Tabasco sauce, and found that Target offered the best prices, with a total cost of $33.55. Albertsons was the next-cheapest in the category with a total cost of $35.06. The total cost at Walmart was $36.93.
Which Chain Has the Cheapest Frozen Food?
Prices were pretty comparable for frozen food, though Walmart offered slightly better pricing in this category. The total cost for a Red Baron frozen pizza, Stouffer’s frozen lasagna, Tyson chicken nuggets and Breyers ice cream is $26.47 at Walmart, $27.06 at Target and $27.46 at Albertsons.
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