Here’s what to know<\/p>\n
Walmart, Wegmans, Tops, Giant Eagle, and Aldi made up the Erie-area supermarket lineup for The Keystone’s Nov. 4 price comparison.<\/p>\n
“This nonscientific survey will be a monthly feature,” the outlet added.<\/p>\n
The survey covered ground beef, milk, wheat bread, chicken breast, frozen green beans, bananas, lemons, spaghetti, sugar, and eggs. It selected store-brand products when available and specified package sizes and product varieties for each retailer.<\/p>\n
Walmart had the lowest reported total, followed by Wegmans at $27.63, Aldi at $28.57, and Tops at $31.79.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Giant Eagle’s basket was the most expensive at $36.20.<\/p>\n
A dozen eggs cost $1.67 at Walmart and $1.99 at Giant Eagle, while two pounds of lemons cost $3.92 and $5.99, respectively.<\/p>\n
Four pounds of sugar ranged from $2.97 at Walmart to $4.39 at Tops.<\/p>\n
More background<\/p>\n
According to USDA figures cited by The Keystone, grocery costs in September 2026 were up 2.5% from September 2025 and 0.1% from August 2026.<\/p>\n
The broader Consumer Price Index, which tracks inflation across goods and services, rose 0.6% from August to September 2026. It rose 3.7% versus September 2025.<\/p>\n
Locally, all five stores recorded higher basket totals than in the October survey. Aldi had the largest dollar increase at $3.31, while Giant Eagle’s total rose just 10 cents.<\/p>\n
Tops’ basket increased 85 cents, Walmart’s rose 76 cents, and Wegmans’ climbed 26 cents.<\/p>\n
At Tops, four pounds of sugar rose 90 cents, but two pounds of lemons fell 50 cents, and a dozen extra-large eggs dropped 20 cents.<\/p>\n
What can be done?<\/p>\n
At Wegmans, a 16-ounce package of spaghetti cost 99 cents, compared with $1.49 at Giant Eagle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aldi offered a larger, 32-ounce package for $2.09.<\/p>\n
Aldi’s chicken breast was on sale for $1.99 per pound in a 4.2-pound family pack. Walmart’s sale price was $2.23 per pound, while Wegmans listed its family pack at $2.29 per pound.<\/p>\n
The listed discounts covered chicken and sugar at Aldi and wheat bread and chicken breast at Giant Eagle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whether a shopper can claim a sale price may hinge on membership: The Keystone noted that retailers with loyalty programs typically limit discounts to cardholders.<\/p>\n
One staple also has a state-set price floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Pennsylvania Milk Board established a $4.92 minimum price in Erie for a gallon of 2% milk \u2014 the exact price listed at Tops, Walmart, and Wegmans.<\/p>\n
Where can I learn more?<\/p>\n
The price differences in Erie show up in grocery comparisons elsewhere, too. These stories compare grocery costs across stores in Quebec, and contrast Aldi and Costco purchases with Walmart prices.<\/p>\n
\u2022 In Quebec, Metro charged $34 more than Maxi<\/a> for the same 11 groceries.<\/p>\n \u2022 A shopper’s $91 Aldi grocery haul<\/a> cost $10 more when priced in Walmart’s app.<\/p>\n \u2022 A Costco shopper spent $129, saying the same haul at Walmart<\/a> would cost $172.40.<\/p>\n Get TCD’s free newsletters<\/a> for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"Cool](\"https:\/\/www.thecooldown.com\/wp-content\/themes\/tcd\/assets\/images\/divider-icon-earth.svg\"){kind=icon}
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