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Beer pricing continues to rise at a relatively typical 1-2% clip in available CPI and tracked scan data. But new dynamics and increased promo activity leading up to Memorial Day weekend caught INSIGHTS' eye in top chains across the country. Still Some Big Walmart Rollbacks on Mich Ultra; Lower Priced Suitcases than Bud/Miller/Coors; Price Gap Shrinkin'; Ultra Avg Case Up Less Than 0.5% Walmart rollbacks are not as extensive on AB's lead growth brands Mich Ultra and Busch Light as they were last year. But Dallas, TX is a big exception, posting Ultra 24pks for $19.87, more than $4 off, and Busch Light 30pks for $18.77, $2+ off. The Ultra rollbacks have been goin' on thruout May but in this latest wk leading up to Memorial Day, Coors Light, Miller Lite and Coors Banquet 24pks were $3+ off to $18.87. Bud Light and Bud 24pks were $2-3 more than competing light lagers in these stores and not on rollback, listed at $21.96. And gotta note, Modelo Especial, Oro, and Premier were slightly lower-priced than Bud/Bud Light too, on rollback for $21.87 per suitcase. That was the least expensive Modelo Especial suitcase INSIGHTS saw.Mich Ultra's also on rollback thruout much of NC and MI Walmarts, $2+ off, listed at $20.50-$20.60, lower than Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors Light. Same goes for FL, where Mich Ultra 24pks are nearly $4.50 off to $22.37. In Huntsville, AL, Mich Ultra was nearly $4 off to $22.87 per 24pk, but Coors Light/Miller Lite and Miller Extra Light were also on sale for ~$1 less. Ultra's steeply discounted in SoCal to as low as $16.87 per case in LA, tho we also saw $18.87s. Ultra still priced above premium lights in other SoCal chains. And while NY Walmarts didn't have any brands on rollback, Mich Ultra suitcases are priced lower than Bud/Miller/Coors in Walmarts thruout. In aggregate, Mich Ultra is still higher priced than premium lights on avg as other Ultra pack sizes are still typically priced above Bud, Miller and Coors brands. But the gap keeps closing as Mich Ultra avg price per case is up less than 0.5% for its 3d year in a row in natl scans.Chicago and MI Chains Posting Some of the Steepest Discounts (Again), Plus Cincy Krogers Top Chicago chains like Jewel Osco and Binny's, and top MI-based chain Meijer consistently post some of the steepest discounts and lowest prices in the country during the holidays.In Jewel Osco, folks can buy Bud, Miller, Coors, Michelob or Yuengling 24pks for just $13.99 each when they buy two. You don't even need to buy two for top subpremium brands, with PBR, Busch Light and Miller High Life 30pks available for just $14.99. But Outlaw Light takes the cake at just $12.99 per 30pk. That had Meijer and Kroger stores in Detroit and Ann Arbor area beat, which posted Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors Light 24pks for $14.49 and Mich Ultra 24pks for $14.99 with a $5 rebate. Binny's had Miller Lite and Coors Light suitcases $5 off at $16.99 and Busch Light/Busch 30s $4 off to $16.99. But in Cincy Krogers, Rhinegeist's Cincy Light 24pks also dropped all the way to $13.99 per suitcase with a $10 rebate. That's $5 lower than Bud/Miller/Coors and $12 below Mich Ultra suitcases there.Among higher-end brands, Suntory's -196 RTDs were available for just $1.96 per 8pk with a $12 rebate at Jewel Osco in Chitown. Krogers in MI posted Twisted Tea/Sam Summer 12pks and Sun Cruiser 8pks for just $6.99 with a $10 rebate. Buy two Blue Moon, Leinie, Stella or Seagram's Escapes 12pks back at Jewel Osco and pay just $8.99 each. While $6.99-8.99 was the cheapest RTD spirits 8pk price points INSIGHTS found across the country (excluding -196), in San Fran/Oakland Safeways, High Noon 8pks are $12.99 when you buy two. One buck lower than High Noon and Carbliss 8pks at Jewel Osco, $13.99 each when buying two. At Chicago Binny's, Long Drink 8pks were $12.99 each and Suntory's -196 8pks were $11.99, $7 off. Most other spirit RTD 8pks on sale were in the $14.99-$16.99 range.Then too, Southern Tier's Overpack'd 15pk was more than half off at $9.99 in Binny's stores. Several other craft, FMB and import packs were steeply discounted with Twisted Tea, Lagunitas, Founders and Sapporo typically going lowest, $13.99 per 12pk or $14.99 per 15pk. There was just one hemp THC bev on sale at Binny's this yr, LoDo peach tea 4pks for $10.99, and only one other brand, Trail Magic, listed at all. Far fewer than this time last yr.Heineken 0.0, Landshark and Shock Top on BOGO in Publix; Kona Big Wave & Cayman Jack Steep Discounts in FL Walmarts; Subpremium 4pk Push Earlier this mo, Goose Island Beer Hug 6pks were on BOGO thruout FL in Publix, the only BOGO brand fam INSIGHTS found. But that switched over for the holiday weekend to 6pks of Heineken 0.0 and its new flavored variants, Landshark Lager 12pks and Shock Top Belgian White/Seasonal 6pks (same in SC too). Gotta note, Heineken USA brands were on sale more prevalently in this holiday period than INSIGHTS has typically seen, with larger packs of Heineken Original and Tecate, Dos Equis 12pks and 6pks of Heineken 0.0 seen most frequently on sale.Across FL Walmarts, Kona Big Wave 12pks got some of the biggest % discounts of any brand on rollbacks at just $11.87 each, $8.25 off. Cayman Jack was the only other FL brand to see similarly steep discounts statewide, down to $11.42 per 12pk. Tho in Tampa stores, Cigar City Jai Alai 6pks were nearly $5 off at $7.42 each, partly explaining why Cigar City sales suddenly surged up strong double-digits in recent periods, listed as a top growth brand in NIQ data. And newer subpremium 4pk 16oz cans push was on display thruout the state, frequently posting 4pks of AB, MC and Pabst subpremium brands for anywhere between $5.42 and $6.12 per pack depending on the brand.

Memorial Day Deals: 2026 Walmart Rollbacks, Ultra vs Premium Light Price Gap, Cos Rampin' Up Promo Activity

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