Big box stores slash prices, how stores compare with local grocery stores

HONOLULU (KHON2) – Residents said they’re cutting back on their food bills because costs have risen substantially. This comes as some of the big box stores are lowering prices to help shoppers’ pockets.

Prices at the supermarket may have some doing a double take.

“The prices have gone up on all items right now,” said Miles, an Oahu resident who said he’s been a Times shopper for years. He said it seems prices are 50 percent higher than pre-Covid years.

“Everything is up,” said Oahu resident Maraianne Yoshida who likes to shop at Foodland Farms in Aina Haina.

“When you’re on a fixed income, you start to say ‘Do I really need it? And you pass it up,” she said.

With more people trying to save money these days, some big box stores have announced price cuts on everyday items like milk, bread, snacks, pet food and more.

“We’re seeing people looking more at their list and if it’s not on their list they’re not purchasing it,” explained Tina Yamaki, Retail Merchants of Hawaii president. “They’re looking at what’s on sale and they’re not stopping at one store, they’ll look for sales at the other stores as well.”

KHON2 went to four different stores across Oahu and looked at the same items and the price.

The same Challenger butter was $2.50 cents cheaper at Walmart compared to Foodland Farms.

Shoppers will save about $2 on Oroweat bread if they get it at Walmart compared to Times and Target had the cheapest half-gallon of Horizon Organic Milk at $5.89.

Several shoppers in the Target and Walmart parking lots said they typically don’t buy groceries at the big box stores, but they said that’s changed because it’s much cheaper lately.

Local suppliers say big box stores can easily slash their prices compared to the local grocery stores.

But, some say prices could continue rising.

“A lot of retailers are trying to figure out, come January, how are they going to pay that $2 minimum wage increase? Because you’re going to see prices go up because someone has to pay for that,” Yamaki explained.

For now, Hawaii residents said they’re being mindful of sales.

“You kind of ration when you want to do the steaks, you can’t do them twice in a week maybe once a week, the more expensive items you look and wait for sales,” explained Miles.

“Sometimes I figure if I die tomorrow I want it today so I might put it in the cart no matter what,” said Yoshida while laughing.

Experts advise people to look online first to see if a specific item is on sale before driving to the store.