During the last eighteen months when everyone is complaining about inflation and especially gas and food prices, check this chart from Gas Buddy;
That is for gas, but what about food? Lets start with Aldi’s;
Aldi has already invested over £125 million to reduce prices on approximately 500 items since the beginning of the year2023.
In 2024, they plan to cut more prices than ever before. This move is projected to save shoppers over $60 million.
According to Aol;
“Part of the Bravo Deal study of grocery stores in which Aldi came out on top were Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Publix, Target, Costco, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, and Lidl. The study compared prices of milk, eggs, bread, soda, cereal, frozen pizza, chips, laundry detergent, peanut butter, jelly, ham, and chicken breast to determine which offered the lowest-priced weekly essentials”
Aldi is a global supermarket chain that has become a major player in the retail industry. It followed a unique business model that has helped it compete with some of the biggest names in the grocery market. One of the key pillars of Aldi's business model is its focus on private label products. Instead of stocking well-known brands, Aldi offers customers a wide range of high-quality private label products at competitive prices. And right there is a key to personal inflation. Not everyone has access to an Aldi. but when I go into a grocery store of any kind almost all have a private label. If I choose a brand other than private, I am making the choice that I think I must have a better product. That is not inflation. That is enhancing my belief that I am entitled to a higher standard of living. Many of the private label items are produced by the major brands and the only difference is the advertising cost you pay when you purchase that item.
Next; At Aldi’s the customers have less choice. You will not be tempted by end displays, sale prices, entire aisles of soda pop, entire aisles of chips and cookies and the ever peasant display of cakes and pies in front of the bakery. Purchases of prepared food should not be considered inflationary.
I know that everyone is not near an Aldi’s, but Aldi’s commitment to affordability extends beyond prices. They are expanding, with plans to open 120 new stores this year, including their first-ever locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA. One of the reasons I shop there is that their private brands never have 125 artificial ingredients. Many of the artificial ingredients that are in US food have been banned in Europe and other countries and most have not been tested. Many are known to affect our body in different ways including obesity.
Let us examine one more aspect. Aldi’s has a variety of organic products. I get my pasture raised hamburger there. It costs a little under six dollars a pound. Many would wonder why I would spend that much for hamburger meat and then they go to McDonalds and get a meal that runs the same amount. With a few beans with my hamburger, I can have a bowl of chili that will give me at least 4 meals (half pound of hamburger in each) and it will have more nutrients for my health. If you look at grocery carts today, I think people may be eating more and calling that inflation. If you consider they are buying more food ready to pop into the microwave, they are paying for convenience, not food.
Just my two cents worth!