Original Price Scout research
The 2026 household essentials price index: how five 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
Walmart currently has the lowest covered average relative index (100.0) across 17 compatible categories. Coverage and category mix can change the ranking.
Latest included observation: Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM
Retailers observed
4
Current source coverage across the two markets
Retailers ranked
2
Require at least three compatible categories
Comparable records
30
Every record has a retailer source
Categories sampled
14
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 | Walmart | Great Value 75 sq ft Aluminum Foil | $4.72 | $0.06 | sq ft | 100 | Jul 5, 2026, 7:03 AM | Verify source |
| Body wash | 33130 | Walmart | Suave Cocoa Butter + Shea Moisturizing Body Wash with Glycerin & Vitamin E, 30 FL OZ Pump | $4.97 | $0.17 | oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Body wash | 33130 | Dollar General | Dial Antibacterial Defense Gold Liquid Hand Soap, 11 fl oz | $2.75 | $0.25 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Cat litter | 33130 | Walmart | (2 pack) Special Kitty Clumping Clay Cat Litter, Fresh Scent, 20 lbs Jug, 1 Count | $15.34 | $0.77 | lb | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Cat litter | 33130 | Dollar General | Fresh Step Odor Shield Multi Cat Clumping Litter with Febreze, Gain Original Scent, 14 lb | $12.75 | $0.91 | lb | 118.2 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Walmart | Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee, Medium Roast, 25.9 oz Canister | $14.96 | $0.58 | oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Target | Folgers Classic Medium Roast Ground Coffee - 25.9oz | $15.49 | $0.60 | oz | 103.4 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Coffee | 33130 | Dollar General | Maxwell House Original Roast Ground Coffee, 20.6 oz (1 lb 4.6 oz) Canister | $12.75 | $0.62 | oz | 106.9 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Diapers | 33130 | Walmart | Parent's Choice Dry & Gentle Diapers Size 5, 27 Count (Select for More Options) | $4.98 | $0.18 | diaper | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Diapers | 45202 | Walmart | Parent's Choice Dry & Gentle Diapers Size 5, 27 Count (Select for More Options) | $4.98 | $0.18 | diaper | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 33130 | Walmart | Dawn Ultra Liquid Dish Soap, Dishwashing Liquid, Grease Removal, Original, 5.8oz | $1.00 | $0.17 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 45202 | Walmart | Dawn Ultra Liquid Dish Soap, Dishwashing Liquid, Grease Removal, Original, 5.8oz | $1.00 | $0.17 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 45202 | Dollar General | Dawn Platinum EZ Squueze Dish Soap, Dishwashing Liquid, Tough Grease Removal, Fresh Rain, | $2.85 | $0.24 | oz | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Dish soap | 45202 | Kroger | Seventh Generation Dish Liquid Soap Free & Clear Dish Liquid Soap Dish Soap for sensitive skin | $3.99 | $0.21 | fl oz | 123.5 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Dry dog food | 33130 | Walmart | Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition T-Bone and Bacon Flavor Dry Dog Food, 46 lb Bag | $22.24 | $0.48 | lb | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Hand soap | 33130 | Walmart | Dial Clean + Gentle Liquid Hand Soap, Coconut Water & Mango Gentle Hand Soap, 7.5 fl oz | $1.28 | $0.17 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 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 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Laundry detergent | 45202 | 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 | $5.35 | $0.15 | load | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Shampoo | 33130 | Walmart | L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Restoring, Strengthening and Split End Repair, Shampoo, Damaged Hair, 13.5 fl oz | $5.97 | $0.44 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Shampoo | 33130 | Dollar General | Studio Selection Dry Shampoo, 7 oz | $6.00 | $0.86 | oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Soda | 33130 | Walmart | Coca-Cola Soda Pop Fridge Pack Cans, 12 fl oz, 12 Pack | $8.57 | $0.06 | fl oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Toilet paper | 33130 | Walmart | Angel Soft 2-Ply Toilet Paper, 9 Mega Rolls, 320 Sheets per Roll | $6.88 | $0.24 | 100 sheets | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Toilet paper | 45202 | Walmart | Angel Soft 2-Ply Toilet Paper, 9 Mega Rolls, 320 Sheets per Roll | $6.88 | $0.24 | 100 sheets | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Toilet paper | 33130 | Dollar General | Charmin Ultra Strong Toilet Paper 12 Mega Rolls, 220 Sheets Per Roll | $17.50 | $0.66 | 100 sheets | 275 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Toothpaste | 33130 | Walmart | Colgate Baking Soda and Peroxide Whitening Toothpaste Gel, Frosty Mint Stripe, 6 oz | $2.12 | $0.35 | oz | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Toothpaste | 33130 | Dollar General | Crest 3D White Brilliance Pro Ultra White Teeth Whitening Toothpaste, 3.8 oz | $9.00 | $2.37 | oz | 677.1 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 33130 | Walmart | Great Value 13-Gallon Drawstring Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, Unscented, 40 Bags | $6.48 | $0.16 | bag | 100 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 45202 | Walmart | Great Value 13-Gallon Drawstring Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, Unscented, 40 Bags | $6.48 | $0.16 | bag | 100 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 33130 | Dollar General | Glad Small Drawstring Trash Bags, 4 Gallon, Teal, Febreze Bahama Bliss, 20 Count | $4.25 | $0.21 | bag | 131.3 | Jul 7, 2026, 7:35 AM | Verify source |
| Trash bags | 45202 | Dollar General | Hefty Ultra Strong 13 Gallon Trash Bags, Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, White, Tropical Paradise Scent, 24 Bags | $5.95 | $0.25 | bag | 156.3 | Jul 4, 2026, 6:47 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.
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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Weekly price-check tips before you shop.
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.