Will the prices really go down?

[SL6827]

Now this post is NOT to be political but more on grocery stores, retailers ect.

With the tariffs on some food, grocery items being repelled, do you think Walmart, Kroger, Publix will actually lower the prices on these items or just pocket the difference?

 

[LAS2AMS]

It’s a competitive industry. Perishable prices regularly fluctuate based on wholesale rates.

 

[cruisehopeful]

It's been my experience that prices can drop, but never to whatever they were. If something went up $2/ for taxes for example and the tax expires or is removed, the price will drop.50. So, the result is still $1.50 more than before the special tax. I live in San Diego so maybe that's just what it's like where I live.

 

[tvguy]

It’s a competitive industry. Perishable prices regularly fluctuate based on wholesale rates.

Yup. Prices HAVE gone down on some items at Walmart. And I suspect you are correct, it has to do with wholesale prices. Right now Minute Maid Orange Juice is down from $4.47 to $2.78 a carton. That's 4.7 cents an ounce. A slightly larger carton of Great Value Orange Juice is still $4.97, 7.8 cents an ounce.
Campbells Chunky Soup was $2.58 a can, it is down to $1.98.
Bubly sparkling water was $3.97 for an 8 pack, it is now $2.97.

 

[HopperFan]

My POV .... They didn't drop too much across the board after the COVID shutdown. Businesses used the prices as a way to make even more money, and to appear to be cutting prices ... while leaving still them higher than they should be.

I went to grocery yesterday and there was beef anywhere from $10.99 to $20.00 a pound, and $10.99 was high fat ground beef. No surprise we are eating mostly chicken. I live in one of the biggest chicken producing states so I think that helps with our prices.

Overall Beef Prices per lb
Pre-COVID $7.50
2023 $9.50
2024 $10.50
Early 2025 almost $11.00
Now $12.50
Beef is up 20% in just 9 months, and 67% since COVID.

NOW that is averages, overall etc because where I am that $12.50 is reasonable, we have beef $20 and above per pound.

NO ONE can make any business drop it's prices, we are at the mercy of their good will and if dropping makes sense for them. How is it selling at these prices? If selling why drop. Will they sell more if they lower or would it make sense to hold and guarantee their profits? What does their supply chain look like along with their costs? If they drop price and sell more, can they get more? If no, bad move to drop. As more domestic farms are closing and we are dealing with corporations .... do they even care? And honestly what is the quality going to be with less and less FDA oversight?

Our grocery prices have been going up steady for at least six months. Our store has severely reduced what they are offering, removing fixtures so you don't notice. Product is only 2-3 deep when it used to be 6 deep. EX: My store has eliminated probably 60% of the cookies previously sold. Cookie prices, like Chips-A-Hoy now $6 ..... sale is $4. For junk! We have learned to shop big sales (freeze or store) and basics. No plans to go back to the "extras" no matter the price.

 

[barkley]

Beef is up 20% in just 9 months, and 67% since COVID.

a family member does calf roping and for decades has a routine of purchasing a couple, using them to practice and then when they age out/the weather turns selling them off. we were recently talking about beef prices and he said that historically he and his friends that do this always lose money on the what they can sell for vs. their original cost plus the cost of feed/care for the animals but THIS year they were shocked when they not only recouped their costs but made a decent profit.

beef prices are insane.

We have learned to shop big sales (freeze or store)

we do this as well. I used to do it allot to save money when we were a household with growing kiddos but I pulled back when the household started shrinking. now i'm back at it to save where I can-and i'm VERY thankful that in addition to a freezer we have an vacuum sealer and to a greater extent-a meat grinder attachment for our kitchen-aide b/c I refuse to pay the obscene prices for nasty fat laden ground beef when there's been occasional sales on roasts that we can trim and grind for much less (local place has chuck roaststs for $5.69 a pound right now-81% ground is selling for $9.31 ). same thing with sausage-there have been sales (one super sale recently for .99 cents a pound) on pork loin chops-i can grind and bag it (season it to my needs when I use it) vs. paying the bulk plain sausage (unseasoned) 'sale' price that's going now at $3 per pound.