[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Mleeja

Yes, for some, price is more important than service or quality. If price is the most important factor, then by all means drive out 20 minutes out of your way to save your 3 cents on a can of green beans.

The grocery store stores in and around TV aggressively compete with each other. On any given week, items will be on-sale at Publix, Winn-Dixie, Aldi, Sam's, Walmart, etc. Overtime all the stores will average out to be about the same. If a person is a savvy shopper, they can purchase their favorite items when on sale and save dollars.

For the average American anywhere in the country, price is the most important factor in buying anything.
All grocery stores and supermarkets are always in competition with one another, as are department stores, discount stores, etc.

Over time, Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart and Aldi's do not average out to be the same.
You cannot put a big box store in the same category as a supermarket or grocery store.

If "Mountain Dew Diet Code Red" is the most important thing on your shopping list and Publix is the only one who has it, by all means, shop there.
However, Aldi's prices for produce are the best of all the stores and their quality is excellent. They are significantly less than even Walmart on many items and they happen to donate their "still edible" older fruits and vegetables to charity.
No one is less expensive for pet food than Walmart and they are significantly less expensive than Winn Dixie or Publix.
Winn Dixie has always been known for their meats and Publix has always been known for breaking up a package of produce, if necessary.
While Walmart is certainly not known for their great customer service, most customers have really never suffered from a lack of it.
So again, if it's a question of being a savvy shopper, by definition, that means that someone is shopping for the best prices overall.