"Facing falling consumer confidence and widespread concern about inflation, President Donald Trump said a Walmart Thanksgiving dinner package shows his policies are lowering prices. Trump used the talking point in a Nov. 10 interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham. Days earlier, Trump referred to Walmart during a Nov. 6 dinner with Central Asia leaders, and said, "When you look at a 25% reduction in costs for Thanksgiving between Biden and me ... that's a tremendous number.""
"This year, Walmart is advertising a package of Thanksgiving dinner ingredients for $40. That is $15 less than the Thanksgiving grocery package it promoted in 2024. But the 27% price drop is not from lower-priced goods. It's because some items were removed or downsized from the 2025 dinner promotion. Even so, a retail expert warned against relying on one large retailer's prices to tell a broader story."
A Walmart Thanksgiving dinner package is advertised at $40 in 2025, $15 less than the package promoted in 2024, representing a 27% reduction. The price decline stems from removal or downsizing of items in the 2025 promotion rather than across-the-board lower-priced goods. Some food items were added in 2025 while other items were omitted. Retail experts warn that a single large retailer's promotional pricing can reflect marketing strategy, loss-leader pricing or attempts to court inflation-weary shoppers, not a general decline in wholesale or grocery prices. Relying on one promotion can misrepresent broader inflation trends.
Read at Poynter
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