New ratings reveal which local grocery stores offer best prices and quality

Frank O'Laughlin
·2 min read

New ratings shed light on how local grocery chains and stores stack up when it comes to the prices and quality of the items they offer to customers.

Researchers at Consumers’ Checkbook say they used a 154-item list of common items to shop area stores to compare prices. They also spoke with local consumers to evaluate stores on their quality of products and service.

Market Basket, Price Rite, and Walmart were named the price winners in the Boston area.

Price Rite separates itself from the competition by offering “steeply-discounted” national brands and prices that are 20 percent lower than the average of all other stores that were surveyed by researchers, according to the Checkbook.

Market Basket offers prices about 18 percent lower than the all-store average, while Walmart’s prices were 19 percent lower, the Checkbook found.

Hannaford and Target were said to offer the “next-best savings,” with 11 percent lower than the all-store average and eight percent lower, respectively.

While Market Basket didn’t get top marks for quality of produce or meat, it did standout as the best for “overall quality,” according to the Checkbook.

The Checkbook says Whole Foods remains among the most expensive grocery choices for shoppers, while Wegmans continues to impress customers with high-quality products and service, but it too now ranks among the most expensive options.

How do Stop & Shop and Shaw’s stack up? The Checkbook found that Stop & Shop’s prices were about an average of five percent lower. When it comes to quality, the Checkbook says Shaw’s, Star Market, and Stop & Shop all received low rating from surveyed customers.

In conclusion, customers who shop at Price Rite ($2,600), Walmart ($2,470, Market Basket ($2,340), Hannaford ($1,430), and Big Y ($260) save the most money each year, research showed.

For more on the report, click here.

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