In the United States, Ralphs and Albertsons are two well-known store chains. They serve hundreds of thousands of clients each year from their more than 2,600 locations. While they both sell many of the same things, they do have some variances.
So, which of these two stores is preferable for you if you had to choose between them? Find out in this Albertsons vs. Ralphs head-to-head write-up.
Albertsons vs. Ralphs in 2023?
Albertsons vs. Ralphs – which is cheaper to shop at? Ralphs store brand items are three percent to 56 percent less expensive than Albertsons. On the other hand, Albertsons provides a more extensive product selection and higher-quality products for customers to choose from.
We compared Albertsons and Ralphs based on three crucial decision-making characteristics. These three factors include:
- Price
- Product Quality
- Product Variety
When determining where to purchase, shoppers evaluate a variety of factors. Some people value savings, while others value quality, and others value diversity. So, evaluating the stores based on these three criteria will help you determine which is the best grocer for you.
Price
When it comes to determining where to purchase, price is one of the most critical variables to consider. In general, most people choose to shop at the less expensive store or the store that offers the best “bang for their buck.”
So, which between Albertsons and Ralphs is the most affordable? Let’s find out in this chart.
| Category | Albertsons Brand | Ralphs Brand |
| Beverages | X | |
| Baking Goods | X | |
| Canned Goods | X | |
| Dairy | X | |
| Dry Goods | X | |
| Frozen Foods | X | |
| Personal Care | X | |
| Cleaners | X |
Ralphs is less expensive than Albertsons in terms of price. Ralphs is less costly in the categories of beverages, baking goods, dry goods, frozen meals, personal care, and cleaners. Only canned foods and dairy products are cheaper at Albertsons.
Ralphs appears to be anywhere from three percent to 56 percent less expensive than Albertsons.
So, if pricing is more important to you than other considerations, Ralphs is the best option.
Product Quality
Another criterion that many customers evaluate before going to a store is product quality. We looked at the FDA’s product recall database to determine which store usually stocks higher-quality items.
This database reveals which stores have had the most recent recalls. So, which of these two stores has higher-quality merchandise? Let’s check down below.
| Category | Albertsons Brand | Ralphs Brand |
| Animal & Veterinary | 0 | 0 |
| Biologics | 0 | 0 |
| Cosmetics | 0 | 1 |
| Dietary Supplements | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 0 | 1 |
| Food and Beverages | 8 | 8 |
| Medical Devices | 0 | 0 |
| Radiation Emitting Products | 0 | 0 |
| Tobacco | 0 | 0 |
Albertsons: 8 total recalls
Ralphs: 10 total recalls
According to the FDA’s website, Ralphs has had a slight disadvantage in product recalls. They had two more product recalls than Albertsons, to be exact. The majority of the recalls at Albertsons and Ralphs were in the “Food and Beverage” category.
So, if product quality is essential to you, Albertsons is probably the better store to shop at.
Product Variety
Customers take into account product variety as well. Although it may not be as important as other considerations, it does influence where people purchase. So, which of these two stores has more possibilities for you to choose from?
Albertsons and Ralphs are classified as supermarkets, which means they should sell the same types of things and have a similar number of them. Which between Albertsons and Ralphs, however, sells more?
| Total Albertsons Products | Total Ralphs Products |
| 12,000 products | 10,000 products |
Based on their websites, Albertsons appears to have more things in its stores than Ralphs. There are around 2,000 products that separate the two. While this isn’t a significant difference, it does have an impact when buying.
So, if you enjoy having more options to choose from, Albertsons is the best choice for you.
Who Is Albertsons?
Albertsons Companies, Inc., based in Boise, Idaho, is an American grocery store chain, Joe Albertson (1906-1993), started on July 21, 1939, in Boise, Idaho. Albertsons’ initial store was advertised in the Idaho Statesman newspaper in Boise as “Idaho’s largest and finest food store.”
Free parking, a money-back guarantee, and even an ice cream shop were among the many unique features of the store at the time. The first store was rebuilt multiple times until being demolished in 1979 and replaced with a new store on the same site.
The original business is commemorated with a masonry monument on the northwest corner of 16th and State Streets in downtown Boise.
Albertsons Companies is one of the leading grocery and drug stores in the United States, with a solid local and national presence. Albertsons Cos. Runs stores under 20 well-known banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, and Carrs, across 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Who Is Ralphs?
Ralphs is a Southern California-based supermarket business. It is the oldest supermarket chain west of the Mississippi River, and it is the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. Kroger also runs stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. labels in California.
George Albert Ralphs and his brother, Walter Benjamin Ralphs, started Ralphs Grocery Company in Los Angeles in 1873. They partnered up with S.A. Francis to create the Ralphs & Francis store at 5th and Hill.
Ralphs was a grocery pioneer in the 20th century offering self-service markets with checkout stands in several locations. The company hired notable architects to design its stores. The former Ralphs Grocery Store building in Westwood Village was built in 1929 and is now a Historic-Cultural Monument and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This launched The Giant, a hybrid supermarket/warehouse chain, in the 1980s, which failed, but the concept was revived when the company merged with the Food 4 Less discount chain. Ralphs was purchased by Federated Department Stores, based in Cincinnati, in 1968.
Working At Albertsons vs. Ralphs
Albertsons Companies’ brand is ranked #197 on the Global Top 1000 Brands list, according to customer feedback. When looking at social media outlets and internet mentions, Albertsons Companies has a neutral social sentiment.
On the other hand, Ralphs is ranked #- on the list, according to Ralphs employees. Their current market capitalization is $25.90 billion.
Albertsons Companies comes out on top by 4% in terms of the overall culture. Employees at Albertsons Companies give their overall culture a 64 out of 100 ratings, with HR and Product receiving the best marks.
Employees at Ralphs assessed their overall culture on a scale of one to ten, with Operations and Sales receiving the highest marks.
Gender Score
Employees at Albertsons Companies give their Gender Score a 67 out of 100, with HR and Operations ranking first and second, respectively. Ralphs employees give their Gender Score a /100. Ralphs has a 4 percent gender advantage.
Diversity Score
Employees at Albertsons Companies give their diversity experience a 64 out of 100, with Product and Sales receiving the best marks. Employees at Ralphs rate their Diversity Score a 58/100. Albertsons wins Diversity Score by 6%.
Perks and Benefits Score
Employees at Albertsons Companies give their Perks and Benefits Score a 66 out of 100, with HR and Operations ranking first and second, respectively. Employees at Ralphs give it 62 out of 100, with Sales ranking top in terms of satisfaction. Albertsons has a 4% advantage in this category.
Conclusion
According to the Shelby Report, Albertsons is the largest retailer in Southern California, with 20.6 percent of the market. Ralphs and the stores Kroger Group of Companies, including Food4Less, come in second with 18.7 percent.
Almost every grocer competes on price, convenience, service, and selection, with costs being significant in a market where companies make only a cent or two on every dollar of sales.
Which grocer should you shop at? Ralphs is your place to be if you are looking to shop at a store with lower prices. Otherwise, if you are looking for better quality products, your best choice is Albertsons.