Remko Waal / EPA
US President assures that dinner costs 25% less this year. But you need to look at what’s in the basket.
The Day of Thanksgiving is getting closer. It will be on November 27th that one of the most anticipated moments of the year will be celebrated in the USA.
For many families, it is the most anticipated moment of each year but it is also a time to spend more money.
But in 2025 things are cheaper, according to Donald Trump. The US president said this week that the to have lunch will be 25% cheaper than last year.
It’s a surprising conclusion. Because, for example, going to the supermarket is 2.7% more expensive than in 2024.
The example Trump gave was the cost of a basket pre-packaged dinner Walmart, the largest supermarket chain in the USA.
“I just saw that Walmart released a statement, as they have done for many years, stating that this year’s Thanksgiving will cost 25% less than last year’s,” commented Trump this Friday, while at a press conference with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán.
But Trump’s numbers are wrong. A explains that the president is deceiving his compatriots. Even if you don’t know.
He didn’t lie about Walmart. In fact, this Thanksgiving basket will be 25% cheaper than last year.
But…what’s in the basket?
That is the essential question. You need to see what is in the basket and compare what it was a year ago.
In 2025 the basket has fewer articles and different productswhich makes it more accessible.
It’s one more strategy company to attract customers to its stores. No lying, Walmart is cheating.
According to Walmart, the 2025 food basket costs less than $40 and serves 10 people. It’s about 4 dollars per person.
In 2024, a basket for 8 people would cost approximately 56 dollars. It was less than 7 dollars per person.
But the basket is (very) different: it had 29 products last year and now it has… 15. It’s half, practically.
They took away desserts: pecan pie, mini marshmallows and muffin mix.
They took away other products: sweet potato, yellow onion and celery stalks.
Walmart too replaced some foods: instead of 12 Hawaiian sweet rolls, there are 12 dinner rolls; white label. The crispy fried onions are from Kinder’s, not French’s.
And there is still more (or less); the peru last year weighed maximum 7 kg; this time it weighs 6 kg. And instead of two, they will only receive one can of mushroom soup.
