By Felicia Hodges
Whether due to increased demand for certain items, climate anomalies across the globe, or supply chain issues left over from Covid, there’s no question that it costs more to feed a family now than it did a year ago.
According to a survey conducted in March by Change Research, being able to afford groceries has become harder over that past 12 months for 79% of New Yorkers – an increase of 6% from 2023.
Since food prices don’t seem to be dropping and eating isn’t really optional, how can shoppers spend less in the grocery store these days?
The answer may depend on and how you shop.
Although many have a go-to favorite grocery store, Diane Cosh from the Orange County Department of Consumer Affairs and Weights & Measures said that a shift has occurred over the last few years.
“Consumers who were loyal to a specific store have moved on to become ‘Cherry Pickers,’” she said. “These people will shop at all the stores looking for sales, coupons, and the cheapest prices at all of them instead of being loyal to only one store.”
Cosh said checking an item’s unit or per pound price can make comparison shopping easier – and one of the best tools to help can be the store flyer.
“Most stores have also begun posting these flyers online on the store website, their app, or a kiosk in the store. If consumers make a plan before heading to the store, they can save time, gas, and money,” she added.
But a new grocery store can sometimes be daunting because it isn’t as familiar, and items might be a little harder to find.
Malcolm Griffin, a Newburgh dance instructor who began working throughout Orange County as a shopper for grocery pick-up and delivery service Instacart during the pandemic said he sometimes found himself in stores he didn’t know very well. He also said It helps to have a plan.
“If you’re going to an unfamiliar store, know how it’s laid out. I always start with produce. If I can navigate produce in a new store, I find I can pretty much learn my way around easily and get what I need,” he said.
Often, if a customer requested a particular brand of an item but the store didn’t have it, he has had to get their approval before grabbing a comparable substitute, which sometimes was a store-brand product.
“Basically, eggs are eggs are eggs. The name brand isn’t always higher quality over the store brand,” he said. “You’re not getting a knock off just because it’s a brand you may not have heard of. There’s really no difference in quality.”
Cosh said that both store- and name brands offer good value, adding that consumers should try both and stick with the one they like best.
“Judge them by price, taste, and overall value,” she added.
With Griffin’s guidance, 14 staple food items were compared pricewise between area Aldi, Adams Fairacre Farms, Stop & Shop, Price Chopper, Hannaford, and ShopRite stores. As most of the customers he shopped for tended to request specific products – such as whole milk (instead of almond, goat, or fat-free varieties) and bottled spring water (instead of purified), the items may not be what you usually toss into your cart but they will give an idea of what a similar item may cost.
While some items are noticeably higher than others at certain stores, shoppers may be able to save even more by using store rewards programs. Designed to incentivize repeat purchases and entice customers to choose a store over its competitor, the rewards are matched to customers’ preferences and shopping habits. Usually a phone number, driver’s license or email address is needed to sign up at any supermarket that offers it.
Also, all stores have sales and buy-one-get-one-free deals, which may make it more cost-effective to buy, say, three packs of bottled water if storage of the extra packs isn’t an issue or there is someone with whom to split the cost.