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February was a month of diverging grocery bills in the Portland area — and where you shop may have made a bigger difference than anything else.
This is now our seventh month of tracking 20 grocery staples across 20 Portland-area stores (previously 21). Seven months of data shows a pattern that a single snapshot can't capture: the stores you shop at matter exponentially more than national trends, seasonal sales cycles, or any coupon code. February's data reinforces this sharply.
Shoppers at budget-focused stores like Grocery Outlet and Costco likely saw lower prices last month, as the 20-item total basket price for this group tracked by Stumptown Savings dropped by an average of $2.02, or 3.3%, compared to January (though WinCo’s prices rose slightly). Shoppers at conventional mid-tier chains had the opposite experience: The group including Albertsons, Fred Meyer, QFC, Safeway and Trader Joe's posted the sharpest price increases of any group, with the average basket jumping $5.30 — a 7.9% month-over-month increase — to an average total basket price of $72.13.
Portland's grocery price changes varied significantly by store category last month.
From January to February 2026, prices mostly rose across groups, with Budget Champions dipping.
Editor's note: The Portland Price Tracker is a monthly feature documenting shelf prices of 20 grocery staples across 20 Portland-area stores. Prices are collected during a single week each month. See full methodology at the bottom.
Why I’m Opening This Month's Portland Price Tracker To Everyone
Last month, The Oregonian ran a single-snapshot price comparison — the kind of story that gets attention but doesn't actually show you how Portland grocery prices move. That's not criticism; that's just how one-off journalism works.
What I do here is different: seven months of tracking, 20 items, 20 stores. I do it every month. And every month, it takes serious time — data collection, store visits, verification, analysis.
This month, I’m opening the full tracker to everyone. Not because I’m trying to prove a point, but because I want you to see exactly what goes into this kind of work. If you've found it useful, consider joining the Savers Club. Members get access to the monthly Portland Price Tracker updates, exclusive guides and resources, and the confidence that comes with knowing I’m doing this work with you in mind.
Do You Find Value In These Monthly Price Tracker Updates?
The Biggest Movers
Among individual stores, Safeway and Basics Market posted the steepest increases: Safeway's tracked basket rose $14.37 (21.7%) to $80.57 — the largest dollar increase among conventional chains. Basics Market climbed $22.63, or 20.9%, to $130.74, though a significant portion of that swing was driven by product substitutions (see methodology note below).
Trader Joe's also saw a notable jump of $9.08, or 12.7%, to $80.52 — again, partially driven by a substitution (vegetable oil ran out; olive oil was recorded instead).
On the other side of the ledger, New Seasons dropped $7.62 (6.9%) to $102.43, Grocery Outlet fell $6.45 (9.7%) to $59.82, and Chuck's Fresh Markets decreased $4.53 (4.9%) to $87.13.
Safeway’s dramatic February spike in prices wasn’t tied to a price jump in any single item,, instead nearly everything tracked for Safeway saw a price increase during our price tracking in February 2026.
Top Increases
Store | January 2026 | February 2026 | Change | % Change |
Basics Market | $108.11 | $130.74 | +$22.63 | +20.9% |
Safeway | $66.20 | $80.57 | +$14.37 | +21.7% |
Trader Joe's | $71.44 | $80.52 | +$9.08 | +12.7% |
Top Decreases
Store | January 2026 | February 2026 | Change | % Change |
New Seasons | $110.05 | $102.43 | -$7.62 | -6.9% |
Grocery Outlet | $66.27 | $59.82 | -$6.45 | -9.7% |
Chuck's Fresh Markets | $91.66 | $87.13 | -$4.53 | -4.9% |
Note: Sheridan Fruit Co., tracked through January, permanently closed before February's survey. The index now covers 20 stores.
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The Substitution Problem
The most important caveat in this month's data: product substitutions drove several of the largest price swings, and readers should weigh those figures accordingly.
When an item is out of stock, the closest substitute is recorded instead — which can dramatically inflate or deflate month-over-month changes. Two examples from February illustrate the issue clearly:
Basics Market's tracked oil leapt from $8.24 to $28.49 because the February product was organic, while January's was not.
Grocery Outlet saw the reverse: its oil price dropped from $16.08 to $7.09 after standard 2-liter bottles returned to shelves, eliminating the need to track extra virgin olive oil used in January.
These substitutions are flagged in the full data. Readers comparing individual store totals month-over-month should factor this in.
The Long View: August 2025 – February 2026
Since August 2025, sugar and chicken prices swing the most, coffee trended upward, and eggs and cheese drifted downward — great context for budgeting grocery trips in the coming weeks and months. For shelf-stable items, stock up when they’re on sale to avoid feeling price crunches.
Pulling back to last August, the six-month picture complicates any simple narrative about rising grocery prices. Some stores absorb inflation quietly. Others have actually cut prices.
The most dramatic shift belongs to QFC, which has lowered its tracked basket price by more than $8 since August — dropping from $80.30 to $72.04 — moving it much closer to the budget tier. Fred Meyer and WinCo have held their prices relatively steady over the same period, making them reliable benchmarks in a volatile market.
Where to Find the Lowest Prices
For shoppers willing to make more than one stop, here are the current lowest tracked prices in the Portland area (based on the February 2026 data):
Conventional items
Apples: $0.94/lb. — Walmart
Bananas: $0.50/lb. — Walmart or WinCo
Onions: $0.59/lb. — Barbur World Foods
Chicken breasts: $2.48/lb. — WinCo
Ground beef (80/20): $5.00/lb. — Grocery Outlet
Eggs (large, cage-free, dozen): $1.79 — Grocery Outlet
All-purpose flour (5 lb.): $1.97 — Walmart
Sugar (4 lb.): $2.97 — Walmart
Pasta sauce (24 oz.): $1.67 — Fred Meyer or QFC
Organic items
Apples: $1.39/lb. — Natural Grocers
Russet potatoes (5-lb. bag): $6.45 — Natural Grocers
Milk (1 gallon): $7.49 — Whole Foods
Flour (5 lb.): $4.17 — Costco
Sugar (4 lb.): $8.98 — Trader Joe's
The Bottom Line
February's data reinforces a pattern that has held across this tracker's seven months of data: the stores you shop at matter more than any coupon or loyalty program. Budget-tier stores are getting cheaper. Conventional chains are getting more expensive. The gap between them is growing.
The most straightforward strategy for stretching a grocery budget right now: use a Budget Champion for a monthly stock-up on shelf-stable items, and shop produce and proteins more selectively week-to-week. As always, use the weekly Stumptown Savings Thursday deals roundups to find the best sales each week and strategically plan your shops accordingly.
The Data
Want to see the store-by-store, item-by-item data yourself?
Methodology
Prices reflect shelf prices collected during the third week of February 2026. This tracker follows 20 standardized staples across 20 stores in the Portland metro area. Stores are grouped into four categories: Budget Champions, Conventional Contenders, Premium Grocers, and Specialty Stores & Co-ops.
When stores verify that online prices match in-store prices, online pricing is used for logistical reasons. Stores that do not publish prices online — or do not honor online prices in-store — are visited in person.
Prices for all stores are recorded within a two-day window. When a tracked item is out of stock, the closest available substitute is recorded and flagged, or if no alternative exists the previous month’s price is carried forward.
Support Independent Reporting For a Smarter Kitchen
Each month, I track the prices of 20 grocery staples at 20 Portland-area stores. From Alberta Co-op to Zupan’s Markets, and everything in-between. It’s all part of my larger mission to help you shop smarter. Independent reporting like this takes time and money. Stores don’t work with me, so you know my reporting isn’t influenced by them. If Stumptown Savings helps you shop smarter, join the Savers Club today. Not only will you get the satisfaction of knowing you support this work, you’ll also unlock members-only perks like event invites, seasonal produce guides, a quarterly zine, and more.
Happy saving!
Bryan,
Stumptown Savings
Remember, everyone who refers at least one new subscriber this month is entered into a drawing for a $25 grocery gift card. What are you waiting for? Start spreading the word about Stumptown Savings today for a chance to win!
