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Theyre cutting prices on some items and promoting lower-cost options

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Walmart, Stop & Shop and Giant Eagle are among the retailers cutting prices on selected groceries.

• Kroger, Target and other chains are expanding private-label products to give shoppers less-expensive alternatives.

• Many reductions are temporary, regional or tied to loyalty programs, so consumers should compare the cost of their entire shopping list.

Facing resistance from consumers weary of high food prices, several of the nations largest supermarket chains are reducing prices on selected products and expanding their lower-cost store brands.

The initiatives dont amount to across-the-board grocery price cuts. But they could provide some relief on staples such as meat, produce, snacks and packaged foodsparticularly for shoppers willing to compare prices and substitute private-label products for national brands.

Walmart recently lowered prices on a variety of groceries, including ground beef, produce, snacks and store-brand foods. One ground-beef product received a reduction of nearly 12%, according to Grocery Dive.

The retailer is also expanding Bettergoods, its private-label food line, to nearly 1,000 products. Walmart has said the brand has attracted customers across income levels, including higher-income shoppers looking for value.

Regional discounts

Stop & Shop has lowered prices on thousands of products at stores in New York and New Jersey. The reductions are part of a broader effort by the regional supermarket operator to improve its price position and compete more effectively with discount chains.

Giant Eagle, which operates stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio and surrounding states, temporarily reduced prices on approximately 300 products. The company said the reductions, scheduled to remain in effect through Labor Day, average about 10%.

Kroger has also made lower prices a central part of its strategy. The company says it is investing in its everyday prices while expanding its selection of private-label foods. Kroger executives report that store-brand sales are growing faster than sales of national brands.

Store brands gain ground

Other retailers are addressing affordability by offering consumers more private-label choices rather than simply reducing the prices of existing products.

Target plans to add 600 store-brand food and beverage products over two years. About 400 will be sold under its Good & Gather brand.

Dollar General is also adding private-label products and has promoted more than 70 back-to-school items priced at $1 or less.

Meanwhile, Aldi continues to expand its U.S. footprint. The discount grocer, where most products are private-label, is on track to open 180 stores in 2026 and another 400 through 2028.

The growth of private brands suggests that consumers shopping habits may be undergoing a lasting change.

From January through May, sales at value-oriented retailers rose 11.6% compared with a year earlier, while conventional retailers recorded growth of only 2.3%, according to NielsenIQ data cited by Reuters.

Retailers say the search for value is no longer limited to lower-income households. Middle- and higher-income shoppers are also switching to store brands or visiting discount chains as they try to control grocery spending.

The savings have limits

Consumers should examine the details before concluding that their preferred supermarket has become significantly cheaper.

Some advertised reductions apply only to selected products or stores. Others are temporary promotions or require membership in a loyalty program. A supermarket may also cut the price of highly visible staples while leaving prices unchangedor raising themelsewhere in the store.

That means the total at the bottom of the receipt is more important than the discount on any one product.

Consumers may save more by creating a list of frequently purchased items and comparing their regular prices at two or three nearby stores. Unit prices, which show the cost per ounce or pound, can also reveal whether a sale item is actually less expensive than a different package size or store brand.

Shoppers should also check whether a discount requires a digital coupon. Some supermarket promotions must be activated through an app before checkout, which can prevent consumers who dont use the app from receiving the advertised price.

Even with those limitations, the emerging grocery price competition is good news for consumers. Traditional supermarkets are under pressure to narrow the gap with Walmart, Aldi and other value retailersand shoppers willing to compare prices are in the strongest position to benefit.

The products bear an unauthorized USDA inspection mark

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Shanghai Ravioli Corporation is recalling approximately 24,900 pounds of frozen buffalo chicken products produced without federal inspection.

• The recalled Buffalo Chicken Rangoon and Benedettos Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks were sent to foodservice businesses in five New England states.

• No illnesses or injuries have been reported, but restaurants and other foodservice operators should not serve the products.

Shanghai Ravioli Corporation is recalling approximately 24,900 pounds of frozen buffalo chicken products because they were produced without the required federal inspection, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The Boston-based companys recall covers two not-ready-to-eat products:

• Cardboard boxes containing 100 pieces of BUFFALO CHICKEN RANGOON, with sell-by dates ranging from July 8, 2026, through June 29, 2027.

• Cardboard boxes containing 120 pieces of BENEDETTOS BUFFALO CHICKEN MOZZARELLA STICK, with sell-by dates ranging from July 8, 2026, through June 29, 2027.

The products were manufactured on various dates from July 8, 2025, through June 29, 2026. They were shipped to foodservice locations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

FSIS said the packages display a false USDA inspection mark bearing establishment number EST. 18004. The establishment associated with that number does not have a federal grant of inspection.

The agency discovered the problem during routine surveillance activities.

Why the lack of inspection matters

Federal inspection is intended to ensure that meat and poultry products are produced under sanitary conditions and meet labeling and food-safety requirements.

Because these products were made without that oversight, they could potentially contain harmful bacteria, undeclared allergens or other contaminants. The recall announcement did not identify a specific pathogen or report laboratory evidence that the products are contaminated.

No confirmed illnesses or injuries associated with the products had been reported when the recall was announced.

The recall has been designated Class I, the USDAs most serious classification. That designation applies when there is a reasonable probability that consuming a recalled product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

What foodservice operators should do

The products were distributed to foodservice businesses rather than identified as being sold directly through grocery stores. FSIS is concerned that some of the recalled items may still be in restaurant or institutional refrigerators and freezers.

Foodservice operators should check their inventory for the affected Buffalo Chicken Rangoon and Benedettos Buffalo Chicken Mozzarella Sticks. The products should not be cooked or served. They should be thrown away or returned to the supplier.

Anyone concerned about an illness or injury after eating one of the products should contact a health care provider.

Questions about the recall may be directed to Jordan Wu, quality control manager at Shanghai Ravioli Corporation, at 617-989-3833 or shanghaicorp@gmail.com. Consumers may also contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.

Product labels and additional information are available in the USDA recall notice.

The recalled fruit was distributed in four states

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Panorama Produce is recalling 302 boxes of Martina-brand mangoes that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

• The mangoes were sold at select Walmart stores in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

• Consumers should check for a light-blue Agrofepac sticker with PLU 4584 and dispose of or return recalled mangoes.

Panorama Produce is recalling hundreds of boxes of mangoes sold at select Walmart stores because the fruit may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recall covers 302 boxes of size-9 mangoes distributed in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania from Aug. 10 through Aug. 21, 2026, according to an announcement posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The mangoes were shipped in cases bearing the Martina brand name. Individual pieces of fruit have a light-blue sticker displaying the following information:

• Agrofepac

• Produce of Mexico

• PLU number 4584

• UPC 07503061948050

The company initiated the recall after FDA sampling detected Salmonella in mangoes grown on the same farm. The sampled fruit did not enter U.S. commerce, but because it came from the same source as the distributed mangoes, Panorama Produce voluntarily recalled the affected shipment.

No illnesses connected to the recalled mangoes had been reported when the company issued its announcement.

What to do

Consumers should check any recently purchased mangoes for the identifying sticker and numbers. Recalled fruit should not be eaten, even if it looks or smells normal. Consumers should throw it away or return it to the store where it was purchased.

People should also wash and sanitize any surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with the mangoes. Anyone who develops symptoms and believes they may have eaten recalled fruit should contact a health care provider.

Salmonella infection can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Diarrhea may sometimes be bloody. Symptoms commonly begin within several hours to several days after exposure.

Most healthy people recover without treatment, but the infection can become serious or fatal for young children, older adults, frail people and those with weakened immune systems. In rare cases, Salmonella may enter the bloodstream and cause more serious conditions, including infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis.

Consumers with questions may email Panorama Produce at information@panoramaproduce.com from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Saturday. Additional information and product photographs are available in the FDA recall announcement.

Nearly six in 10 Americans are uncomfortable discussing finances with a partner

• Nearly six in 10 Americans say theyve felt scared or embarrassed discussing finances with a partner, while 11% admit to keeping a bank account secret.

• Money worries are delaying major life decisions, as 75% say finances have caused them to postpone at least one milestone.

• Couples dont have to agree on every money decision, but shared goals, spending rules, and regular conversations can help.

You might know your partner's favorite restaurant, Netflix password, and exact coffee order. But do you know how much debt they have?

TD Bank's 2026 Love & Money Survey found 59% of Americans have felt scared or embarrassed, at least occasionally, to openly discuss their finances with a partner.

Meanwhile, 11% admit keeping a bank account hidden from those closest to them, and 75% say their finances have caused them to delay at least one major life milestone.

ConsumerAffairs talked with Marc Womack, Head of Client Experience, Strategy & Governance at TD Bank U.S., about what these numbers mean, and more importantly, what couples can actually do to keep money from becoming a constant source of conflict.

His advice starts with something surprisingly simple: Don't make your first conversation about what someone did wrong.

1. Don't start the conversation with "What did you buy?"

If your first serious money conversation starts immediately after discovering a $400 credit card charge, you're already playing from behind.

Womack recommends starting with something both people want rather than something one person did wrong.

"Rather than starting with spending habits or financial challenges, it can be helpful to start with a shared objective," he told ConsumerAffairs.

Try a question such as: "What are we working toward?" Or: "What would make us feel more confident about our financial future?"

Maybe it's eliminating $10,000 in credit card debt. Or perhaps you want $20,000 available for a home down payment. Or you simply want enough emergency savings that a broken transmission doesn't end up on a credit card.

Once you've agreed on what you want, decisions about spending and saving become less about one partner keeping track of the other's spending.

Pro tip: Have a 20-minute monthly "money date." Check your account balances, upcoming large expenses, and progress toward one shared goal. By keeping it short, and routine, you can prevent every financial discussion from becoming a major event.

2. Separate financial independence from financial secrecy

Couples don't necessarily need to combine every dollar they earn. Womack says many relationships work perfectly well with some financial independence. The problem begins when independence becomes concealment.

"The distinction often comes down to transparency and shared expectations," he said.

Debt obligations, significant purchases, and accounts that could affect shared financial goals shouldn't come as surprises. That doesn't mean your spouse needs permission every time you buy lunch. Instead, couples can establish their own financial "disclosure line."

For example, you might agree that purchases under $200 don't require a discussion, while larger purchases do. Or each person could receive a certain amount of guilt-free spending money every month.

The exact rule matters less than both people knowing what it is.

Pro tip: Once a year, exchange financial snapshots. Each person should know the household's major account balances, debts, minimum payments, insurance policies, and recurring obligations. You don't need identical spending habits, but you should both understand the household balance sheet.

3. Don't let "we can't afford it yet" become "we'll never do it"

One of the survey's biggest findings involves decisions that extend far beyond the monthly budget. Three-quarters of Americans said they've delayed at least one major life milestone because of their finances. That could include buying a home, getting married, or having children.

Sometimes waiting is absolutely the responsible financial decision. But there's a difference between delaying something because you've run the numbers, and delaying indefinitely because money makes you anxious.

"Delaying a goal doesn't necessarily mean abandoning it," Womack said.

He recommends grounding those decisions in your actual circumstances, priorities, and long-term goals rather than reacting solely to fear or uncertainty.

Turn "We can't afford a house" into something measurable: "We want $40,000 saved for a down payment and emergency fund, and we're currently at $23,000."

By thinking of it this way, you no longer have an indefinite delay. Instead, you have a $17,000 problem you can actually build a plan around.

Pro tip: Give delayed goals a "revisit date." If you've postponed buying a home, having a wedding, or making another major move, put a date six months from now on your calendar to rerun the numbers. Otherwise, temporary financial caution can quietly turn into years of waiting.

4. You don't have to agree about money but you need rules

One partner is a saver. The other thinks memories are more important than money sitting in a savings account. That doesn't necessarily make you financially incompatible.

Womack says compatibility isn't about having identical attitudes toward money. "It's about creating alignment around shared goals and expectations," he said.

He recommends three basic practices:

1. Establish common goals.

2. Make financial conversations routine.

3. Be transparent about major financial decisions.

That last point is especially important when money gets tight. If couples only discuss finances when the credit card is maxed out or an unexpected bill arrives, money naturally becomes associated with stress. Routine conversations can make it considerably less emotionally charged.

There's another reason to establish expectations early. The TD survey found 41% of Americans consider it very important that a partner be financially stable and capable of helping support the household if necessary.

Financial compatibility increasingly appears to be part of relationship compatibility.

Try the five-question money test tonight

You don't need a spreadsheet or financial adviser to figure out whether you and your partner are on the same financial page.

Sit down separately and answer these five questions:

1. How much emergency savings should we have?

2. What's our biggest financial goal for the next two years?

3. How much debt do we currently have?

4. How large can a purchase be before we should discuss it with each other?

5. What's one thing we're currently delaying because of money?

Then compare your answers.

The objective isn't to get five perfect matches. It's to discover the spots where you're operating under completely different assumptions.

Because the most dangerous money problem in a relationship may not be spending too much it may be never talking about it at all.