Food Prices Continue to Climb
With Wheat Prices Rising, Economy Declining, the Muleskinner INvestigates the BAre Necessities of Grocery Shopping.
Lora Powell: Muleskinner
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: News
Aldi keeps its prices low through customer cooperation. Customers deposit a quarter into their grocery cart to release it from a chained rack. This way, customers return their carts in order to get their quarter back. Also, the store requires you bag your own groceries.
Paper bags can be purchased there for five cents or handled plastic bags for 10 cents. Also, empty boxes around the store can be used to hold groceries. Keep in mind, Aldi only takes cash, debit cards and food stamps. No personal checks or credit cards are accepted.
We feel the savings are worth the extra time and effort, but if you don't feel like bringing your own bag or sacking your own food, Wal-mart, Parker's and Bi-Lo Country Mart provide that service.
Throughout all stores studied, we found an overall savings of 75 percent on store brand items, as opposed to national brand items. However, if shoppers prefer only national brands, we found that overall, Bi-Lo Country Mart provides the best value on our selected national brand items, which include Jif, Heinz, Helmans, Oscar Meyer, Hiland and Wonder.
We also selected a few non-food items to price check at these stores, which include Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste, Secret Invisible Solid deodorant, Speed Stick deodorant, Dial Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash and Tylenol 500 mg caplets.
After studying these items, the best value can still be found at Aldi. Of course, the items are not the national brand, but Aldi's comparable store brand. The total price of these items at Aldi is $8.75. Walmart sells these items for $17.36 national brand and $12.35 store brand; Bi-Lo Country Mart for $18.67; Parker's for $17.40 national brand and $13.70 store brand.
Overall, we found Walgreens to be the highest priced for the items we selected that they carried. For example, a 6 oz. tube of Colgate Total Whitening toothpaste sells at Walgreens for $5.49, while it sells at Walmart, Bi-Lo Country Mart and Parkers for an average cost of $2.83, which is a savings of 52 percent.
Paper bags can be purchased there for five cents or handled plastic bags for 10 cents. Also, empty boxes around the store can be used to hold groceries. Keep in mind, Aldi only takes cash, debit cards and food stamps. No personal checks or credit cards are accepted.
We feel the savings are worth the extra time and effort, but if you don't feel like bringing your own bag or sacking your own food, Wal-mart, Parker's and Bi-Lo Country Mart provide that service.
Throughout all stores studied, we found an overall savings of 75 percent on store brand items, as opposed to national brand items. However, if shoppers prefer only national brands, we found that overall, Bi-Lo Country Mart provides the best value on our selected national brand items, which include Jif, Heinz, Helmans, Oscar Meyer, Hiland and Wonder.
We also selected a few non-food items to price check at these stores, which include Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste, Secret Invisible Solid deodorant, Speed Stick deodorant, Dial Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash and Tylenol 500 mg caplets.
After studying these items, the best value can still be found at Aldi. Of course, the items are not the national brand, but Aldi's comparable store brand. The total price of these items at Aldi is $8.75. Walmart sells these items for $17.36 national brand and $12.35 store brand; Bi-Lo Country Mart for $18.67; Parker's for $17.40 national brand and $13.70 store brand.
Overall, we found Walgreens to be the highest priced for the items we selected that they carried. For example, a 6 oz. tube of Colgate Total Whitening toothpaste sells at Walgreens for $5.49, while it sells at Walmart, Bi-Lo Country Mart and Parkers for an average cost of $2.83, which is a savings of 52 percent.
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