The grocery industry is in the midst of a big shakeup.
New discounters like Lidl are entering the market to challenge incumbents like Kroger and Walmart, as well as other established cut-rate grocers like Aldi.
And coming completely out of left field, even Amazon is getting in on the action with its plan to buy Whole Foods Market.
Though it’s still early days for the intensifying competition, here’s a look at who’s winning the battle on price right now…
Read more: The new focus for America’s largest grocery store chain
The battle for your grocery dollar heats up
The supermarket segment has seen an influx of non-traditional players. Here’s a quick rundown of what alternatives might be near you:
- Dollar stores ‘ For example, Dollar Tree has a refrigerator/freezer section in larger stores and everything is $1.
- Hard discounters ‘ Aldi and Lidl have small format stores stocked mostly with house brands, and they will save you up to 40% off your grocery bill.
- Warehouse clubs ‘ One warning: A deal is not a deal if something is too big and goes stale before its time.
- Salvage stores ‘ They sell food that’s in dented cans, past expiration date or otherwise unsellable in a traditional supermarket. Though the savings can be tremendous, this is not for the faint of heart! Find salvage stores near you.
With all the variety of new players out there, one strategy to save money on groceries is to simply change where you shop.
If going to any of a number of different stores could be an option for you, it pays to know who has the best price each week!
Here’s an early look at some price comparisons that Bloomberg pulled together in markets where Lidl opened recently:
Gallon of milk
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Lidl – $2.19
- Aldi – $2.18
- Walmart – $2.20
- Food Lion – $2.19
75-ounce bottle of Tide
Greenville, South Carolina
- Walmart – $8.94
- Lidl – $8.97
- Lidl’s private label 100-ounce laundry detergent was on sale for $5.49.
Mustard
Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Ingles – 14-ounce bottle of private label Laura Lynn on sale 10 for $10
- Lidl – 20-ounce bottle of private label on sale for 59 cents
Here’s how a full cart of groceries stacks up
From the preliminary data above, it might seem like Lidl is the clear winner.
But when you look at a full basket of 84 items, it looks like an old standby wins the race — Aldi!
Read more: Here’s a first look at Lidl’s prices
