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Dollar Tree made its name by, well, selling things for a dollar—but its claim to fame isn’t what it used to be. In late 2021, the discount chain drastically increased its base price to $1.25. Now, Dollar Tree is set to raise prices on some items even more, raising the “price ceiling” for its products from $5 to $7 through 2024.
“This year, at 3,000 stores, we expect to expand our multi-price assortment to more than 300 items at price points from $1.50 to $7,” Dollar Tree CEO Rick Dreiling said in an earnings call on March 13. (Dreiling added that an increase to $10 is not out of the question in the coming years.) And while the brand has not announced a specific date for the increases of this price, consumers say there are signs that they are approaching.
For Dollar Tree shoppers, the most actionable takeaway is this: Stock up on $1.25 purchases while you can. To that end, here are four items you should buy at Dollar Tree now, before this year’s price increases take effect.
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As of this writing, Dollar Tree has not said which specific items are slated for price increases. And retail experts Best Life reached declined to comment.
But Dreiling mentioned a number of product categories during Dollar Tree’s earnings call that give some indication of the types of products that will be more expensive. Chief among them? Pet food and toys.
“Our shoppers will find a $5 bag of dog food next to our traditional $1.25 pet and toys,” said Dreiling.
Right now, pet food—whether it’s 9 Lives chicken-and-tuna-flavored pate for cats or Nature’s Corner “country chicken stew” for dogs—is $1.25 total, according to the chain’s website . According to the pet experts at Rover, canned pet food can last up to three years before going bad, so it doesn’t hurt to stock up now.
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In addition to pet food, human food is also targeted for price increases, Dreiling said on the earnings call. Although he did not name any specific products, he did mention candy and snacks broadly. Good thing the candy can last six months or longer, depending on the conditions in which you store it, according to a report from Virginia Tech.
The increase in the cost of food should not come as a big surprise: The American economy has been defined by inflation for the past several years, with food bearing its brunt. And while the inflation rate is going down, it won’t go away forever.
According to figures from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), food prices rose 4.5 percent between Feb. 2023 and Feb. 2024, and is targeted to increase by a total of 2.5 percent throughout 2024.
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Dreiling said drinks will be more expensive this year at Dollar Tree, but declined to say which brands or even types of drinks would see price increases.
Reports from Dollar Tree regulars, however, suggest that sodas from third-party retailers are at least a likely target. A Dollar Tree shopper said in a March 2024 Reddit thread that liter-sized Coke products had jumped from $1.25 to $1.75 at their local branch.
Around the same time, a Dollar Employee made the same claim in a separate Reddit post.
With that in mind, it doesn’t hurt to stock up on drinks with a long shelf life (like the nine-month window beyond the expiration date for sodas, according to the USDA). However, we cannot endorse buying juice or milk in bulk.
The last type of product Reilling mentioned on the earnings call? “Personal care.”
And yes, that’s an almost ridiculously broad category. For example, Dollar Tree’s website lists everything from soap and razors to combs, baby oil, and even clothing in its “personal care” section.
For the most part, you are in the clear of buying many of these items in bulk. (Baby oil lasts three years.) But if you’re not sure about anything, choose the outfit: Sandals and socks never go out of style—as long as you don’t wear them.
