Meijer and Walmart are great supermarkets for grocery shopping, but if you’re on a budget, you might want to know which is cheaper.
Walmart is cheaper than Meijer in every product category except beverages and dry goods. With 4700 stores in almost every US state, it is also more accessible to customers.
However, Meijer beats the retail giant regarding their product quality and paying the employees livable wages.
To make you understand better, we have written an extensive guide on which is cheaper, Meijer or Walmart, to help you decide which supermarket to visit for better and cheaper grocery choices.
Which Is Cheaper, Meijer or Walmart?
Meijer and Walmart are both prominent names that have been around in the retail industry for decades. Customers frequently visit both stores for grocery, pharmaceutical, decor, and fashion needs.
Although Meijer is a bit older than Walmart, they were founded in 1962.
While Walmart is the biggest retail store brand in the US, Meijer follows behind as the family-owned hypermarket trusted by thousands of its customers.
Although both brands strive to provide the best service, they differ from each on many levels.
Walmart is the cheaper of the two in almost every product category except dry goods and beverages. So, if you prioritize affordability above all else, you should shop at Walmart.
Depending on the frequency of your purchases, you can also buy certain products from Walmart and others from Meijer and lower your grocery costs to the max.
Other Differences Between Meijer and Walmart
There are also other differentiating factors between Meijer and Walmart besides the price. Let’s take a quick look at each of them.
1. Product Range
The range of products you’ll find at Meijer and Walmart is extensive since they are both hypermarkets and have all the items you can get from a grocery and departmental store.
However, there is only a slight difference in the product variety in both stores. Meijer has 15 categories, from healthcare and lifestyle to grocery and sporting goods.
On the other hand, Walmart offers the same product categories, with the addition of personalized photos and goods. They also have relatively bigger stores than Meijer, with more shelf space to display their large product inventory to customers.
The largest Walmart store is approximately 260,000 square feet, whereas the biggest Meijer store is only 180,000 square feet.
2. Locations
Since Walmart is a globally recognized name, there’s no surprise that it also beats Meijer regarding locations. Walmart has more than 4700 stores in every US state except Hawaii. Furthermore, they have also expanded their reach to 25 other countries.
Contrastingly, Meijer is only found in 6 mid-western US states: Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois. They operate a total of 248 stores with 70,000 employees.
3. Product Quality
Even though Walmart is the biggest retail store in the world, it’s far from being the best regarding product quality. Many customers have complained about getting goods of sub-par standards at Walmart, which is not always worth the low price.
Opposed to this, Meijer is known for having the best quality fresh produce and packaged goods. Furthermore, they can easily maintain their quality standards throughout all their supercenters, as they don’t have an excessive number of stores.
4. Employee Wages
Walmart is infamous for being one of the most low-paying retail stores in the US. As a result, their employees are not very keen on providing good customer service because they are being paid the bare minimum during a global economic recession.
Fortunately, Meijer compensates its employees well for their efforts, making them more helpful and empathic toward the customers.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have discussed which is cheaper, Meijer or Walmart. We also dived into some other differentiating factors between the two competitors.
We hope you have found your answer in this article, and you can now choose a supermarket concerning your budget, accessibility, and product quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Meijer Famous For?
Meijer is famous for the freshness of its products, especially their vegetable and meat. Not only are they high-quality, but they also don’t go bad quickly.
Who Is Meijer Owned By?
Meijer was founded in 1962 by the name “Thrifty Acres.” Over the years, it has slowly expanded. The founder’s grandsons, Hank and Doug Meijer, are now the store’s owners.
Is It Cheaper To Order Online From Walmart?
No. For many reasons, Walmart prices fluctuate, so you might find the same product sold for a different cost in-store and online.
Did Walmart Copy Meijer?
Frederik Meijer laid the foundation of supercenters in 1962, combining departmental and grocery stores. But unfortunately, this same idea was stolen by Sam Walton the same year when he opened the first “Wal-mart.”
What State Has the Most Meijer Stores?
Michigan has the most Meijer stores, with 122 out of their 248 supercenters.
