Does Aldi Actually Have The Cheapest Milk Prices?
Milk prices are swelling faster than a cow's udders, with fluid milk prices growing by an average of 14% in a year, data from the USDA shows. This means that the need to shop around to save extra cents continues to be of great importance. Clearly, the impact of such steep price hikes is that finding cheap milk is increasingly difficult — unless you happen to own a particularly sympathetic cow or live close to a very generous farmer. The first rule to remember is to consider buying store brand milk rather than a more famous brand, which could save you up to $1.30.
However, perhaps the most crucial step to saving money on milk is to consider where you're going to buy it from in the first place. Aldi is one of the most famous discount supermarkets, claiming to offer quality products at reduced prices. But, despite these claims, is it really the cheapest place to buy milk?
Supermarket milk can be expensive
Many of Aldi's products (including fresh items and cheese) are considered to be cheaper than those sold by rivals such as Walmart, Costco, and Trader Joe's. Taking on such titans of the grocery world is no easy feat, but measures such as charging for carrier bags and making customers pack their own shopping enable Aldi to keep costs low.
What's surprising is precisely how low Aldi can maintain those prices, especially when it comes to milk. Although prices vary throughout different parts of the country, one gallon of Aldi's own-brand milk can cost between $3.03 and $3.25, while a half gallon can be found for $1.76. To put those prices into context, the next cheapest alternatives are $3.39 per gallon at Kroger, and $2.69 for a half gallon at Trader Joe's.
The most expensive options for a gallon of milk are $4.59 at Whole Foods, $3.99 at Trader Joe's, and $3.72 at Costco. So, unlike other major grocery stores, Aldi is able to keep its milk prices low, rather than make some extra money from its customers.