Walmart vs. Target: New Yorker finds out where to buy groceries

Every New Yorker wants to save money. One option is to shop at discounted stores like Walmart or Target. Author of the publication Insider visited both of them and found out how much they really help save money and whether everything you need can be found there.

Each week, the author of the article spends about $ 100 on groceries that she buys from Whole Foods or Stop & Shop. He spends more on food than the rest of New Yorkers because he buys organic food.

But he wondered how much money he would saved and what the shopping experience at discount supermarkets like Walmart and Target would be like.

Within a couple of weeks, he decided to shop at Walmart and Target, and here's what came of it.

Walmart

The first stop was Walmart, which he found far outside New York. There are no supermarkets of this chain in the Big Apple.

The author lives in Brooklyn and had to take the $ 20 train ride to his mother's house in Hudson Zelli to visit Walmart. He immediately noted that the savings at Walmart would be controversial for him due to the fact that he would have to shell out $ 20 for a train ticket on each trip.

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He found the grocery section at the back of the store. At first glance, he was pleased with the very wide aisles - there was no feeling that he was shopping on the heads of other buyers. But the author was disappointed to learn that the entire grocery section in this particular store consists of only eight racks.

It quickly became clear that the store did not have everything a man needed for a week. Walmart didn't have many of the organic brands that people usually buy from Whole Foods or Stop & Shop. In addition, the author was unable to find a section of vegetables or meat in the store, despite their advertisements on the store's website.

In the end, he had to supplement this grocery trip with another trip to the local grocery store. He returned to his Brooklyn store for fruits, vegetables and chicken breasts.

At the same time, he really liked the fact that all discounts at Walmart were clearly highlighted and visible from afar. He was able to find the best value for money using these large signage, which made the buying process much easier.

Target

A few weeks later, the author visited Target in Hudson Valley, although the chain has a supermarket next to his Brooklyn apartment. This already gives him an edge over Walmart - getting to the store is quick and free.

Like Walmart, Target had a grocery section at the back of the store. But unlike Walmart, which he visited, Target's grocery department was huge - 14 long racks.

In this supermarket, he easily managed to find poultry, meat, fresh vegetables and fruits, cheeses and pastries. Target also had a wall of freezers and refrigerators with a wide variety of foods.

Walking through this store, the author realized how much more and more varied the choices at Target compared to Walmart. For example, there were almost all types of milk, including oat and almond milk.

Where is more profitable

“After looking through the receipts, I realized that I had saved in both stores. I usually pay $ 4 to $ 5 for a box of eight bags of oatmeal at the nearest Stop & Shop. At Walmart, I paid $ 5,12 for a pack of 20 bags. This means that I was able to buy twice as much oatmeal for the same price. At Target, a pack of eight bags of oatmeal cost only $ 3, so I saved it anyway, ”said the author.

His favorite Oreos were also cheaper at both stores, but the savings at Walmart were slightly higher. A box of Oreos for a party costs $ 7 at Stop & Shop, but at Target it's only $ 6. V Walmart the same package will cost $ 4,82.

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Starbucks coffee beans were also cheaper at Walmart. A package of Starbucks coffee at Stop & Shop costs between $ 9 and $ 12, depending on the size. At Target, however, it sells for between $ 7 and $ 10. Walmart sells for $ 4-10.

The author buys a mixture of different nuts every week, at Walmart he was able to save a lot on it. At Stop & Shop, it costs between $ 6 and $ 8, while at Walmart it costs only $ 4,62, and at Target it costs $ 8.

Target vs. Walmart

“At Walmart, I saved about 50% of my regular grocery budget. Although the store has great prices, it doesn't have everything I need. Some of the shelves were empty and the grocery section was rather small. Also, there is no Walmart near my house, so this is not a viable option. Some of the money I saved on groceries would instead be spent on a trip to the store. Target, meanwhile, was a little more expensive, but the prices were still less than what I usually pay, which saved me $ 20 a week. The store had a huge selection, and I found everything I needed, ”- such conclusions were made by the author from his experiment, admitting that he is ready to go to Target again, but does not intend to go to Walmart anymore.