Prices can vary widely from store to store

The Deseret News was able to fulfill its imaginary shopping list for a little less money this month as it compared prices of some basic items at five different grocery chains.

The cost for the list of items — with 10 gallons of gas, a movie with treats and a takeout pizza added — on Monday was down 1.4 percent from an identical shopping spree Oct. 1.

Two things strike you when you shop five stores for identical items month after month: Prices fluctuate, though not always driven by sales. And the difference between the high and low price for an item may be significant.

There are strategies that shoppers can use when they shop, said Dave Davis, vice president and general counsel of the Utah Food Industry Association. Among them are starting with paying attention to prices at your own store, especially for the things you like to buy.

As for price difference, on Monday's shopping trip, for instance, the cost of a container or Dreyer's vanilla ice cream ranged from $2.49 to $4.99, and more than $6 separated prices on a 141-ounce box of Tide laundry soap at two different destinations — neither one a sales price. One store had a sign bragging that a package of Oreo cookies at $3.29 was a savings of 90 cents, while a few miles away, the everyday price for the same cookies was $2.78.

Still, most times, said Davis, it doesn't pay to shop at multiple stores to get the lower price, because time and travel are worth something. And no store consistently has the highest or lowest price on every item.

But when you pay attention to items you buy consistently, the advice could be different. With advertising circulars widely available and stores often near each other, it may make sense in some cases to visit more than one.

"I think that consumers being aware is one of the best things you can do," Davis said.

The Deseret News gives the range of prices on items it tracks not because it's likely anyone would visit all the stores to save the $25 difference between high-end and low-end totals, but to help consumers see where their store falls in the price survey. It might matter to a shopper that a store is usually on the more-expensive — or cheaper — side of the list.

Davis said shoppers value different things and choose their stores for reasons besides proximity. Older shoppers may put high value on a staff that's both familiar and helpful. Davis talked about "destination cashiers" whom customers are willing to wait in line for because they value the interaction. For some shoppers, though, the only thing that counts is price.

Look at the items that you buy consistently, he said, noting that staples are probably not where customers spend most of their money.

"Overall, a store may be at the high end, but as it relates to your items, it might be mid-ranged or lower end," he said. "We all have things where we spend our money. … If you like a private-label product, that's going to dictate some" where you choose to shop, as well.

e-mail: lois@desnews.com Twitter: Loisco