Additional Coverage:
- I shopped for my family’s groceries at both Walmart and Target. Some prices were similar, but the experiences weren’t. (businessinsider.com)
Target vs. Walmart: A Central Florida Shopper Puts Big-Box Retailers to the Test
Central Florida – For many local families, the weekly grocery run is a carefully calculated mission to secure essentials without breaking the bank. With retail giants Target and Walmart often vying for our shopping dollars, one Central Florida mom recently embarked on a mission to compare the two, armed with a $100 budget and a discerning eye for deals.
Terri Peters, a self-proclaimed “Target girl at heart” who frequently turns to Walmart for groceries, aimed to settle the long-standing debate over which store truly offers the best value. Visiting both her local Target and Walmart on the same Thursday afternoon, Peters meticulously tracked prices on groceries and household staples for her family of four.
Produce and Drinks: Walmart Edges Out Target on Price
When it came to fresh produce, a household staple for Peters’ snack-loving teenagers, Walmart emerged as the clear winner. While both stores offered similar quality, Walmart consistently priced popular items like strawberries and green grapes lower. A pound of strawberries, for instance, cost $2.32 at Walmart compared to over $3 at Target, while green grapes were $1.74 per pound at Walmart versus approximately $2.40 at Target.
The trend continued in the beverage aisle. Family favorites such as Bubly sparkling water and Barq’s root beer were notably more affordable at Walmart. Eight-packs of Bubly were $3.97 at Walmart and $4.39 at Target, and a 12-pack of Barq’s root beer was $6.86 at Walmart compared to $8.39 at Target.
Pantry Staples and Snacks: A Closer Contest
For pantry items like bread, taco shells, and pasta sauce, the price differences largely evaporated. Walmart’s Great Value white sandwich bread was $1.42, just eight cents less than Target’s Market Pantry white bread at $1.50. High-end marinara sauce and taco kits also showed negligible price variations between the two retailers.
Similarly, snacks popular with teenagers, such as granola bars and kettle-style potato chips, were priced almost identically. While Walmart might have offered a penny or two less per ounce on some chip varieties, the overall cost was strikingly similar. Even daily essentials like Premier protein shakes and Noosa yogurts saw minimal price discrepancies, often down to a single cent.
Markdowns: Walmart Offers More Immediate Savings
One area where Walmart appeared to shine on this particular shopping trip was in its markdown section. Peters discovered numerous yellow-stickered deals on groceries, including a significant $3 savings on ground beef.
While Target also offers markdowns, Peters noted that these were not as prevalent during her visit, suggesting that timing can play a crucial role in snagging these types of deals. Shoppers looking to maximize savings might benefit from inquiring about specific markdown schedules at their local stores.
Household Essentials: A Preference for Target’s Store Brands
Beyond groceries, Peters also restocked household staples. Both retailers offer their own store brands as more affordable alternatives to national labels. While Walmart’s Great Value and Target’s Up & Up brands were competitive in pricing for items like fabric softener and stain remover, Peters expressed a clear preference for Target’s Up & Up paper products, citing their superior sturdiness compared to Walmart’s Great Value counterparts.
The Shopping Experience: A Tale of Two Stores
Perhaps the most significant difference Peters noted was the overall shopping atmosphere. Her Walmart visit, occurring around noon on a Thursday, was described as “incredibly crowded” and “stressful,” with numerous employees stocking aisles adding to the congestion. This experience, she noted, was typical of her Walmart trips regardless of the time of day.
In stark contrast, her Target experience on the same afternoon was “peaceful and empty.” The spacious aisles and fewer shoppers made for a much more enjoyable and less hurried visit, aligning with recent reports of declining foot traffic at Target compared to steady numbers at Walmart.
The Verdict: Price vs. Experience
Ultimately, Peters spent just over $100 at each store for comparable hauls of essentials. While Walmart offered slightly better prices on some key items, particularly produce and beverages, and had more noticeable markdowns on this occasion, the overall savings were not substantial enough to outweigh her preference for Target’s more pleasant shopping environment and preferred store-brand household goods.
For Peters, the convenience of online ordering and delivery through her Walmart+ and Target Circle 360 memberships means she doesn’t have to choose. She plans to continue utilizing both retailers to take advantage of varying sales and product availability, emphasizing that for in-person shopping, the less stressful experience at Target often justifies a slightly higher price tag.