Target Vs Walmart: Which Store Has The Most Affordable Deli Meat?

Deli meat is a staple of American kitchens everywhere, and if you are looking to save some money on cold cuts, Target and Walmart can both be good places to start. While you may not find the huge selection of specialty meats you'll get at some grocery stores, both big box retailers carry major deli meat brands like Hillshire Farms and Oscar Mayer, as well as their own store-branded options that are usually more affordable. But comparison shopping isn't always easy, as prepackaged deli meats come in different weights and each store carries some unique selections.

So we decided to do the work for you, comparing a few deli meats that both stores carry, along with Great Value and Good & Gather, Walmart and Target's respective store-brand options. The prices were compared at Richmond, Virginia area locations, as Virginia has some of those most average grocery prices in the country. So while the prices cited may not be exactly what you will find, the variations between the stores should be similar.

It may surprise you based on Walmart's reputation as the place to find true rock-bottom prices, but while both stores were very close in price on deli meat, Target actually had the more affordable options. There is one caveat, which is that some Walmarts have in-store deli counters, which Targets do not have, but on the pre-packed meats that both carried, Target was the narrow winner.

If you are shopping name-brand packaged deli meat brands that both stores carry, in this case, Hillshire Farms and Oscar Mayer, the two were actually identical at the locations we checked. If you want to get really technical Walmart was cheaper, but only by one cent for each product. Target's Hillshire Farm Ham was $4.49 for nine ounces, while Walmart was $4.48 for the same. The pricing comparison held the same for Hillshire Farm Turkey, as well as Oscar Mayer meats, which were $6.99 for a one pound package at Target, and $6.98 at Walmart. If you want to say Walmart was cheaper, sure, but this is a marketing gimmick and for all practical purposes this is a tie.

However, Target's store-brand Good & Gather was cheaper than Walmart's Great Value. It was still a small difference, but seven ounces of roast beef was $3.49 at Target, and $4.24 at Walmart. Nine ounces of turkey was $3.49 at Target, and $3.96 at Walmart. This roughly 50 cent price difference also held for things like pepperoni. Considering that Good & Gather is also a pretty respected brand in terms of quality, if you are going for value with packaged deli meat, the choice here is narrow, but clear. If you need some deli meat for your favorite sandwich recipes, Target is the call.