Aldi, Lidl serve up Thanksgiving price breaks

With grocery prices still up amid elevated food inflation, discount grocers Aldi and Lidl are keeping them down for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Batavia, Ill.-based Aldi US has kicked off a “price rewind” that brings pricing levels for selected Thanksgiving-related items back three years. Meanwhile, Arlington, Va.-based Lidl US has assembled a Thanksgiving meal that costs less than $30 and serves a full holiday gathering.

Under the “Thanksgiving Price Rewind,” launched today, holiday favorites ranging from appetizers, desserts, sides and beverages will be discounted up to 30% to match 2019 prices. Examples of items with the lower pricing include brie cheese, prosciutto, cornbread stuffing, wine, mini quiches, fresh brown-and-serve rolls, macarons and apple pie. 

Aldi said it’s promoting the 2019 Thanksgiving Price Rewind in local ads and throughout the store. Discounted products are marked with the Thanksgiving Price Rewind icon. The campaign — for products sold in-store and online — runs through Nov. 29. Overall, Aldi operates about 2,200 stores in 38 states.

“Providing amazing products at the absolute lowest prices is what we've always done, and we know right now that's more important than ever,” Dave Rinaldo, president of Aldi U.S., said in a statement. “We expect to welcome tens of millions of customers in our stores this Thanksgiving season, and we want them to know they can count on us. So why not attempt that additional side dish this year, or invite over a few more friends or family members?”

Related:Thanksgiving dinner cost jumps back up

Lidl US noted that, again this year, it was able to offer a Thanksgiving basket that feeds up to 10 people for under $30.

The basket is headlined by a frozen turkey for 49 cents per pound, available through Lidl’s free loyalty program, myLidl. According to Lidl, recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture peg the average price for frozen turkey at $1.99 per pound, or about 73% higher than last year.

Lidl said its Thanksgiving basket is modeled after items selected by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) for its annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey. In 2021, AFBF’s nationwide survey of grocery stores found the average cost of its basket to be $53.31, up $6.41 from $46.90 in 2020 following a $2.01 decrease in 2019.

The Lidl basket includes a 13-lb. frozen turkey, baby carrots (16 oz.), sweet peas (16 oz.), turkey stuffing mix (three 18 oz. boxes), one whole celery stalk, sweet potatoes (3 lbs. bag), Hawaiian sweet rolls (12 count), fresh cranberries (12 oz.), one gallon of whole milk, heavy whipping cream (1 pint), pumpkin pie mix (30 oz.) and two pie crusts.

The Thanksgiving basket items and quantities are available as long as supplies last, Lidl said. The grocer operates over 170 stores in nine East Coast states.

“Even as grocery prices rise nationally, shoppers can rely on Lidl for the best deal to feed their family this holiday season,” commented Stefan Schwarz, chief product officer at Lidl US. “We are proud to offer shoppers at Lidl a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings for less than $30. We hope our low prices give families some financial relief as they come together this holiday season.”

Such price breaks will be heartily welcomed by consumers. CPG market researcher IRI said Wednesday that its 2022 Thanksgiving Tracker revealed that the traditional Thanksgiving meal will cost about 13.5% more this year. Consumers know they’ll likely be paying more, and in response 38% plan to buy the same amount of groceries as usual for the holiday. Grocery shoppers, too, are purchasing early this year by picking up items as soon as they see them on sale.

“Despite the significant impact of inflation, consumers are excited to return to pre-pandemic holiday celebrations, and many will be participating in the Thanksgiving holiday by purchasing the same amount of groceries as they typically do,” explained Alastair Steel, executive for IRI client engagement. “This year, consumers are planning further ahead for Thanksgiving than ever before, picking up staple items as they see promotions that fit within their budgets. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving will be a tremendous opportunity for CPG brands and grocery retailers, and recent data will empower optimization on promotions and advertising strategies for key products.”

Marketing solutions specialist Vericast also has found more consumer savviness this holiday season. In a poll 1,000 U.S. adults on the impact of inflation, 57% said they plan to cut back on spending for Thanksgiving dinner, and 74% reported that they would buy Thanksgiving ingredients from a new brand if offered a deal.

“Survey results continue to point to another rocky holiday season, and brands have an opportunity to help their customers get through it,” stated Chip West, director of category strategy for national sales at Vericast. “What is typically the biggest selling season of the year will also be the toughest. Consumers across demographics have been hit by inflation and are ramping-up value-seeking behaviors. Brands that offer deals and incentives online and offline will stay competitive this holiday season, catch shoppers' attention, and price conscious customers.”