The news: Several major retailers are competing to win over value-conscious Thanksgiving shoppers with low-priced holiday meal bundles.

Zooming in:

• Amazon is using a $25 Thanksgiving meal bundle to spotlight its growing online grocery business. The 15-item meal includes an 8-pound Butterball turkey, branded staples such as Stove Top stuffing, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, along with Amazon Grocery private label products including potatoes, vegetables, crescent rolls, and pumpkin puree.
• Walmart is doubling down on value with a $35 Thanksgiving meal, $5 cheaper than last year. Its 26-item bundle includes a Butterball turkey priced at 97 cents per pound—matching last year's price, its lowest since 2019—along with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and pumpkin pie with whipped topping.
• Target is offering a $30 Thanksgiving meal for six featuring nine items. The meal includes a Butterball turkey, Good & Gather potatoes, Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, Del Monte green beans, Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Stove Top stuffing.
• Aldi is pitching simplicity and affordability with a Thanksgiving meal for 10 priced under $39 that doesn’t require shoppers to use coupons, loyalty cards, memberships, or minimum purchases. The 12-item bundle includes a whole turkey, stuffing, carrots, celery, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and Hawaiian sweet rolls.
• Lidl is undercutting most rivals with a $34.40 Thanksgiving meal that serves up to 10. Its roughly 20-item bundle includes a 14-pound Shady Brook Farms turkey, Lidl-brand stuffing, Hawaiian sweet rolls, cranberry sauce, and gravy mix.

Implications for retail: Thanksgiving offers retailers an opportunity to win over value-conscious shoppers with compelling deals that could pay dividends long after the holiday passes. A low-priced meal bundle can get shoppers in the door—or onto a retailer’s website—where they may pick up additional items beyond the Thanksgiving staples.

The bigger opportunity is turning those one-time purchases into repeat business. Shoppers who are impressed by the quality, value, and convenience of their Thanksgiving purchases may be more inclined to return for their everyday grocery needs. That’s particularly important for Amazon as it looks to build awareness of its grocery offerings, while retailers like Aldi and Lidl have an opportunity to introduce their value offerings to shoppers who may not typically shop in their stores.

That said, price alone isn't enough to build lasting loyalty. Retailers need to deliver a positive shopping experience and high-quality products to show shoppers that the value they find at Thanksgiving extends throughout the year.

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