Walmart cuts holiday meal basket to $3.50 per person, its lowest price since 2022 launch
Photo: CBS NewsWalmart said Wednesday that its Holiday Meal Basket, which feeds 10 people, will cost $35, or $3.50 per person, the lowest price since the program launched in 2022. The basket includes 26 items, from a Butterball turkey and stuffing to mini marshmallows, and Walmart says it holds 18% more items than last year while costing 12% less. Shoppers can buy it in stores or online through Christmas Eve, and Walmart is offering free express delivery through Nov. 30. The company cited internal survey data showing that consumers are seeking lower prices.
Left-leaning coverage, led by CBS News, opens with the $3.50 price and a Walmart statement, then sets it against inflation, citing a CBS News Price Tracker figure that food prices rose 2.5% through September and Federal Reserve data showing grocery food costs up more than 30% since 2020. Its headline is a question that focuses on what the basket contains, and it lists its 17 products. It does not quote Walmart executives. Right-leaning coverage, led by the New York Post, calls it a "slashed" deal at the "lowest price ever" and frames it as Walmart trying to win over cash-strapped Americans. It features a quote from David Guggina, president and CEO of Walmart US, about helping families without stretching budgets, and notes the turkey's price is unchanged from last year "even as Americans complain of stubborn inflation." It does not cite the CBS inflation figures. Both sides agree on the price, item count and delivery offer. Reuters, the alternative source, matches on the price and the 2022 comparison, but only a short excerpt was available.
How the sides differ Left sources stress food-price inflation and contents; right sources stress the low price and Walmart's appeal to cash-strapped shoppers.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
Leads with the $3.50 price and Walmart's statement, then places it against food-price inflation data and lists the basket's contents under a question headline.
Reuters leads with the $3.50 price and its status as the lowest since the 2022 launch, though only a brief excerpt was available.
Leads with a "slashed" headline and "lowest price ever" claim, features CEO David Guggina's quote, and highlights the unchanged turkey price amid inflation complaints.