Can you tell the difference between potatoes @ $1/per pound and $1/5 pounds?

One is mass produced, the other from smaller farms? Also the “Bio” label.

I very much doubt I could tell the difference from look or taste.

I can tell the difference between russets @ $1/5 lbs, and yukon golds @$1/lb.

I have the luxury of being a bachelor in a city with a dozen grocery stores near my place. I have time to shop around.

Whole Foods sells the most blemish-free fancy stuff at a very high price.

The fruit & vegetable store sells slightly cosmetically damaged stuff at 50% the Whole Foods price.

My local little grocer sells the old stuff (the tomatoes are starting to wrinkle) at 25%.

Is the packaging the same? My local grocery shrink-wraps potatoes (3 to a package) and slaps a ‘organically grown’ label on it, and sells those for double the price. Could that have something to do with it?

Yes. One is more expensive than another.

Sometimes there’s a basis for prices, and sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes prices are backwards, just plain high, or a bargain.

Usually the cheaper ones come in a big bag, while the more expensive ones are sold individually.

But do they taste any different?

On average they taste the same, but you can choose really good ones if you pick individually.