Apples to Apples: STN Compares Grocery Prices Across Local Stores

The Sun Times News compared prices on everyday grocery staples, including produce, dairy, meat, coffee, and pantry items, at five local stores to see how costs vary across the area.

With all the talk about rising grocery prices, The Sun Times News went shopping. Here’s how we filled our cart.

Over the last two weeks, the newspaper compared prices on common grocery items at five local stores: Polly’s Country Market in Chelsea, Busch’s in Dexter, Kroger in Milan, Walmart in Saline, and Meijer in Scio Township. The goal was simple: compare everyday grocery staples using the same or closely matched products to see how prices stacked up from store to store.

The comparison focused primarily on staple household purchases rather than premium or specialty foods. High-end items and store-exclusive gourmet brands were not included because prices and product selections vary widely between stores, making direct comparisons difficult. Likewise, discount chains such as Aldi were excluded because many comparable national-brand products were not consistently available.

How the Comparison was Conducted

• Sale prices, membership discounts, coupons, and markdowns on close-dated items were excluded.
• When possible, the same brand-name products were used for comparison.
• If identical products were unavailable, items were matched as closely as possible by weight, quantity, and size.

Overall Results

Among the five stores surveyed, Walmart in Saline had the lowest total overall at $104.65. Polly’s Country Market followed at $112.41, with Kroger at $115.43, Meijer at $119.87, and Busch’s at $127.61.

While Walmart posted the lowest overall total, the individual item comparisons showed that no single store had the lowest price on everything.

A Closer Look at the Prices

Coffee turned out to be the most expensive single grocery item in the comparison. Polly’s had the lowest Starbucks Pike Place coffee price at $15.95, while Walmart’s price was $17.13. Busch’s, Kroger, and Meijer each listed the same item at $19.99.

Kroger showed strong pricing in meat and several produce categories, including Honeycrisp apples and bananas, while Walmart offered the lowest price for lemons.

For dairy staples such as milk, butter, and eggs, Walmart consistently ranked among the least expensive. Walmart also led the comparison in many pantry and snack items, including Oreo cookies and mixed nuts.

In total, Walmart carried the lowest price on 13 of the 19 items surveyed. Kroger and Polly’s each had three lowest-priced items, while Busch’s and Meijer did not have the lowest price in any category included in the comparison.

Notable Observations

Two takeaways from the survey are that staple foods still make up the foundation of most grocery carts, and small price differences across common items can add up quickly.

The comparison also highlights how difficult it can be to make true (ahem) “apples-to-apples” grocery comparisons beyond basic necessities. Premium foods, prepared items, organic specialties, and store-brand exclusives vary significantly from one retailer to another. Those differences can influence where shoppers choose to buy groceries just as much as price alone.

And while grocery prices continue to fluctuate, one thing remained consistent throughout the comparison: every shopper seems to have their own strategy, favorite store, and opinion about where the best bargains can be balanced with their food preferences.