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Walmart Expects Smaller Turkeys To Be In Higher Demand This Thanksgiving

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Smaller turkeys, boneless breasts and more ham is expected to be on dinner tables this Thanksgiving.

American Thanksgiving Dinner
Cooked turkey in roasting pan with meat thermometer during the preparation of a traditional American Thanksgiving holiday meal, San Ramon, California, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

As with everything else this year, Walmart and Butterball is expecting the traditional Thanksgiving dinner to look a little different because of the ongoing pandemic and efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Butterball has found number of people who plan to host a big Thanksgiving gathering has dropped to 26% this year, down from 30% during a typical year, Walmart said, and those who plan to celebrate only with immediate family has gone up to 31% from 21% during a typical year.

Because of shoppers' changing habits, Walmart says it will sell a wider range of turkey products in advance of Thanksgiving this year. The retail giant says they'll still have plenty of whole birds in stock, but will increase its offerings of bone-in and boneless turkey breasts by 20-30% at its stores across the country. They also plan to begin its turkey sales earlier in the season, on Nov. 2.

Walmart also said ham sales continued to peak from Easter into summer, so they plan to also increase their inventory of ham for Thanksgiving.

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