6 Things North Carolinians Pay More for at Publix Than They Realize

Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away, so a can of green beans may already be on your grocery list.

In Axios Charlotte’s November 2025 check of Charlotte stores, a 14.5-ounce can of green beans cost $1.25 at Publix, while Aldi charged $0.50 for the same size.

Yikes.

Here’s what many North Carolinians pay more for at Publix than they realize.

1. Mustard and Ketchup

Publix’s 14-ounce yellow mustard cost $2.79 in a June 29, 2026 check of seven Charlotte stores by Axios Charlotte.

Food Lion’s 20-ounce bottle cost $0.99, and Harris Teeter’s 20-ounce bottle cost $1.99.

Per ounce, you’d pay about 20 cents for Publix’s mustard, against about 5 cents at Food Lion and about 10 cents at Harris Teeter.

That puts Publix at roughly four times Food Lion’s rate.

Publix’s 32-ounce ketchup cost $2.99, or about 9 cents an ounce.

Harris Teeter’s 24-ounce bottle ran $1.89, and Food Lion’s 20-ounce bottle ran $1.59, both near 8 cents an ounce.

Bottle sizes varied by grocer.

Read the ounces on the label before you trust a shelf price.

2. Whole Milk

Publix priced a gallon of whole milk at $3.75 in Axios Charlotte’s check of nine stores on Nov. 17 to 20, 2025.

Harris Teeter charged $3.29, Food Lion $2.89 and Aldi $2.56 for a gallon.

Publix’s price was about 30% above Food Lion’s.

That means you’d pay 86 cents more for one gallon.

The list used store-brand items where possible.

If your household buys a gallon a week, that adds up to about $45 more a year at Publix than at Food Lion.

3. Onions and Celery

Yellow onions cost $1.99 a pound at Publix in the same November 2025 check.

Harris Teeter charged $0.99, and Food Lion charged $1.19.

That makes Publix about double Harris Teeter and 67% above Food Lion.

Celery cost $2.99 at Publix, against $1.99 at Harris Teeter and $2.19 at Food Lion.

That’s $0.80 more than Food Lion, or about 37%.

At Aldi and Walmart, celery cost $0.95 and $0.97.

Publix’s $2.99 is about three times either price.

Axios’s Thanksgiving list included scratch stuffing, so if you make yours that way, you’ll buy both.

4. Ground Beef

At Publix, 80% ground chuck cost $7.33 a pound in the June check.

Aldi charged $5.79 a pound, Food Lion $5.99 and Trader Joe's $6.49.

Against Food Lion, that's $1.34 more per pound, or about 22%.

Harris Teeter charged $7.49 and Lidl $7.99, so Publix wasn't the highest here.

At those prices, you'd pay about $4 more for a three-pound pack at Publix than at Food Lion.

5. Green Beans and Butter

A 14.5-ounce can of green beans cost $1.25 at Publix in the November check.

Aldi charged $0.50, Lidl $0.69 and Walmart $0.76 for the same size can.

That makes Publix's can 2.5 times what you'd pay at Aldi.

Food Lion charged $1.19 and Harris Teeter $1.39.

A pound of butter cost $3.75 at Publix, against $3.29 at Aldi and $3.49 at Food Lion.

That's 46 cents more than Aldi, or about 14%.

6. Hamburger Buns and Cheese Slices

A 16-count pack of American cheese slices cost $5.26 at Publix in the June check.

Food Lion charged $4.69 for a 24-count pack of Kraft slices.

Per slice, that's about 33 cents at Publix and about 20 cents at Food Lion.

Lidl charged $1.75 for 16 slices, or about 11 cents each.

Eight hamburger buns cost $2.34 at Publix, against $1.19 at Aldi and Lidl.

That's $1.15 more than Aldi, or nearly double.

Together, 16 slices and eight buns would cost you $7.60 at Publix, against $2.94 for the same counts at Lidl.

Basket Totals

Publix's June 29, 2026 basket came to $28.66, the highest of the seven stores checked.

Harris Teeter totaled $25.22, Food Lion $22.52 and Aldi $21.19.

In the November 2025 check, Publix's total was $18.20, fifth-highest of nine stores.

Harris Teeter's $19.42 was higher.

Where Prices Run Lower

Publix charged $1.19 a pound for whole turkey in the November 2025 check, below Harris Teeter at $1.99 and Food Lion at $2.79.

Its $1.88 white bread loaf was lower than Harris Teeter's $3.29 and Food Lion's $2.39.

In June 2026, Publix's $2.17 iceberg lettuce was lower than Aldi's $2.55, Walmart's $2.28 and Lidl's $2.29.

Harris Teeter's lettuce was $1.29, and Food Lion's was $0.99.

Publix isn't pricier on everything.

In November, Walmart still charged $0.84 a pound for turkey, and Aldi charged $1.25 for the bread.

Instacart Pricing

Publix says the increased price on Instacart orders covers the costs of Instacart providing the overall service, including shopping for the order.

It also says Publix isn't trying to profit from the service and isn't collecting additional fees from customers to use it.

Coupons you've clipped to your Club Publix account aren't redeemable through Instacart.

Many BOGOs and Club Publix perks are redeemable, but not all Publix deals or weekly ad promotions apply.

Prescription delivery through Instacart costs $2.00 when added to a grocery order.

Without a grocery order, it costs $10.99.

That's $8.99 more to send a prescription alone.

How the Charlotte Checks Worked

Publix's June prices came from a June 29, 2026 visit to seven Charlotte stores.

Axios says those prices aren't based on store specials or loyalty program prices.

The June list was private label, except for Kraft cheese slices.

The November list came from nine Charlotte stores between Nov. 17 and 20, 2025, using store brands.