The Most Popular Grocery Store In New York Isn't What You'd Expect

When you think of living in New York, your mind may wander to stylish apartments, coveted pizza shops, and state-of-the-art museum memberships. Yet, with the inflation rate in the United States at a record high of 9%, most of the extras that come with living in a diversified state take a backseat, including certain grocery store items.

According to the April Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, animal products alone increased in price by a general 14% over the last year (via Yahoo Finance). With milk prices on the rise as well, most consumers are having to shop at various stores to get the best deals, and even then, can't find all the food items they're used to having week after week due to supply issues stemming from the war in Ukraine (per The New York Times).

While America's eating habits have certainly changed since the pandemic, New Yorkers may be feeling the squeeze on their wallets a bit more than others. In fact, in 2021, rent prices in New York City reached a new high with the average one-bedroom apartment costing nearly $3,000 per month, deeming New York the "most expensive place to live in the U.S." (via Time Out). With grocery prices rising over 12% in the last year as well, New Yorkers are becoming more vigilant in saving their pennies, and where they shop most may come as a shock.

In data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over the last three years, Walmart has proven to be the most popular store in New York. Walmart's competitors, Aldi, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, and Wegman's Food Markets, have all maintained foot traffic in a consistent scope of 150,000-300,000 visitors per month. While Stop & Shop's range is slightly higher than the other three, it is no match for Walmart's numbers. As of April 2022, Walmart had 1,603,212 visitors while Stop & Shop saw 251,148 making Walmart's foot traffic over 6 times more significant than its competitors.

It may be expected to see Walmart as the most trusted grocery store in the U.S., yet it may be surprising to see the popular brand come out on top amidst the jumble of inflation. With the major corporation averaging a 4.9% increase in visitors per month this year, Walmart has been able to maintain low prices amidst the inflation spike of 2022 (per U.S. News & World Report).

Not only that but apart from its downtrend in apparel, excluding fuel, Walmart predicts a 3% increase in sales growth for the remainder of this year (via Yahoo). With inflation at the forefront of our minds, while there may be items you should avoid buying at the grocery store to save money, most Americans and specifically New Yorkers are trusting Walmart to save them the most.