As a normal Trader Joe’s shopping, I enjoy it both for its affordable products and for the fact that it offers some unique products.

But does TJ’s actually cost less than other places, or does it just feel that way? Are staple products truly more affordable when compared to cult classics like Everything but the Bagel Seasoning and the thick Pepita Salsa? Or might a regular grocery store offer the best deal on simple shopping?

I did the math in any case. Here is the complete collapse. Check out Costco for more amount comparisons, including how much you can save by purchasing meal kits for less money than you would get at the grocery store.

What was Trader Joe’s ‘ price difference?

Trader Joe’s was 21.5 % less expensive than Stop & Shop, according to our online price comparison conducted in June of 2025 using online rates and the same-day rates. The total cost of the groceries purchased at TJ’s was$ 160.09, whereas comparable items may cost almost$ 200 if purchased from Stop & Shop.

Who provides Trader Joe’s goods?

First things first: To understand the possible savings of purchasing products just at Trader Joe’s, it’s important to understand where the products from TJ’s come from, whether it’s from flour and butter or from Sudden Cheddar and freezing butter chicken.

We’ve recently analyzed whether buying store brand or name brand products is more affordable, and we found that most people actually save money when they shop store brand. Is TJ’s value merely a matter of Trader Joe’s just offering shop brand items, then? Turns out, Trader Joe’s almost exclusively sells goods under its own company name, with some exceptions. &nbsp,

Unlike some store brands ( which are really just name brands in disguise ), Trader Joe’s ‘ relationship with its vendors is a unique feature in understanding its pricing structure. It is not actually a manufacturer of goods itself. Turns out that the” seller” component of Trader Joe’s brand has some merit. Trader Joe’s deals directly with manufacturers and producers, cutting out the agents and producers, which contributes to its lower costs, according to its website. Which specific sellers produce those Trader Joe’s things with cult-like presences is a closely guarded secret.

Quit &amp vs. Trader Joe’s vs. Shop

The northern US’s Stop &amp, Shop is a local chain whose relative brands include Food Lion, Giant, and Hannaford. I chose Stop &amp, Shop to indicate a typical grocery store chain in my place with a good reputation and affordable prices. But, it lacks the worship following of Wegmans or the religion of Trader Joe’s. The store brand SB, which stands for” keep company,” is actually what Quit &amp, Shop is known as. Additionally, it has a collection of organic store brand products called Nature’s Promise. In every section, both the SB and Nature’s Claim lines offer a wide range of products.

How I compared Stop &amp, Shop for items and Trader Joe’s.

I created a list of about 50 basic grocery items that represent a wide range of price points from almost all store departments, using online grocery shopping templates, including those for produce, pantry, dairy, deli/meat, bakery, and frozen sections. Since I was mostly comparing meal expenses, I only included bath and body care products and cleaning items.

I compared the Stop &amp, Shop amount from the site of Trader Joe’s to the Trader Joe’s rate, which is sourced from Trader Joe’s site. In June 2025, I conducted this analysis.

I looked for equivalencies in terms of the dimensions of each item, but when one business or another was providing a larger dimensions, we prorated the price to match the amount. I always used the comparable Stop &amp, Shop SB goods, or Nature’s Promise solution as a point of comparison to make it as good as possible, and because Trader Joe’s full line of products qualifies as store-brand. &nbsp,

Saving at Trader Joe’s

With a last total of$ 160.09 in comparison to Stop &amp, Shop’s last total of$ 98.66, the top seller of the almost 50-item list of simple staples evidently came out as the winner. That’s a total saving of about 21.5 % on the list’s entire value. It is safe to assume that the potential savings may be even greater if you’re someone who doesn’t generally buy store brand items when shopping at regular grocery stores. Trader Joe’s did succeed in this test, despite offering great sales and competitive pricing from Stop &amp, Shop.

Where can I find the biggest discounts on Seller Joe’s products?

The closet section of Trader Joe’s biggest money-saving products includes beans, coconut oil, soybean milk, espresso, maple syrup, and wheat. One wonders whether TJ’s has struck a deal with the devil because java and coconut oil are so expensive in particular. &nbsp,

It is important to note that cafe yogurt, ice cream, and black beans appeared to be the items that TJ’s prices did not quite match. The price of the same TJ’s goods was truly lower than Stop &amp, Shop’s for shredded cheddar cheese and French vanilla ice cream. Both businesses offered black beans for the same rate.

Also, Trader Joe’s ‘ generate department is almost completely sold by package or by item, as opposed to by weight, with prices that hardly ever change, suggesting that there might be better produce deals at regular retailers for fruits and vegetables that are priced by weight rather than the piece. ( Whenever I come across one, I will always purchase a.99 cent avocado at any store. ) &nbsp,

Additionally, I should point out that weekly sales specials, which were not necessarily taken into account, can also give a regular retailer a price advantage over Trader Joe’s on some items from week to week. Despite the possibility of sporadic better savings in some areas, the math is clear: Trader Joe’s has some of the best overall prices, even for basic groceries.

More instances in which we perform the math