ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

American mom in London compares grocery prices between US and UK. The difference is eye-opening

She pointed out that average wages weren't very different at the time
UPDATED AUG 13, 2024
Cover image source: A trolley full of groceries in Cardiff. | Getty Images | Photo by Matthew Horwood
Cover image source: A trolley full of groceries in Cardiff. | Getty Images | Photo by Matthew Horwood

According to the latest government data, food inflation has fallen in recent weeks. However, this hasn't reduced the burden on consumers as grocery prices are still up by 25% since the pandemic, as per an Intuit Credit Karma report. While this is common across the globe, Americans seem to be feeling the heat a little more. A TikTok creator from the UK did a price comparison between grocery items in the U.K. and America and we are shocked. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai
Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai

Creator and mom Abigael Lanai (@abigaellanai) posted the video last year. Lanai, who is originally from Colorado, currently lives in London, where she shops from the popular grocery chain Sainsbury's.

In the viral video, Lanai compares the prices of everyday grocery items from the U.K. chain with the prices of the same items from King Soopers, an American store she used to visit. 

The first item in her comparison was whole milk, which Lanai got from Sansbury's for £1.65 for 2.27 liters (about half a gallon). She then converts the cost to dollars which comes out to be $1.99. However, the price of half a gallon of milk from King Soopers was about $2.49, significantly higher than the UK. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai
Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai

The next item that Lanai compares is apples. She shows that one red gala apple in the UK costs about £0.25 or $0.30. In America, the same apples were available in small and large sizes. The small went for $0.67 while the large went for $0.95, double and triple what it costs in the U.K. respectively. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai
Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai

Lanai them comes to comparing ground beef. She shows that 500g (~1.1 pound) of minced beef costs £1.99 in the UK at the time. The same item should cost about $2.40 in the US after conversion. However, to no one's surprise, the same 80% lean ground beef in the US cost $5.49 at the time. 

Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai
Screenshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai

Lastly, Lanai comes to veggies, comparing the price of a bag of carrots in the two countries. Lanai says that the item costs £0.50 in the U.K. which was about $0.60 at the time. Again, to no surprise, she shows that the same item in the US costs $1.99, or $1.39 more than the U.K.

Screeshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai
Screeshots from the video | TikTok | @abigaellanai

At the end, Lanai said that the prices may differ based on location and income disparity but she does mention that for their family, money goes a lot further in the UK.

Viewers of Lanai couldn't agree more. "I would spend maybe $500 euro a month for a family of 5 in Europe. In America I pay $900," commented user@hypercatalexis.

Screenshot from the comments | TikTok | @sofa28281
Screenshot from the comments | TikTok | @sofa28281

Meanwhile, some argued that the purchasing power of people in the two countries also varies according to the prices. "I think we need to look at this through relative purchasing power though, wages in the USA are far higher than the UK," mentioned user @beanbaginahurry.

However, Lanai clarified that the average wages did not differ by much at the time, which makes it cheaper for people in the U.K.

For more such comparisons, vlogs, and mom content follow Abigael Lanai (@abigaellanai) on TikTok.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Trump even accused the California Governor of running a drug-money laundering scheme.
4 minutes ago
The President has reportedly landed on a candidate who is close to his White House aide.
46 minutes ago
"Not very helpful with only one letter on the board, and I can’t believe we have 3 car losses in one week," a fan reacted.
8 hours ago
The guest said that his great-great-grandmother documented everything that went on back then.
19 hours ago
Fans of the show were happy with the win but not with how the game was played.
21 hours ago
Customers have been urged to destroy the affected products and ask for a refund.
23 hours ago
Powell claimed that wealthy Americans held most of the high value assets like real estate and stocks
1 day ago
The company said that affected employees will have 90 days to find a new role internally.
1 day ago
"We applaud that the federal government is providing innovative solutions for employees and families to plan for their future," BoAf stated.
1 day ago
"Twanda was caught up in the "Busy Highway" and missed out on the Mustang. She ended up with a disappointing under $15,000 in prize," a fan reacted.
1 day ago
At that point the "Abbott Elementary" star absolutely had to get the answer right.
1 day ago
It must have been a hard loss to take as he came mighty close to winning it all.
1 day ago
The affected products first went on sale in 2019, with some even sold overseas.
1 day ago
The FDA quickly took note of the matter and slapped a Class II warning on the affected products.
2 days ago
This could be good news for many who may be eligible for compensation.
2 days ago
"These actions are designed to reduce complexity, improve flexibility, and build a responsive and efficient operation," Nike stated.
2 days ago
"Amazing that she solved it before the clock even started!" a fan reacted.
2 days ago
She said that she had joined a financial company but chose to be on the set on her first day.
2 days ago
There has yet to be any reported illness from the consumption of the affected products.
2 days ago
The Social Security trust fund is running dry and before long, things may get dire.
2 days ago