Walmart, Target Offer Inflation-Busting Easter Deals

Sales come as Americans anticipate spending more on groceries throughout the year

3/12/2023

Target is offering more than 200 Easter treats for under $5.

Food retailers are helping shoppers prepare for the upcoming Easter holiday with deals and steals on all the necessary products, from candy and basket fillers to ham and green beans.

Walmart Inc. reports that 65% of customers said they expect inflation to have an impact on their Easter celebration. To help them manage the costs, the retailer is offering a curated Easter meal and basket at the same price as last year – and for less than $100 total.

“Even with some food costs stabilizing, they remain high overall, especially for Easter essentials like eggs,” wrote John Laney, EVP of food for Walmart U.S., in a company blog post. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to offset the higher cost of eggs by lowering the cost on other Easter essentials and offering an entire Easter meal at the same price as last year.”

Items including Sam’s Choice spiral-cut ham, canned green beans and corn, salad dressings, and more, are all on sale through April 15. Easter basket staples like Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bunny and Reese’s Eggs are also available at lower prices for the holiday.

For its part, Target Corp. has more than 200 seasonal treats available for under $5, and is offering 30 new seasonal sweets and snacks from its private-label Favorite Day brand. Its solid milk chocolate and cookies and cream rabbits, for example, are priced at $2 each, with other convenient and affordable options available.

The holiday deals come at a time when consumers anticipate additional hikes in grocery prices, with 56% believing they will spend more on groceries this year, according to the "2023 KPMG Winter Consumer Pulse Survey.”

An overwhelming majority of 91% of survey respondents cite ongoing price increases as a reason for their outlook. During the ongoing inflationary climate, survey participants shared other reasons why they believe their grocery spend will continue to rise, including their greater tendency to eat at home, bigger household size and change in diet.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is No. 6 on the list.