BUFFALO, N.Y. — With Thanksgiving dinner prices going up reaching record highs, some stores are already promoting sales.
"This will be the highest cost Thanksgiving meal in history," retail analyst Burt Flickinger said.
Market research firm IRI predicts Thanksgiving meals will cost about 13-percent more than they did last year.
Flickinger, who is with Strategic Resource Group, said Aldi's Thanksgiving Price Rewind is bringing prices on some products down to what they were in 2019.
"Where an entire Thanksgiving meal for a family and friends could cost $30 or less, everything from the turkeys, which have the highest prices in history. Turkey prices are up over 70 percent this year because of the turkey and chicken bird flu in mainland China. Aldi bought ahead of the bird flu, so they're the low-priced leader on turkeys," Flickinger said.
He says other stores have deals to get you in the door too.
"BJ's, low price leader on gas and groceries, gives free turkeys with a $150 purchase any time between now and Thanksgiving Day. Walmart's got good deals, but Walmart's often out of stock, and Tops, and Dash's, and Market in the Square always have powerful promotional prices, and Wegmans especially on Wegmans brands," Flickinger said.
Flickinger said you can still expect acute shortages impacting everything from paper plates and napkins to canned vegetables.
"Stock up and save a week early because if you wait until a day or two before Thanksgiving, you may have the money, but there might not be products stocked on the shelves for what you want to buy," Flickinger said.