New study reveals the cheapest grocery chain for store-brand products… and it's not Walmart or Aldi
By SARA MCGIFF, US REAL ESTATE \& CONSUMER REPORTER
Updated: 03:24 EDT, 22 July 2026
Kroger has come out on top to claim the title of the cheapest store-brand grocery basket in a new price comparison of major grocery chains.
The study from Restaurant Furniture Plus looked at four of America's biggest chains to compare the cost of 15 store-brand essentials, including milk, bread, eggs, chicken breast, spaghetti, canned beans and baking items, Southern Living reported.
Coming out at number one was Kroger, which operates over 1,229 grocery stores across the US. The total basket cost was a jaw-dropping $30.
The chain reigned supreme when it came to the cheapest cost of a dozen large eggs compared to its competitors. It also offered the lowest prices for canned diced tomatoes, spaghetti and sugar.
In second was Walmart with a basket totaling $30.95.
Aldi came in third with a basket total of $33.15. Although the study showed that the company's store-brand dairy product proved to be a good deal.
Albertsons rounded off the bottom of the list with a total basket of $35.58.
The survey did not include Costco, Trader Joe's, H-E-B or Piggly Wiggly, with Trader Joe's particularly singled out because it didn't carry the targeted items for the study.
Kroger has come out on top to claim the title of the cheapest store-brand grocery in a new study by Restaurant Furniture Plus - with just $30 for a basket filled with 15 essential items
In second was Walmart with a basket totaling $30.95
Aldi came in third with a basket total of $33.15. Although the study showed that the company's store-brand dairy product proved to be a good deal
Costco also didn't make the list due to its bulk model which made single-item price comparisons difficult, Southern Living reported.
For Americans being squeezed by the high cost of living, Kroger appears to be the best bet for their buck.
Food prices have climbed 32 percent over the past five years, pushing more than one in four working-age Americans into credit card debt to cover grocery bills, according to a new Urban Institute study released Monday.
'Groceries are one of the largest household budget items for families. Over the past five years, food costs have increased substantially,' the report said.
'This means that families today face persistently higher prices when they go to the grocery store, and food affordability remains a key concern for many.'
However, there's been an unexpected windfall in the supermarket industry as more Americans trade the drive thru line for a shopping cart.
Supermarkets poured money into expanded prepared food offerings, from rotisserie chickens and fresh sushi to made-to-order sandwiches, hot bars and family meal bundles that promise restaurant-quality dinners at a lower price.
The shift is beginning to reshape where Americans buy their meals.
Foot traffic data from location analytics firm Placer.ai shows quick-service restaurants have struggled to attract customers this year, while grocery stores are increasingly winning the same lunch and dinner occasions.
Analysts say years of menu price hikes have eroded fast food's traditional price advantage, leaving prepared meals at supermarkets looking like the better bargain for cost-conscious consumers.