The Market Report compared 50 items at 35 stores across the region
Aldi, Walmart and Market Basket are the preferred stores in the northeastern U.S. for price
The Market Report compared 50 items at 35 stores across the region. Researchers surveyed prices in January 2025, August-September 2025, January-February <a href="https://bitcomme.com/shopify-retail-roundup-2026/” title=”Shopify Retail Roundup (2026)”>2026 and August 2026. They analyzed a standard basket of common groceries— items like apples, flour, milk, eggs, ground beef and paper towels—at supermarkets in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The average basket price rose 0.79% in August ($353.14) compared with January ($350.85). Aldi had the cheapest basket at $246.13, followed by Walmart ($265.85), Lidl ($275.52) and Market Basket ($278.33). Price Rite, Shaw’s, GIANT, Star Market and ShopRite rounded out the top 10.
Gristedes had the most expensive basket at $592.79—more than $200 above the average. Sprouts Farmers Market came in significantly lower at $479.65 but finished above Gristedes. Morton Williams, Whole Foods Market and Kings Food Markets rounded out the bottom five.
According to the report, Aldi’s total dropped almost 11.5% since January, while Market Basket, Star Market, Price Chopper, Food Bazaar and Sprouts stayed relatively flat.
Of the four Wakefern brands surveyed, three saw notable increases since early in the year: ShopRite, The Fresh Grocer and Morton Williams. Price Rite, however, slashed prices about 45%.
The most expensive item was Purina ONE dog food (8-pound bag) at $20.82. Seafood and meat also had high prices. A 2-pound bag of peeled, deveined raw shrimp cost $20.31, while 2 pounds of beef stew meat cost $20.31. The cheapest item was a Banquet frozen chicken pot pie at $1.85.
AldiWalmartMarket BasketSprouts Farmers MarketShopRite
