Apples to apples: A look at grocery store prices
Some in the community believe grocery prices are higher in Castle Pines due to having a single grocery store and, therefore, less competition for lower prices. A review of grocery prices at nearby competitors revealed that is not necessarily the case, and that misconceptions about values may exist. A random snapshot of staple food prices at four Douglas County grocery stores is provided above. This is not meant to be an exhaustive comparison but rather an informative glance that could spur further assessments for shoppers.
Store brands were used to compare 18-count packages of brown eggs, canola oil, kidney beans and pasta. Honey crisp apple prices considered were the non-organic variety. All bread prices were for white and wheat varieties of the same brand. No sale prices, discounts, or local taxes were included.
There were a few notable findings. Prices between King Soopers locations were almost identical except for eight packs of sparkling water. Whole Foods has lower prices for bulk eggs, canola oil, sparkling water and pasta, while Sprouts in Lone Tree generally had less competitive prices overall. Certain specialty items, such as Chick-fil-A sauce, are not available at all grocery store locations, so price comparisons were not available.
green = lowest price
Article and chart by Bear Rothe
