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At Giant Food in Birch & Broad, some promotions that appear to offer substantial savings become far less clear under closer inspection. Confusing comparisons, inconsistent unit prices, digital-coupon restrictions and mismatched labels can make it difficult for shoppers to determine whether they are getting a deal.

The concerns come as high grocery prices push families to scrutinize every purchase. Giant remains a major Mid-Atlantic grocer, with a 2023 industry report listing $6.38 billion in sales across 161 stores.

Comparisons That Don’t Easily Compare

In the frozen section, a “Compare and Save” display claimed shoppers could save $3.80 by choosing Giant’s self-rising four-cheese pizza over a DiGiorno product supposedly priced at $9.49.

However, the DiGiorno pizza displayed nearby did not appear to cost $9.49 and carried its own “Low Price” sticker. The labels also lacked readily comparable per-pound pricing, leaving shoppers without an easy way to verify the advertised savings.

Packaging created an even larger price difference for shallots. Giant’s packaged pairs were marked at $10.61 per pound, while loose shallots nearby cost $3.49 per pound. The packaged option was more than three times as expensive.

Several other promotions used unit prices that offered little help. Orbit Sweet Mint gum was listed at $13.27 per 100 pieces, although each package contained 14 pieces. Farm-raised Atlantic salmon portions were marked down from $13.98 to $11.18, but the unit measurement was listed as a count of one rather than a price per pound.

A Hamburger Helper promotion advertised savings of $1.58 on two boxes while showing a unit-price range of $4.21 to $6.27 per pound. Fine print said the savings, non-card price and unit price varied according to the variety and package size. The “Prices Dropped. Deal Locked.” offer was scheduled to expire Aug. 14, 2025.

Keebler Club Crackers carried another broad unit-price range, from $3.50 to $6.76 per pound. Such ranges make direct comparisons difficult for customers trying to identify the least expensive option.

Digital Deals Come With Conditions

A promotion for Northwestern cherries advertised a reduction from $5.99 to $2.99 per pound, but the lower price required more than selecting the fruit and checking out.

Shoppers had to obtain a digital coupon through Giant’s app and spend at least $25 in a single qualifying transaction between July 11 and July 17. Several purchase categories were excluded, and the cherry discount was limited to five pounds.

Those requirements can put the advertised price out of reach for customers who do not use smartphones or Giant’s app. They also make the actual cost of receiving the discount harder to assess at a glance.

Labels and Products Don’t Always Match

In the meat department, a sign advertised 25% off beef kabobs, but the product placed with it was Brazilian-style steakhouse beef petite sirloin. The displayed package cost $15.20 at $12.99 per pound.

That mismatch could leave hurried shoppers believing the discount applied to a product that was not actually covered by the sign.

Other labels relied on broad claims rather than measurable savings. A Hershey’s milk-chocolate bar with almonds, for example, carried a “Low Price” label at $2.79 without offering a comparison or previous price.

Lindt Excellence dark-chocolate bars were promoted through a buy-one-get-one offer based on a listed price of $4.89 each. The pricing raised questions about whether the regular price had increased before the promotion, although the available information did not establish when or why the price changed.

The store did receive credit for labeling products from Black-owned businesses and identifying vegan items. Its promotional signs also appeared largely current: among hundreds examined, only one expired discount sticker was found.

Some mismatches may have resulted from ordinary stocking or labeling errors. Still, taken together, the examples show how packaging, unit measurements, fine print and product placement can obscure the true value of a grocery promotion—even at a store whose employees are described as attentive and friendly.