SUGAR LAND, Texas – Groceries are a necessity, but they’re also becoming one of the biggest hits to your wallet. With prices continuing to rise, we wanted to find out where you can get the best deal and what might happen to grocery prices in the future.
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We sent KPRC 2′s Re’Chelle Turner, photojournalist Roger Franco, and content creator Ricky Munoz to shop at three major retailers in Sugar Land.
She purchased the same items at Walmart, H-E-B, and Kroger.
- Eggland’s Best Eggs
- Whole Milk half-gallon
- Honey Nut Cheerios
- Four bananas
- Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread
- Mahatma Jasmine Rice 32oz
- Lays Classic Potato Chips
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Scott Toilet Paper
- Dove Shampoo and Conditioner
- Dove Bodywash
- Pure Life Water Case
- Tide Laundry Detergent
H-E-B had the best deals! The total was $60.61 At Walmart, the total was $64.67, and Kroger was the most expensive. The total was $72.19.
“Prices for groceries, prices for everything, tend to just kind of keep moving up over time,” University of Houston Economics Professor Dietrich Vollrath said.
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Turner showed the receipts to economics professor Dietrich Vollrath at the University of Houston, and they compared prices.
For example: Eggland’s Best Eggs
H-E-B $3.79
Walmart $3.42
Kroger $3.49
You might wonder why the same items cost more at one store than another. Professor Vollrath says it’s not just about the product, but the customers they serve.
“Say that Kroger is in a little more affluent neighborhood, maybe the incomes are a little higher, maybe the house values are a little higher, and that store is getting pitched towards people that are a little more financially secure,” he said.
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It’s no surprise that lower food costs were a major talking point during the presidential campaign.
President-Elect Donald Trump repeatedly promised to reduce prices at the grocery store, a message that resonated with voters feeling the impact of inflation. But can he deliver?
MORE: Food prices worried most voters, but Trump’s plans likely won’t lower their grocery bills
Turner asked Professor Vollrath if Trump’s administration could lower prices, and he said No.
“There’s very little scope, kind of directly for an executive to say, make eggs cheaper,” he explained. “It’s set by a market, it depends on the supply, number of chickens, and all that kind of stuff, but not really what the president would do. On the other hand, the things that they have proposed in this administration are almost certainly going to result in higher prices here. And that’s the tariffs.”
Vollrath says about half of the produce that you buy at the grocery store comes from overseas. He adds about a fifth of other items you see in the stores is coming from abroad.
In October, grocery prices kept climbing. The food at home index—which tracks grocery store prices—went up 4.1% compared to last year. From September to October alone, prices rose by 0.3%, with fruits, vegetables, and baked goods seeing the biggest jumps.