WCPO spent more than a year monitoring prices at Walmart, Target, and Kroger for a set of P&G household staples in Cincinnati, finding Walmart to have the lowest listed price on nine of 12. Even still, that did not make Walmart the cheapest choice in every scenario.
Here's what to know
The WCPO review looked at everyday products including Head & Shoulders, Downy, Pampers, and Febreze. Tracking listed shelf prices from September 2025 to September 2026, WCPO found no single pattern, with some items becoming more expensive, while others got cheaper or didn't move at all.
Several of the sharper increases showed up in personal care and cleaning products. At Kroger, a 28.2-ounce bottle of Head & Shoulders 2-in-1 rose from $13.79 to $14.99, while Walmart increased it from $11.47 to $12.47 and Target held at $12.49. Kroger also raised Swiffer WetJet refills from $16.99 to $17.99, and Walmart increased Secret Clinical Strength from $8.97 to $9.47.
Size changes also affected the comparison. Tide Original Liquid Detergent kept the same listed price at all three stores, but the bottle went from 105 ounces in September 2025 to 100 ounces in September 2026.
More background
When WCPO added up 10 products with matching sizes at all three stores in both years, Target had the lowest total at $115.60, followed by Walmart at $116.45 and Kroger at $129.90.
The difference came from multiple items instead of one unusually expensive product. Kroger was about $3 higher than Walmart or Target on Bounty, roughly $2.50 higher on Head & Shoulders, and about $3 higher on Swiffer WetJet refills.
Store prices also moved in different directions on some products. Febreze Air Effects climbed from $3.49 to $3.99 at Kroger, fell from $3.97 to $3.44 at Walmart, and stayed at $3.49 at Target.
The review did not include sales, digital coupons, or other promotions that can affect what shoppers actually pay. For example, Kroger's Deal Days promotion runs through Oct. 6 with deals shoppers can clip in the Kroger app to earn 4X fuel points, which can change what shoppers pay relative to regular shelf prices.
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What can be done?
Instead of assuming one retailer will always be cheapest, shoppers may get more useful results by comparing the products they buy most often.
WCPO says it also helps to check digital coupons, compare unit prices, and watch for package-size changes, since a steady sticker price can mask a worse value.
Where can I learn more?
If you're tracking grocery and household costs, these stories cover detergent trade-offs, Kroger price cuts, Walmart's private-label rollout, discount grocery options, and lower-waste soap packaging.
• Frugal shoppers found $13 detergent cleans like the $2 kind despite flashy branding.
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• Kroger said it will cut prices on thousands of products to win shoppers back.
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• Martie built an online discount grocer around surplus food and household staples.
• At Walmart, Cleancult introduced paper-based refill cartons for hand and dish soap.
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