Kroger beats Walmart and Aldi on store brand prices, study finds
Between inflation, rising food prices, and the eternal debate over whether name brands are actually worth it, plenty of shoppers are loading their carts with store-brand products instead. But which grocery chain gives you the most bang for your buck? According to a new study, Kroger comes out on top, even beating budget favorites like Walmart and Aldi.
To settle the debate, Restaurant Furniture Plus compared grocery prices online. They filled a virtual basket with 15 everyday essentials, sticking exclusively to each retailer's private-label products. The shopping list included staples like a gallon of milk, a dozen eggs, bread, chicken breast, sugar, canned beans, spaghetti, and baking essentials.
The comparison was geared toward finding out which checkout total would hurt customers’ wallets the least if they bought the exact same type of groceries using only store brands.
And the winner is Kroger
Kroger claimed first place with a total basket price of $30.00. It also had the lowest prices on 10 of the 15 products included in the comparison, more than any other retailer. Walmart was next at $30.95, followed by Aldi with $33.15. Albertsons was the most expensive with a total basket price of $35.58.
Kroger’s biggest strength lay in pantry staples. If your shopping cart is mostly pasta, canned tomatoes, sugar, and similar kitchen basics, Kroger's private-label lineup appears to stretch your grocery dollars the furthest. It also posted the lowest price for a dozen large eggs.
Some grocery stores didn’t make the cut
Some of America's most beloved grocery stores were not included in the comparison. Costco was excluded because comparing bulk purchases to standard grocery sizes is not exactly apples-to-apples. Buying a warehouse-sized box of cereal doesn't make for an easy price comparison against a single family-size box elsewhere.
Trader Joe's also did not make the cut because it doesn't carry several of the items used in the shopping basket. Regional favorites like H-E-B and Piggly Wiggly were left out, too. So, keep in mind that this study isn't the final word on every grocery chain in America.
Source: Southern Living
