Milk, eggs, bread or beef: Which one do you think swings a grocery total the most? A Utah TV station tracked all four last winter, and the answer may not be the one you’d guess. Here’s how the receipts stacked up for Utah shoppers. The Four-Item Check KUTV, a Utah TV station, runs a price-check…
Some Floridians will tell you Publix has always cost more than other grocery stores. In 1993 and 1994, a Lakeland newspaper kept its own price charts on Polk County stores, and the results don’t always match that reputation. Here’s what those old charts showed. The Polk Marketbasket The Ledger is a Lakeland newspaper. Publix has…
You’re standing at a Harris Teeter register, coupon in hand, and the total doesn’t look right. Do you know what the store has to honor, and what it doesn’t? These are the policies Harris Teeter employees wish South Carolinians knew. 1. Free Item for Overcharges If a Harris Teeter item scans higher than its shelf…
Every dollar counts at the register these days, and a few store policies can change what you end up paying. Some of the details are easy to miss, even for Georgians who shop at Kroger every week. Here’s what is worth knowing before your next Kroger run. 1. Manager Discretion on Rain Checks Kroger’s coupon…
Money is tight enough without leaving a grocery store feeling let down. A national shopper survey this year put a Pittsburgh-based chain at the bottom, while a few others did far better. Here’s how the ranking played out, and what it may mean for Pennsylvanians who shop at Giant Eagle. How ACSI Scores Grocers The…
You can probably walk your Publix with your eyes closed. Even so, a regular can miss a few things hiding in plain sight, and some of them may save you time or money. These are the Publix tricks Floridians may be strolling right past. 1. BOGO Rain Checks Publix issues a rain check when an…
Texans have strong feelings about where they shop. H-E-B and Walmart both stock the basics, but the two companies work in very different ways. Here’s our unbiased analysis of how they compare. 1. Private Company, Public Company H-E-B is privately held, and the Butt family is still its primary owner. Walmart, on the other hand,…
Same cart, different door, different total. A price study of Chicago-area stores shows how much the store you pick can change what you pay. Here’s how Jewel-Osco compares with Walmart, and how other stores line up. How Checkbook Ran the Comparison These price numbers come from Consumers’ Checkbook. Its team used a 150-item list to…
Big packs. Big cart. Big savings, right? A Portland price tracker suggests that may not always be true for Oregonians. Here’s what it found, and how to test your own cart. Portland’s Price Tracker Stumptown Savings is a Portland grocery newsletter. It checks Costco and other stores every month. Founder Bryan Vance told Willamette Week…
Many Iowans have a favorite grocery store—Fareway or Hy-Vee—and they stick with it. The two chains can look alike from the road. Step inside, and the differences start to show. Here’s where they split on your next grocery run. 1. Store Hours Fareway locks up early. Its Des Moines-area stores post Monday through Saturday hours…
