Deals 2026 vs 2025: same week, one year later
Same late August, one year apart. Same stores, same flyers, same grocery list. But what actually changed in prices?
We compared this week's flyer deals (Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2026) with the same week last year (Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2025), product by product, at the same banner. The result: 52 identical products found — and the picture is far less one-directional than you'd think.
- 20 products cost less than a year ago
- 20 products cost more
- 12 products didn't move a cent
The median change is 0%. Flyer specials don't all follow inflation — some beat it outright, others blow way past it. Here's the breakdown.
🟢 Cheaper than a year ago
| Product | Store | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli crowns | Metro | $5.00 | $2.49 | -50% |
| Carrots or yellow onions (2 lb) | Metro | $2.49 | $1.44 | -42% |
| Cara Cara oranges | Metro | $3.99 | $2.49 | -38% |
| Selection turkey breast | Metro | $2.99 | $1.99 | -33% |
| Mini carrots (454 g) | Walmart | $2.84 | $1.94 | -32% |
| Dr. Oetker Giuseppe frozen pizza | IGA | $6.99 | $4.99 | -29% |
| Seedless watermelon quarters | Metro | $1.29 | $0.99 | -23% |
| Cauliflower | Walmart | $3.76 | $2.94 | -22% |
| Carnation evaporated milk | IGA | $2.49 | $1.99 | -20% |
| Great Value smoked sausages (900 g) | Walmart | $9.97 | $7.97 | -20% |
| Cracker Barrel shredded cheese (320 g) | IGA | $6.99 | $5.97 | -15% |
| Black Diamond cheese block (400 g) | Walmart | $5.47 | $4.92 | -10% |
| Goldfish crackers | Walmart | $2.46 | $2.24 | -9% |
| Nutiva coconut oil (860 ml) | Metro | $14.99 | $13.99 | -7% |
Vegetables are the big winners: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and mini carrots are all cheaper than in August 2025 — up to 50% less for broccoli crowns at Metro. Processed staples are heading down too: Giuseppe frozen pizza at $4.99, Great Value smoked sausages at $7.97, Carnation evaporated milk at $1.99.
🔴 Pricier than a year ago
| Product | Store | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantaloupe | IGA | $1.99 | $3.99 | +100% |
| Red seedless grapes | Walmart | $2.44 | $3.84 | +57% |
| Green seedless grapes | Walmart | $2.44 | $3.44 | +41% |
| Strawberries | Walmart | $2.84 | $3.84 | +35% |
| Blackberries (170 g) | Walmart | $2.84 | $3.84 | +35% |
| Seedless watermelon (5 kg) | Walmart | $3.94 | $4.98 | +26% |
| Whole white mushrooms | Walmart | $1.97 | $2.44 | +24% |
| Mini Babybel (6-pack) | Walmart | $2.98 | $3.68 | +23% |
| The Laughing Cow (8-pack) | Walmart | $2.98 | $3.68 | +23% |
| Strawberries (1 L) | IGA | $4.99 | $5.99 | +20% |
| Philadelphia cream cheese (340 g) | IGA | $4.99 | $5.97 | +20% |
| Irresistible cream pies (830 g) | Metro | $12.99 | $14.99 | +15% |
| Mini cucumbers (397 g) | Metro | $3.49 | $3.99 | +14% |
| Lafleur bologna | IGA | $6.49 | $6.99 | +8% |
The bulk of the increases is summer fruit: grapes, strawberries, blackberries, watermelon, cantaloupe. Cantaloupe at IGA literally doubled ($1.99 → $3.99). Portioned cheese snacks (Babybel, Laughing Cow) and Philadelphia cream cheese are also up 20% or more. Block cheese, by contrast, is holding steady (below) — it's the portioned stuff that costs more.
⚪ Unchanged, to the cent
| Product | Store | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocados | Metro | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Limes (1 lb) | Super C | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Armstrong cheese block (400 g) | Walmart | $4.98 | $4.98 |
| Melt buttery sticks (454 g) | Metro | $6.49 | $6.49 |
| Kellogg's jumbo cereal | IGA | $8.99 | $8.99 |
| Eggo waffles (8-pack) | Walmart | $2.94 | $2.97 |
Two takeaways: avocados at $1.99 at Metro cost the same as 52 weeks ago, and house-brand block cheese is not moving (Armstrong 400 g at $4.98, Black Diamond 400 g actually down 10%). If you want cheap cheese, the block wins even harder this year.
What this means for your basket
- Produce specials beat inflation. Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower: all cheaper than in August 2025. Stock up on vegetables now.
- Summer fruit is the opposite. Grapes, strawberries and watermelon cost 25-57% more than last year. Buy them in small amounts, or switch to frozen fruit.
- Portioned cheese is the new trap. Babybel, Laughing Cow, Philadelphia: +20-23% in a year. House-brand block cheese is stable or down.
- Specials don't all go up. Half the products compared are at the same price or cheaper than a year ago. Shopping the flyers still pays — especially this week.
👉 See all of this week's deals
Methodology: product-by-product comparison between the specials of the week of Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2026 (W36) and the same week in 2025 (Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2025, Flipp archive). Only products with identical names at the same banner were kept (52 total), to ensure we compare the same item. Formats are listed when known; for produce sold by the piece, the comparison is on the unit price as advertised in the flyer.