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Basic Chip

As some who rarely buys potato chips, I have not paid attention to how they are priced these days. 

In the wake of rising potato chip prices, more consumers have been turning to private-label, less-expensive store brand options. The New York Times reported back in October 2023 that “private-label foods and beverages have crept up to a 20.6 % share of grocery dollars from 18.7% before the pandemic,” citing market research from Circana.

Potato chips are just another food item that inflation-weary consumers are either abandoning or seeking cheaper alternatives for. Consumers did the same with fast food which led to several chains, including McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy's to release their own rendition of value meals.

We do have this long-standing road-trip tradition where I'll buy a big bag of potato chips for the road if we are in a foreign country. I like picking a popular local flavor I would not find back at home. Its a way to indulge in and understand what kind of chip the locals favor. In all these years, I have never run into a bag of potato chips with a flavor that disappointed. It seems like everywhere people know how to get their potato chips to taste great. If it goes back to being the basic potato chip everywhere because consumers don't want to pay extra for favorite brand-names, our road-trip chip eating binge might suffer. 

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