Broadlands Pricing Brigade!

Ok neighbors- time to put up or shut up! let's determine once and for all who's gouging us and who's not...

YOUR MISSION- should you choose to accept it- is to pick 1-3 items from the list and compare the price in NO LESS than 4 of the big supermarkets in the area. I will remove items from the main list in THIS post since I am a forum junkie who is logged in all darn day...

i'll compile the info you post here on your item into a results post in 1 week! WHO'S IN???

If anyone says they'll do it my next post will be a templste to cut and paste so we get our answers in the same format....

ihave WAY too much time on my hands for someone with no time on their hands... jeezzz....

 

Can you give us 2 weeks, I'm going out of town wednesday

 

6 pack of Diet Vernor's in 12 ounce cans:
Shoppers Food Warehouse: $2.39
Giant $3.29
Harris Teeter $4.99

Guess where I go?

 

I'll play. This will be very interesting indeed.

 

2 weeks it is! okay folks- submit your findings as follows, and POST which items you are reasearching so we all know who's accountable for what items. this is serious biz... lol PLEASE add to the list- I won't get everything I'm SURE.

STORE/LOCATION BRAND/ITEM PRICE
HARRIS TEETER-
Broadlands South - #284
43300 Southern Walk Plaza

HARRIS TEETER-
Lansdowne - #100
19350 Winmeade Dr

HARRIS TEETER-
Brambleton Shopping Center - #230
42415 Ryan Rd

SAFEWAY- BROADLANDS

SAFEWAY- RESTON

SAFEWAY- STERLING

GIANT

WEGMANS

SHOPPERS

OTHER



-----------------
SHOPPING LIST (let's not get crazy on brand specifics- pick common brands above generic, below foo-foo organic! I'll choose a few actual brands for those really broad categories- but feel free to change it)

STAPLES:
MILK- GALLON
EGGS- DZ
CHEESE SLICES
CHEESE SHREDDED
COFFEE- GROUND (pick brand easily found in all stores- Folgers, etc.)
SKIPPY PEANUT BUTTER
ORANGE JUICE
BREAD- BUYER'S CHOICE
COCA COLA/PEPSI- 2 LITER
COCA COLA/PEPSI - CASE
DOMESTIC BOTTLED BEER- DRINKERS CHOICE!


KID'S STUFF:
OREO COOKIES
KID'S SNACKS (SMALL BAGS all packaged together for lunches- buyers choice!)
PLANTERS PEANUTS
CAPRI SUN JUICE POUCHES
GATORADE 6 PACK
LUNCHABLES- REGULAR SIZE

BABY STUFF:
POWDERED FORMULA- BUYER'S CHOICE
GERBER JAR FOOD


OTHER:
MATCH LIGHT CHARCOAL
LAUNDRY DETERGENT- SPECIFY LIQUID or POWDER/ SIZE
AA DURACELL BATTERIES
PEDIGREE, DOG CHOW, IAMS DOG FOOD

Soy Milk (Silk, West Soy and Soy Slender)
Kashi Go Lean (cereal, snack bars and crackers)
Coca Cola products
Boca Products (frozen veggie foods)
Fiji Bottled water
Baby Food - Formula & stage 2
Diapers

jump in neighbors- I'm missing A LOT.

 

great start Cliff!! that's an amazing difference in price... :O

 

I'm in, too. We'll keep tabs of our shopping excursions and report back.

One suggestion. I think we starting talking about grocery prices in this forum because someone thought that prices at the same chain were different based on location, so -- I hate to ask -- should we note the location of the Safeway, Teeter, etc.?

 

I'll take orange juice and beer.

Please also make sure everyone posts if they're posting a regular price or the sale price for an item. (Like Safeway: $3.89 I think per gallon of milk, or 2/$5... BIG difference.)

 

great suggestions all! i have edited my listing post.

 

Has anyone ever heard of The Grocery Game? http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

They offer a list for Giant, Harris Teeter, and Bloom in our zipcode. They have people who compose lists telling you where the sale prices are best each week and for a monthly fee, you can access these lists.

Anyway, this topic reminded me of it.

 

We need statistical analysis and standard deviation determinations, too! Just to be sure that we don't make any unfair determinations we need an acceptable sampling.:naanaa:

Seriously though (not really) , if the average Broadlands resident (self included) worked one hour more instead of spending that hour investigating 12 groceries stores on 20 staple grocery items, he or she could buy a year's worth of bread at double the national average!

You should find out if your boss is gouging you for a dollar an hour. Over the course of a year, that costs you $2,080! A much more worthwhile project, no matter your income level.

There is more to choosing a grocery store than price. Such as:
Did they have enough lanes open?
Is their staff helpful?
Is the food fresh in their meat, produce, deli seafood?
Do they offer the items that I need?
Do they offer new items that I might be interested in?
Is the store convenient?
Do they hire illegal aliens?
Are they environmentally sound?
Do they treat there employees and vendors in an ethical fashion?

And most importantly...
Is it clean and do I trust them to put my family's health before pricing?
(What I mean by that, is do they dispose of all groceries that are questionable...dented cans, expired Tylenol, and the like)

 

Oh, Good Lord, Mike... I don't shop at Bloom or Shoppers (and only the new Giant, recently) for the reasons you state. This is just an interesting experiment. I don't suspect at the end of the day we'll all decide to shop at X store because it is consistently cheaper. Partly because I don't think such a thing exists. And even if it does, there are plenty of people like you and me that are willing to pay a bit more for quality.

So... what items are you signing up for?

 

None, I think that the study is inane. I will be continuing to pay another 50 cents on my milk at Wegmans, but saving 30 cents on my eggs, while I spend $5 for a loaf of bakery fresh bread, and $16.99/lb for their fresh cookies, $5 a morning for my caffeine fix, and .... well.... GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!atriot: I ain't spending one more minute worrying about the price of bread. Keep your eye on the ball baby...its a big, big world with a lot going on ! I got bigger fish to fry!

 

I use the grocery game ... it has helped me boost my coupon savings. They also put out a list for CVS and I wind up getting alot of things free there.

 

geez- disappear from this place for an hour or 2 and look what happens... lol

i would LOVE if someone had a cool program to do a matrix and make this official if someone has the time and talent.

but if you are like me, you pass at least 4 store on any given route to and from home- so a quick stop to evaluate prices might be interesting! if i were still a stay at home mom with a 3-5 year old it would make for an interesting day trip to break up the norm.

if you don't want to play please don't spoil the fun for the rest of us- (no one is being addressed her, btw) i think we may ALL learn a little something on or pricing scavenger hunt...

 

I'm in... I'll start working on an excel spreadsheet and email it to you later this week.

Below are the items we purchase on a weekly basis.
Soy Milk (Silk, West Soy and Soy Slender)
Kashi Go Lean (cereal, snack bars and crackers)
Coca Cola products
Boca Products (frozen veggie foods)
Fiji Bottled water
Baby Food - Formula & stage 2
Diapers

 

And little white balls to hit!

Signed,

She who is insanely jealous and would love to be out there today golfing.

 

thanks Erika! Meanwhile i've added your suggestions to the list. Neighbors, just add the info as you find it in each store, but please don't change anyone else's price entry. we know prices change, things go on special, but let's keep it simple.