Shoppers Say These Grocery Brands Are Way Too Pricey
There are plenty of affordable grocery store brands, like Trader Joe's, Aldi, and Lidl, that we all know and love. But what about the other options? Unfortunately, those are often quite overpriced, and below, you'll find some that are considered the worst offenders.
Whole Foods
We can't deny that Whole Foods offers some of the best-quality groceries on the market, but their prices for staple goods are unrealistically high for most people. They're typically located in more affluent neighborhoods, which influences pricing and excludes people who don't want specialty goods.
The Fresh Market
As its name suggests, The Fresh Market specializes in fresh produce. But while it advertises itself as a convenient brand to buy, its prices don't quite match up. Basic fresh fruit and veg can cost up to $5 per portion, which you could get for less than $1 in a cheaper store.
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter may appear to be a typical grocery store brand, but don't let that fool you! It has always priced goods higher than other stores, and inflation has only caused those prices to rise further. It’s currently the second-most expensive grocery store in the US.
Giant Eagle Supermarket
Giant Eagle Supermarket is a good middle-ground for those who want just the essentials, but many of them are now very overpriced. Giant Eagle is currently trying to introduce competitive pricing, but until then, you could get similar goods at a much cheaper store.
Wegmans
Who doesn't love Wegmans? It offers the same selection of groceries and prepared foods as Trader Joe's, but with a more premium quality. Sadly, this means you'll pay more than you would at TJ's. And it's difficult to save shopper points for discounts, too.
Acme Markets
Acme Markets is one grocery store brand that we just can't make up our minds about. While they have everything you could need, their prices are unnecessarily high. They're currently 35% more than Walmart, but many don't find Acme's products to be of a much higher quality.
Publix
Though its name implies that it's a brand for the general public, Publix doesn't quite offer the prices you'd expect. Things that would cost around $5 at Walmart easily cost $10 at Publix. And while it's true that you can taste the difference, are the prices worth it?
Erewhon Market
It's probably not a surprise to see Erewhon Market here, but many of its products are more overpriced than you may think. Things like fresh fruit, meat, and prepared meals are very expensive, and many people have accused the brand of price gouging basic goods.
Stew Leonard’s
Stew Leonard's has been described as the "Disneyland of grocery stores" because of its fun shopping experience. But as much as we love it, we can't excuse how overpriced many of its groceries are. A wheel of cheese, for example, costs around $15!
Gelson’s
Gelson's falls into the "ultra-premium" category of grocery store brands, which, naturally, brings ultra-premium prices. Individual pieces of fruit could cost $3 or $4 at Gelson's, and a dozen eggs could cost up to $10! These are absolutely not everyday prices.
Eataly
This one is not a traditional grocery store brand, but Eataly does offer an authentic gourmet marketplace. That means gourmet prices. If you’re planning to visit an Eataly, be prepared to spend a lot of money on some of the most delicious produce you'll ever eat.
Sam’s Club
Sam's Club is intended to be an affordable grocery store brand, but that's sadly not the case. The store's own range of Member's Mark products are often pricier than non-branded products, and many don't find the quality to be worth that amount of money.
Natural Grocers
With Natural Grocers, you get what you'd expect: delicious natural produce. However, you might not expect to pay so much for it. Though Natural Grocers sells fancier produce at lower prices than some other brands, its staple goods often cost more than its competitors.
Costco
You're probably shocked to see Costco on this list, but we can't deny that, despite its great deals, many items at this store brand are now overpriced. Compared to Aldi, Costco frequently comes out as the more expensive option. Bulk shops at Costco easily cost over $50.
Dean & DeLuca
We don't know who Dean and DeLuca are, but they sure do charge a lot for their groceries! This brand prides itself on selling upscale food, but some of its prices are ridiculous. The pricing is influenced by the fact that many of its products aren't common grocery items.
PCC Community Markets
We're sad to put PCC Community Markets on this list because they're a wide-reaching grocery store brand with plenty of great products. However, this so-called community market is rather overpriced, with shoppers spending $500 or more on groceries every month.
Amazon Fresh
This one might technically be cheating, but Amazon Fresh has become a well-known grocery store brand. It's a convenient option, but the prices are usually higher than you'd find in a traditional store, and there are not as many options, which only leads to further overpricing.
Fresh Thyme Market
Fresh Thyme Market is a regional grocery store based in Illinois, and in just over a decade, they've made a good name for themselves. Unfortunately, we find many of its products to be priced too highly, particularly the meat and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Kroger
Kroger is one of those grocery store brands that is sometimes affordable and sometimes overpriced. Recently, Kroger was accused of overcharging customers by tagging products with discounted prices and then charging them full price at checkout, so be careful when attempting to shop bargains.
Central Market
Central Market is owned by H-E-B, so it's very popular with local Texan shoppers. But specialty groceries demand specialty prices, especially as most of Central Market's items are hard to find elsewhere. Posh fruits, such as mangoes, can easily cost $15 each, and some of their wines can come close to $1,000!
Nino Salvaggio
Nino Salvaggio is considered to be one of the most upscale grocery store brands, so, of course, its prices are high. But many customers find that the products lack the quality you’d expect from such a premium place, and it’s not worth it for staple items.
Walmart
This is another shocking addition to the list, but Walmart has become more and more overpriced in recent years. It’s mostly down to increased tariffs, which force the price of goods up, and many shoppers are now looking elsewhere for affordable groceries.
Earth Fare
You may not have heard of Earth Fare since it isn’t a classic grocery store brand, but it’s a great place to shop for organic produce. Unfortunately, the groceries are very specialized and hyper-focused on wellness, so you’ll spend a pretty penny on them.
Strack & Van Til
Strack & Van Til’s recent higher prices are likely due to the store brand being bought by the Hy-Vee chain, but some people have found Stracks to be overpriced for a while. Shoppers have claimed that the goods are “mediocre” and not worth splashing out on.
Kowalski’s
There’s a lot of love for Kowalski’s! And we do understand it. However, many shoppers simply can’t afford to pay such high prices for the basics, like meat, and you’ll likely spend over $100 doing a bulk shop. For value for money, we recommend looking elsewhere.
Bristol Farms
Bristol Farms has been around since the early ‘80s, so it’s clearly not going anywhere. However, many shoppers feel iced out by its high prices, with even basic goods carrying premium price tags. This brand is known for its fancy meat and seafood, so we suppose the expense is no big surprise.
Lunds & Byerlys
Lunds & Byerlys accounts for over 7% of the Twin Cities market share, so it’s no small player. Its prices are similarly big, although they do regularly launch deals and discounts in an attempt to offset that, so you could get lucky shopping there sometimes.
Super 1 Foods
Super 1 Foods is a regional chain across Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, so it may overprice some items to increase profits. Most of the prices are reasonable enough, but you’ll quickly notice the difference compared to Aldi or Lidl when you fill up a cart!
Market of Choice
What’s your store brand of choice? If it’s Market of Choice, be prepared to balk at the prices. Market of Choice champions local produce and supports farmers, so it makes sense that costs are high, but many people can’t afford to pay them regularly, even for such a good cause.
Mariano’s
Mariano’s has been described as a “superstar” grocery store brand, so, naturally, it’s an expensive choice. In many ways, Mariano’s is comparable to Whole Foods, particularly in great quality, but you wouldn’t shop there if you were looking to pay value prices.
Healthy Living
The name of this brand is short and to the point. Its produce is all super-healthy and delicious, but you have to pay more for that kind of quality. It’s not the type of place that offers good value on a bulk shop, so just stop in for some fresh fruit.
Zerbo’s
Zerbo’s describes itself as a “specialty market”, so we didn’t expect it to be cheap. But it’s definitely up there with Whole Foods and Erewhon Market, with plenty of different (but pricey!) options, including sections for organic produce, gluten-free, and vegan.
Westborn Market
Westborn Market is known for its gourmet selections and specialty products, but even those are priced higher than we would have expected. Some large fruits can cost over $10 each! They might be incredibly delicious, but we can’t justify that expense, and neither can most people.
Plum Market
If you’re a specialty shopper who loves premium produce, go to Plum Market. But if you want to avoid ridiculous pricing, we suggest shopping elsewhere. Many shoppers are tempted to splurge at Plum due to the quality, but it often leaves them very out of pocket.
Sprouts Farmers Market
Last but not least on our list is Sprouts Farmers Market. We can admire its great groceries, but many people balk at the prices. Some shoppers have accused the brand of marking up goods, even basic, non-branded products, and many don’t feel they’re worth so much money.
