It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for many families in the United States: heading to retailers like Walmart to stock up on cranberries, sweet potatoes and – la piece de resistance – a cult classic, the Butterball turkey.But this year, Walmart’s annual Thanksgiving meal kit has become a flashpoint over questions of inflation and economic stability under US President Donald Trump.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe Trump administration has pointed to the cost of the Walmart kit as a sign that its economic policies are taming inflation. But experts say the story is more complicated than what packages of stuffing and tinned pumpkin can tell.The retailer is advertising a lower price this year at $4 per person for 10 people compared with $7 per person for 8 people in 2024, a talking point the White House has embraced.On Friday, Trump once again pointed that out: “We’ve got [prices] way down from last year,” Trump said while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. “Walmart said that Thanksgiving this year is exactly 25 percent less than last year.”But the Bentonville, Arkansas–based retailer’s offer comes with caveats. The kit contains fewer items – 20 compared with 29 last year – and uses more generic products rather tha …
