For shoppers buying basics such as milk, eggs, and bread, a price comparison of five Erie, Pennsylvania, supermarkets showed that the choice of grocery store can make a meaningful difference in the final bill.
A basket of 10 grocery staples cost $26.26 at Walmart compared with $36.20 at Giant Eagle in Erie, Pennsylvania — a difference of $9.94, The Keystone reported.
Here's what to know
Walmart, Wegmans, Tops, Giant Eagle, and Aldi made up the Erie-area supermarket lineup for The Keystone's Nov. 4 price comparison.
"This nonscientific survey will be a monthly feature," the outlet added.
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.
Walmart had the lowest reported total, followed by Wegmans at $27.63, Aldi at $28.57, and Tops at $31.79.
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Giant Eagle's basket was the most expensive at $36.20.
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.
Four pounds of sugar ranged from $2.97 at Walmart to $4.39 at Tops.
More background
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.
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.
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.
Tops' basket increased 85 cents, Walmart's rose 76 cents, and Wegmans' climbed 26 cents.
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.
What can be done?
At Wegmans, a 16-ounce package of spaghetti cost 99 cents, compared with $1.49 at Giant Eagle.
Aldi offered a larger, 32-ounce package for $2.09.
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.
The listed discounts covered chicken and sugar at Aldi and wheat bread and chicken breast at Giant Eagle.
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.
One staple also has a state-set price floor.
The Pennsylvania Milk Board established a $4.92 minimum price in Erie for a gallon of 2% milk — the exact price listed at Tops, Walmart, and Wegmans.
Where can I learn more?
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.
• In Quebec, Metro charged $34 more than Maxi for the same 11 groceries.
• A shopper's $91 Aldi grocery haul cost $10 more when priced in Walmart's app.
• A Costco shopper spent $129, saying the same haul at Walmart would cost $172.40.
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