It's time for another price comparison! I started this tradition
last January, with another one coming out
last summer. Now, the same list brings us a new cheapest supermarket. Click below to check out the full list, including comparisons to the past surveys, averages, and lots more.
UPDATE 2/7/26:
Market Basket, Gristedes, Morton Williams, Sprouts, and King Kullen added!
Absolutely fascinating! I can't imagine the amount of work it takes to pull off a post like this.
ReplyDeleteI am totally on board with two of your results. First off, LIDL is in fact the champ in my experience. While inflation has been driving prices up at most foos stores, LIDL has been actively lowering their already low low prices. I shop at LIDL nearly every single day, as it's right next door to my gym, and I do make a point to observe their pricing strategies. Sometimes I just don't get it. They have products that are priced lower than every other store and then they LOWER the prices some more! Often times they offer a lower price without putting the item "on sale". In these cases, the price generally will go back up a bit in a few weeks, leaving me to wonder "why even bother?". I don't know how well the chain is doing as a whole. Their latest CEO has just stepped down after only two years which would seem to indicate issues behind the scenes but the sales volume at my LIDL has skyrocketed in the past year or so. Even the amount of staff has nearly doubled and the store is currently being run better than it ever has... and not just by a little. Another huge bonus with LIDL is they often offer a coupon of $3 off an order of $30 or more in their app. I take advantage of of this often and it seems crazy to me that my basket of the lowest prices around will get another $3 taken off at checkout! (Oh and they also frequently give a coupon for a FREE bakery treat!)
On to ACME. I love seeing your results reflecting ACME's improved prices. I have been seeing the same. Of course ACME's regular prices can often induce sticker shock but their sales are borderline insane and often beat all other competitors. I'm just gonna to mention two recent examples I have seen of late. Chosen Avocado oil, originally priced at $19.99 (very high) was 1/2 off at $9.99 which is lower than Walmart's, Target's and Amazon's regular price. Actual Veggie Burgers (I live on them) original price of $8.99, which is in line with what other stores charge, have been on sale for $4.99 for WEEKS now. Nearly half price. I have never seen them on sale that low at any other store. While ACME is still far from perfect, the transformation it has made under the current ownership is absolutely amazing to me. A stunning turn around from the death march days of SuperValu!
The only result I'm struggling with is Stop and Shop. From my experience, their prices continue to be terrible. (Not to mention the worst produce of any major chain and chronic stocking issues) Perhaps pricing is better in Connecticut than New Jersey. Overall, I find Stop and Shop to be the least compelling food store around these parts of NJ and I wonder how they continue to survive.
It's a good question about LIDL's overall health. All the stores I regularly go to are doing just fine, but I know there are some very, very low-volume ones out there. That said, you're right that they do continue to lower prices and also that volume does seem to be increasing at the stores, at least here in the north Jersey area.
DeleteAlso very true about ACME -- that ACME, Shaw's, and Star Market all come out below average on price is a good sign of their position relative to competitors -- maybe not the lowest in the market, but definitely well within the range of the others.
As far as Stop & Shop, it wouldn't surprise me if different regions or areas had different prices. (We even know that different locations in the same region have different prices... https://www.boston.com/news/business/2025/05/15/stop-shop-defends-pricing-amid-lawmakers-scrutiny-over-urban-area-costs/) A glance at prices in the Clifton, NJ store does show higher prices than the Trumbull, CT location listed on this comparison (with a few lower).
I like when you publish this list. It's so informative!
ReplyDeleteHow come you include Labonne's which has four locations, all in Connecticut, but not Caraluzzi's which also has four locations all in Connecticut?
Also, prices vary widely from store to store. I work in various Big Y stores. I buy the same item for a snack there during my break at each store. Out of five stores I noticed that at two stores it is priced at $2.99, one store prices it at $3.29, one store prices it at $3.99, and one store doesn't carry the item.
Perhaps just not aware of one chain vs. another? Since they are all small and fairly localized to slightly different parts of the state, it seems easy enough for someone to spot or pick up on one without spotting another.
DeleteAlthough overall, it is quite amazing just how many places this person HAS found that most of us didn't even know of :)