Target plans to cut prices on thousands of consumer basics this summer, from diapers to milk, as inflation cuts into household budgets and more Americans pay closer attention to their spending.
The price cuts, already applied to 1,500 items, will eventually include 5,000 food, drink and essential household goods. Target and other retailers are increasingly catering to customers who are struggling with higher prices for groceries, though inflation has begun to cool. Many of them have switched to private label brands sold by Target and others big retailers, which are typically less expensive than well-known brands.
Target launched one such collection in January called Dealworthy which includes nearly 400 basic items, ranging from clothing to electronics, that can cost less than $1, with most items under $10.
Last week, McDonald’s said that it was planning to introduce a $5 meal deal in the U.S. next month to counter slowing sales and customer frustration with higher prices. Walmart posted strong quarterly sales last week driven by a influx of customers, including households with incomes of more than $100,000, looking for bargains.
Tangentially, some Target brand stuff really sucks. Anything with moving parts seems quite prone to breaking quickly. The food items I’ve tried are extremely low quality. One such item is their shredded mozzarella.
Truly, it is the worst mozzarella I can think of. Tasted off and the texture was lightly rubbery. It also would not melt. Before they started botting the reviews (I assume; it is difficult to imagine real humans enjoying it), it was rated poorly on their own site. And still the reviews mention how it simply does not melt and is quite terrible.
That fateful bag of horror made me start paying closer attention to the quality of Target brand items, and I have found it lacking. The foods I tried were bad— there was also a memorable bag of cookies, dusty in texture and taste. Also their foaming soap dispensers break consistently within months, though they’re otherwise quite nice.
So as they pivot into store brand, I’d urge you exercise caution trying them. Buy a brand you like as well so you’re not left without, should it prove low quality. Walmart brand stuff is way better but there are far more Targets where I live.
I’ve often called Target “Walmart without the stigma”. They advertise themselves and nice and clean, but it’s just Walmart with clients that don’t want to be seen going to Walmart.
Around here Tarjay has the stigma - folk who are too frou-frou to shop at walmart. We try to avoid both when we can tho.
Imo the main difference is that Target has tap to pay/QR code payment while Walmart pushes Walmart+’s payment methods. I tried W+ since it was free with one of my credit cards, and it’s still quite inconvenient.
But otherwise, I largely agree. Targets feel a little nicer and they look better, but that hardly matters. If there were more Walmarts around me I’d go there instead sometimes. As much as I dislike the Waltons, Walmart sometimes has better selections than Target. Truthfully I’m morally for shoplifting from Walmart but don’t like committing crimes myself since there is risk involved.
The clothes are definitely different quality. Walmart also has alternate, lower quality versions of the same products. Literally from the manufacturer with a slightly different product code.
Ran into that replacing a coffee maker, interestingly enough - almost exactly the same device minus a few features, advertised with the same name, but different from the previous version as well (checked the manufacturers website).
So I would not personally say the quality is equal, but I also don’t shop at them often either.
haven’t had their shredded cheese, but the target store brand grocery items i’ve had lately have been pretty good. and far better than walmart’s (the only store within an hour’s drive of here).
I’d like to add that their electric toothbrush replacement heads are also pretty crappy. I’ll just spend the extra and get the real deal next time.
Oof. I remember buying some store brand pre-shredded mozz once. I can’t remember what store, it was 20 years ago. We were making a few pans of lasagna or manicotti, probably manicotti I was on a manicotti kick back then. I remember after 45 minutes checking back on the pan. The cheese hadn’t melted. It browned. We’re lucky I have a damn good sauce, because crunchy cheese manicotti is an experience I only want to have once. We had guests too.
I always forget target even has a food/grocery department. I’ve only ever seen it as a clothing or home goods store