Valley grocers compete to attract holiday shoppers

Supermarkets cut prices every year to lure Thanksgiving shoppers, and grocers this year are especially aware of consumers' needs to shave costs.

"We have become even more competitive with our pricing, and we've been working to lower our prices across the board," said Bashas' spokeswoman Kristy Nied.

The average cost of a frozen turkey nationwide is $1.19 a pound, according to a price survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation, but savvy Southeast Valley shoppers will only pay a fraction of that.

Bashas' is selling turkeys in metro Phoenix for 43 cents a pound.

The company even says that if another store offers a lower price, Bashas' will match it.

Fry's also is selling turkeys for 43 cents a pound with a guarantee of meeting or beating competitors' prices.

The chain has priced traditional Thanksgiving foods "at almost identical prices to last year," said spokesman Jim Nygren.

"We're trying to hold (the prices) as close as we can."

For example, a 5-pound bag of russet potatoes is 97 cents, about the same price as a year ago.

"We're continuing to offer double, triple and quadruple coupons to help people save during the holiday period," he said. For example, a quarter coupon is worth a dollar, the maximum the grocery chain allows.

Frozen turkey at Albertsons is 45 cents a pound, and fresh turkey at Walmart is $1.18 a pound. Fresh turkey at Albertsons is is $1.29 a pound.

The national average for a 12-ounce package of fresh cranberries is $2.46. Bashas' is selling it for $2.50.

No traditional feast is complete without pumpkin pie, which is $2.98 at Bashas'. Sprouts is selling the pies for two for $6, compared to a usual price of $4.99 each. Pumpkin pies at Albertsons are $2.99.

The federation's 23rd annual survey found that a traditional feast for 10 costs $44.61, a price increase of $2.35 over last year's average of $42.26.

That includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk.

For people who don't want to cook dinner, Fry's is selling a precooked turkey dinner for six to eight people for $44.99.

Bashas' is selling a pre-cooked turkey dinner with trimmings for $49.99 and $39.99 at Food City. Sprouts is selling pre-cooked meals at $29 for two or three adults and $59 for a family of eight.

Safeway is offering a ready-made dinner to serve four to six for $39.99. Albertsons is selling complete dinners for $44.99.