Newschannel9’s story on the costs of Thanksgiving quoted CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall:
University of Tennessee Chattanooga Director of the Center for Regional Economic Research Howard Wall says it all depends on what families buy and where they shop.
“If I went to a different store, I could maybe find a cheaper Thanksgiving. I’m seeing studies where it’s up a few percent or down a few percent. So it really depends on where you are and where you where you shop. On average, it’s probably about flat.”
Wall says some studies compare generic or store-brand items, which can make Thanksgiving costs look lower than what shoppers actually pay for name-brand products.