Original Price Scout research
The 2026 household essentials price index: how six retailers compare
The fairest retailer comparison is not a sticker-price basket. Price Scout normalizes each category into sheets, loads, ounces, counts, or another compatible unit, then measures how close each retailer is to the lowest observed unit price.
Current source-backed research
Kroger currently has the lowest covered average relative index (100.0) across 4 compatible categories. Coverage and category mix can change the ranking.
Latest included observation: Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM
Retailers observed
5
Current source coverage across the two markets
Retailers ranked
4
Require at least three compatible categories
Comparable records
36
Every record has a retailer source
Categories sampled
13
Household and repeat-purchase categories
Visual summary
Average relative unit-price index
Lower is better. The lowest compatible retailer in each category equals 100.
Downloadable evidence
Source-backed research table
Every price record links to its retailer source. Empty or incompatible evidence is withheld rather than estimated.
| Category | Market ZIP | Retailer | Observed product | Package | Normalized unit | Basis | Index | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum foil | 33130 | Dollar General | Wohler Aluminum Foil, 20 sq ft | $1.00 | $0.05 | sq ft | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM | Verify source |
| Body wash | 33130 | Dollar General | Softsoap Antibacterial Hand Soap, Eliminates 99% of Bacteria, Cool Splash Scent, 11.25 fl oz | $3.00 | $0.27 | fl oz | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:13 PM | Verify source |
| Body wash | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Alaffia, Lavender Body Wash, 32 FZ | $12.99 | $0.41 | fl oz | 151.9 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:13 PM | Verify source |
| Body wash | 33130 | Walmart | Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash Moisturizing Cleanser, 11 fl oz | $5.47 | $0.50 | fl oz | 185.2 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:13 PM | Verify source |
| Cat litter | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Whole Paws, Scoopable Cat Litter, 320 OZ | $10.29 | $0.03 | oz | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Cat litter | 33130 | Dollar General | Arm & Hammer Double Duty Clumping Litter, Scented, 12 lb | $8.75 | $0.73 | lb | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Cat litter | 33130 | Walmart | Purina Tidy Cats With Glade Clear Springs Scented, Odor Control, Clumping Multi-Cat Litter | $20.97 | $0.04 | oz | 133.3 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Walmart | Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee, Medium Roast, 25.9 oz Canister | $12.96 | $0.50 | oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 45202 | Kroger | Kroger® Original Medium Roast Ground Coffee | $14.49 | $0.50 | oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:12 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Dollar General | Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee, Medium Roast, 19.2 Oz. Canister | $14.50 | $0.76 | oz | 152 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Publix | Café Bustelo Ground Coffee | $8.63 | $0.86 | oz | 172 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:17 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Panther Coffee, 1927 Blend Coffee, 12 OZ | $17.99 | $1.50 | oz | 300 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Diapers | 33130 | Walmart | Parent's Choice Dry & Gentle Diapers Size 5, 27 Count (Select for More Options) | $5.38 | $0.20 | diaper | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Diapers | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Coterie, Size 4 Diapers, 25 CT | $17.76 | $0.71 | diaper | 355 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:08 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 33130 | Walmart | Dawn Platinum Dish Soap, Dishwashing Liquid, Fresh Rain, 30 fl oz | $4.94 | $0.16 | fl oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 45202 | Kroger | Kroger® Ultra Concentrated Liquid Dish Soap Clean Scent | $2.99 | $0.11 | fl oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:12 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Ecos, Grapefruit Dish Soap, 25 FZ | $4.29 | $0.17 | fl oz | 106.3 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:07 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 33130 | Publix | Dawn Ultra Dish Soap, Original, 18 Fl Oz | $3.25 | $0.18 | fl oz | 112.5 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:07 AM | Verify source |
| Dry dog food | 33130 | Walmart | Pedigree High Protein Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Adult Dry Dog Food, 44 lb Bag | $25.97 | $0.59 | lb | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Dry dog food | 45202 | Kroger | Pedigree Complete Nutrition Adult Dry Dog Food Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor | $16.99 | $0.94 | lb | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:12 AM | Verify source |
| Dry dog food | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Whole Paws, Dry Chicken and Oats Recipe Dog Food, 64 OZ | $10.49 | $2.62 | lb | 444.1 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:13 PM | Verify source |
| Hand soap | 33130 | Dollar General | Softsoap Milk & Honey Scented, Liquid Hand Soap Refill, 50 Oz. | $6.00 | $0.12 | oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM | Verify source |
| Laundry detergent | 33130 | Walmart | Gain Plus Laundry Detergent Liquid, Now with Odor Defense + OXI, Moonlight Breeze Scent, 170 fl oz, 129 Loads | $21.94 | $0.17 | load | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Laundry detergent | 33130 | Dollar General | ARM & HAMMER Plus OxiClean with Odor Blasters Liquid Laundry Detergent, Laundry Odor Remover, Attacks Stains, Fresh Botanical Scent, 35 Loads, 45.5 Fl Oz | $6.00 | $0.17 | load | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM | Verify source |
| Shampoo | 33130 | Walmart | Suave Essentials Daily Clarifying Shampoo, Deep Cleansing for All Hair Types, 22.5 FL OZ | $1.94 | $0.09 | fl oz | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:12 PM | Verify source |
| Shampoo | 33130 | Dollar General | Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Fortifying Shampoo, With Aloe and Vitamin E Extract, 12.5 fl oz | $4.75 | $0.38 | fl oz | 422.2 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:12 PM | Verify source |
| Shampoo | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | ACURE, Ultra Hydrating Shampoo, 8 FZ | $10.99 | $1.37 | fl oz | 1522.2 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Soda | 33130 | Walmart | Dr Pepper Soda Pop, 12 fl oz, 12 Pack Cans | $6.97 | $0.05 | fl oz | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Soda | 45202 | Kroger | A&W® Root Beer Soda Cans | $11.99 | $0.08 | fl oz | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:12 AM | Verify source |
| Soda | 33130 | Dollar General | Pepsi Soda Cola 20 Fl Oz | $2.85 | $0.14 | fl oz | 280 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM | Verify source |
| Soda | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Culture Pop Soda, Grape Soda, 12 FZ | $2.49 | $0.21 | fl oz | 420 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Toothpaste | 33130 | Walmart | Crest Toothpaste, Premium Plus Scope Outlast Fluoride Toothpaste, Mint, 5.2 oz, 3 pack | $8.97 | $0.57 | oz | 100 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Toothpaste | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | Davids Toothpaste, Peppermint Toothpaste, 5.25 OZ | $10.02 | $1.91 | oz | 335.1 | Oct 31, 2026, 7:25 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 33130 | Walmart | Great Value Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, 13 gal, Drawstring, Unscented, 40 Bags | $6.48 | $0.16 | bag | 100 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:02 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 33130 | Whole Foods Market | GreenPolly, Tall Kitchen Trash Bags 13 Gallon, 20 CT | $6.39 | $0.32 | bag | 200 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:08 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 33130 | Dollar General | True Living Diamond Flex Multi-Purpose Drawstring Trash Bags, 30 Gallon, 14 ct | $6.25 | $0.45 | bag | 281.3 | Nov 1, 2026, 6:57 AM | Verify source |
How the study works
- Use two disclosed reference markets: South Florida ZIP 33130 for Publix coverage and Cincinnati ZIP 45202 for Kroger coverage. Walmart, Target, and Dollar General act as bridge retailers.
- Load the newest validated Price Scout snapshot for each household category.
- Exclude unavailable, unsourced, low-confidence, and incompatible-unit records.
- Within each category and market, set the lowest current compatible unit price to an index of 100 and calculate each other retailer relative to it.
- Average only the categories where a retailer has a valid normalized price; disclose coverage instead of filling gaps with estimates.
What the results do not prove
- The index is a current household-product sample, not a complete grocery basket.
- Coupons, loyalty offers, BOGOs, taxes, memberships, fees, and personalized promotions are not deducted.
- A retailer with limited source coverage can move substantially when additional categories become available.
- Kroger and Publix are not directly compared across regions; each is indexed against retailers available in its own disclosed market.
- H-E-B, Sprouts, and The Fresh Market are not blended into this two-market national bridge sample; Whole Foods is included only in the South Florida cohort where the same ZIP is used.
Practical interpretation
What shoppers should take away
Use the relative index to compare normalized value, not the immediate checkout total.
Open the source record before shopping because package size and fulfillment can change.
A retailer can lead one category while trailing badly in another, so category-level results matter more than a blanket winner.
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Research FAQ
Questions about this study
Which retailer is cheapest for household essentials?
It depends on the categories, package formats, location, and current source coverage. The live index reports the lowest average normalized position only when enough compatible records are available.
Why not compare the package price?
Package prices reward smaller packs. Normalized units such as cost per load, ounce, item, or 100 sheets make materially different package sizes more comparable.
Are coupons included?
No. The index uses the source-backed price record and keeps coupons, account offers, rewards, BOGOs, and future gift-card value separate.
How often is the index updated?
The underlying Price Scout snapshots are scheduled daily. This page automatically withholds stale data after 48 hours.