'Big difference': Thanksgiving staple seeing major price drop at the grocery store before holiday

Turkey prices down ahead of Thanksgiving CTV’s Jeff Keele has more on the price of the price of turkey and how it has dropped ahead of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving shoppers will have something to be thankful for this year.

While the focus for much of the year has been the rising cost of food, this Thanksgiving, there are deals to be had for the main course – the turkey.

Kianna Green was out shopping for some groceries Friday and said she found a turkey for $25.

"Big difference. Honestly, last year I think it was double the price," said Green. "So I think the prices are pretty good this year."

Ed Cantor of Cantor's Meats said he has a large supply of turkeys at his store and they are flying off the shelves at a dollar cheaper per pound compared to last year.

"A dollar per pound is huge. It adds up on a 15-pound (turkey). That's $15 in your pocket so you can buy other groceries with that," said Cantor.

Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, said frozen birds have been cheaper, as well as some vegetables.

"Since Oct. 4, we were seeing some mega deals," said Charlebois.

He noted some of the deals could be strategic, a way for grocers to get people in the store to buy other Thanksgiving staples like stuffing and cranberries.

He said they may be trying to get back customers who have been forced to shop around because of high food costs, and some stores are even selling items at a loss to get people through the doors.

"They miss our loyalty. We're not loyal anymore, we're not loyal because we're bargain hunters," said Charlebois.

Green said she was worried heading into the weekend about what Thanksgiving was going to cost her.

"I was surprised," she said. "I think it's great because, around these times, everybody wants to be able to afford to provide for their families and partake in Thanksgiving."