Business & MarketsBreakingUpdated 2 hr ago

Walmart unveils $35 Thanksgiving meal basket, says it has 18% more items

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, mostly left-leaning (67%).

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Walmart said on Wednesday that its Thanksgiving holiday meal basket costs $35, or $3.50 per person, and feeds 10 people. The company says the basket includes 18% more items than last year and costs 12% less than those same items did last year, and that it is the lowest price in the basket’s history. Walmart is offering free express delivery on the basket through November 30, and the basket is available in stores or online through Christmas Eve. According to the New York Post, the Butterball turkey in the basket is priced at 97 cents per pound, the same price as last year.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

New to Mantle? It shows who is covering each story across the political spectrum, and highlights loaded words. How to read a storyHide the guide

The coverage spectrum counts the outlets covering a story at each of five points. A short or missing segment means that part of the spectrum is mostly quiet.

Governor Loaded verb“slams”It adds drama to what was said. The governor criticized the lawmakers; “slams” makes it sound like a fight.More neutral: criticizes lawmakers over budget delay

Highlights mark words that carry a judgement. Tap one to see why, and what a neutral writer would say. Here it is “criticizes”.

The 5-point spectrum

Far Left
Voices that strongly advocate for progressive policies and systemic change.
Left
Mainstream liberal perspectives focusing on social equality and regulation.
Center
Sources that prioritize neutral reporting and balanced viewpoints.
Right
Mainstream conservative perspectives focusing on market freedom and tradition.
Far Right
Voices that strongly advocate for conservative values and limited government.

How we measure bias

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

Walmart says its holiday meal basket costs $35, or $3.50 per person, and feeds 10 people.
Reported byLeft2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
Business Insider, CBS News
Right
New York Post
Walmart says the basket has 18% more items than last year and costs 12% less than those same items did last year.
Reported byLeft2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
Business Insider, CBS News
Right
New York Post
Walmart says the basket is the lowest price in its history.
Reported byLeft2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
Business Insider, CBS News
Right
New York Post
Walmart is offering free express delivery on the basket through November 30.
One side only: the leftReported byLeft2See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
Business Insider, CBS News
The basket is available in stores or online through Christmas Eve.
Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
Left
CBS News
Right
New York Post
The Butterball turkey in the basket is priced at 97 cents per pound, the same price as last year.
One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three outlets report Walmart’s $35 basket for 10 people, 18% more items and a 12% lower price than last year, citing company statements. The left-side outlets frame it as a shopper guide and the right-side outlet as a record-low price and a discount aimed at cash-strapped families.

the left
2 outlets
Headlines are product-focused, asking what is in the basket or how it compares with rival retailers’ meal deals, and state the price without adjectives.
What's in Walmart's $3.50 per person "holiday meal basket"?
CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines
the center
No coverage yet
No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
the right
1 outlet
Headline leads with a record-low price and a cut, using “slashes” and “lowest price ever” to frame the basket as a discount for cash-strapped families; only one right-side outlet is present.
Walmart Loaded verb“slashes”Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.More neutral: cutsDisagree with this highlight? Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever
New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Left1
critical choice
Center
Has not covered this story.
Right2
cash-strapped Americansslashes

In the outlets’ own words

Sensational language
critical choiceMore neutral: choice
Presents a routine holiday shopping decision as high-stakes without evidence of that stakes.
Americans once again face a critical choice this November: where to get their Thanksgiving dinner supplies.
Used byBusiness Insider (Left)
Loaded modifier
cash-strapped AmericansMore neutral: shoppers
Labels shoppers as short of money in a way the reported facts do not establish for all of them.
…person — its lowest price yet as the discount retailer attempts to win over cash-strapped Americans.
Used byNew York Post (Right)
Loaded verb
slashesMore neutral: cuts
Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.
Walmart slashes Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever
Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

basket contents
comparison with other retailers
per-person price
free delivery

See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

CBS NewsLeft
What's in Walmart's $3.50 per person "holiday meal basket"?
Walmart touts its holiday dinner kit this year as offering more food for less money. Read on to see what items are included in the meal.
4 hr agoRead at CBS News (opens in a new tab)
Business InsiderLeft
Walmart just shared its Thanksgiving menu. Here's how it compares to other retailers.
Walmart's holiday meal basket has more items and costs less than last year's offering, plus the company will deliver it for free.
8 hr agoRead at Business Insider (opens in a new tab)

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

record-low price
value for cash-strapped families
Butterball turkey price unchanged

Leaves out

comparison with rival retailers’ baskets

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the rightHide the headlines

New York PostRight
Walmart Loaded verb“slashes”Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.More neutral: cutsDisagree with this highlight? Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever
The Holiday Meal Basket can feed 10 people and includes 26 items – an 18% increase over last year.
2 hr agoRead at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

Left
First to report
Business Insider, Oct 28, 7:00 AM EDT
Center
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
Right
6 hr 16 min later
Its first report, Oct 28, 1:16 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order

Business InsiderLeftOct 28, 7:00 AM EDT
CBS NewsLeftOct 28, 11:21 AM EDT
New York PostRightOct 28, 1:16 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Walmart unveils $35 Thanksgiving meal basket, says it has 18% more items

Coverage spectrum

Key points

Compare views

the left

the center

the right

Language to notice

In the outlets’ own words

Side by side

From the left

What's in Walmart's $3.50 per person "holiday meal basket"?

Walmart just shared its Thanksgiving menu. Here's how it compares to other retailers.

From the center

From the right

Walmart Loaded verb“slashes”Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.More neutral: cutsDisagree with this highlight? Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever

How the coverage built up

Read next

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Key points

Compare views

the left

the center

the right

Language to notice

In the outlets’ own words

Side by side

From the left

What's in Walmart's $3.50 per person "holiday meal basket"?

Walmart just shared its Thanksgiving menu. Here's how it compares to other retailers.

From the center

From the right

Walmart slashesLoaded verb“slashes”Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.More neutral: cutsDisagree with this highlight? Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever

How the coverage built up

Read next

Cruise ship suspends round-the-world voyage in Cambodia, stranding about 200 passengers

Apple unveils its first touchscreen laptop, a MacBook Pro with a touch display

High-speed trains collide in central Spain, killing dozens

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers, dies at 96

Texas man deported to Ghana says he was then sent to Mali; DHS responds to CBS report

Walmart Loaded verb“slashes”Uses a dramatic verb for a routine price reduction where a plain verb would state the same fact.More neutral: cutsDisagree with this highlight? Thanksgiving meal deal to $3.50 a person — its lowest price ever