Does it actually save money to buy in bulk?
Wholesale membership clubs like Costco, BJ's and Sam's Club have long been resources for families looking to beat inflation costs reflected in your monthly grocery bill.
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A recent Consumer Reports found that grocery prices are up 26% since before the pandemic.
WRAL took a list of household staples to find out which wholesale clubs will save you in what category, and how those prices compare to regular grocery store shopping.
The prices, collected between Feb. 18 and Feb. 24, were compared across each wholesale retailer's in-house store brands: Kirkland Signature at Costco, Berkley Jensen and Wellsley Farm at BJ's, and Member's Mark at Sam's Club.
For sake of consistency, comparisons do not include products made by outside brands and companies.
| Items | Sam's Club | BJ's | Costco | Harris Teeter |
| Chicken | $2.98 per Pound | $2.49 per Pound | $2.99 per Pound | $2.99 per Pound |
| Beef | $5.98 per Pound | $5.49 per Pound | $5.79 per Pound | $5.99 per Pound |
| Eggs (Cage free) | $2.27 per Dozen (0.19 per egg) | $4.29 for 18 (0.24 per egg) | $2.30 per Dozen (0.19 per egg) | $3.99 per dozen (0.35 per egg) |
| Whole Milk | $3.44 per Gallon | $3.01 per Gallon | $2.43 per Gallon | $2.99 per Gallon |
| Peanut Butter | $0.09 per Oz | $0.19 per Oz (Organic) | $0.18 per Oz (Organic) | $0.26 per Oz (Organic) |
| Olive Oil (Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil) | $17.48 per 2 Liters | $17.99 per 2 Liters | $17.49 per 2 Liters | $19.99 for 1.5 Liters |
| Butter (4 oz sticks) per pound | $2.11 per Pound | $2.13 per Pound | $2.108 per Pound | $3.69 per Pound |
| Rice (white, short grain) per pound | $0.88 per Pound | $0.88 per Pound | $0.88 per Pound | $0.99 per Pound |
| Ground Coffee Colombian) | $6.79 per Pound | $7.40 per Pound | $7.33 per Pound | $12.30 per Pound |
Variance within the membership clubs
Generally, most of the products compared varied only slightly in price per unit (pound, ounce, etc), although there were several noted differences.
BJ's offered slightly lower prices for chicken and beef at the time of recording, up to 50 cents less per pound than its competitors. Costco held slightly lower prices for milk and eggs, while Sam's Club recorded more affordable pantry items like basic peanut butter and ground coffee.
All wholesalers offered a deal of 25 pounds of rice (white, short grain) for $21.99, at $0.88 per pound.
Another household essential, toilet paper, was more difficult to compare based on varying sheet and square-footage measurements.
Wholesale vs. Regular grocery shopping: Where you save the most
What WRAL found was that if consumers are willing to pay more in real time for a higher volume of product, families can save on higher-quality produce and products.
For starters, many of the produce categories, Chicken, Beef, Milk, and Butter, are in line with regular grocery store prices.
But in cases of elevated produce, for instance, eggs that are specifically 'Cage Free', families could save on average a dollar and a half, if not more, for the store brand equivalent at the grocery store.
The same goes for olive oil that is considered USDA Organic. WRAL found that organic olive oil, in bulk, was cheaper per unit than the store brand equivalent that was not organic, allowing families to buy a higher quality of product for less than what they would find for a store brand generic equivalent.
Ground coffee, in particular, offered major savings. On a per-pound basis, ground coffee was significantly cheaper when offered by the wholesale store brands than the grocery store brand equivalents.
Membership comparisons
Any savings on individual items should be compared and contrasted against the cost of actually shopping at the membership clubs.
Costco: $65 per year for Gold Star or Business levels, which include two membership cards for household members. The Executive memberships are $135.
BJ's Wholesale Club: Memberships are $60 per year, while the premium Club+ membership is $120 per year
Member's Mark: Memberships are $50 per year, while the premium Plus membership is $110 per year