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I don't think there is anything wrong with shopping at Whole Foods. I have found that a lot of people that I know who shop there make comments toward others (like me) who don't shop there. I've heard a lot of comments about how I can't possibly be buying healthy or good foods at Walmart or Food Lion when that isn't true at all. Obviously, my experience isn't everyone else's, and I'm not implying that all people who shop at Whole Foods are that way.
Thank you for that. I'm sorry that your acquaintances are such boors.
But I don't think Whole Foods Market is a joke. Far from it. It's a serious business, with $5 billion in yearly gross profit (as of September 18, 2014).
Gross profit doesn't establish legitimacy to me... look how much the porn industry makes. But I'm not implying that Whole Foods is offering anything like porn, and I do see your point. "Joke" was probably not the right word. I just meant that their prices seem inordinately high overall and to me 'organic', or whatever other labels they stick on their products, does NOT necessarily mean healthy, and therefore does not justify the cost. TO ME. I'm sure there are things worth buying there though... we don't have one near us these days, so it's a non-issue.
Trader Joe's, on the other hand, offers food that just tastes GOOD, often for less than than what you'd pay for lower-quality, bigger-brand items in a typical grocery store. It doesn't really market itself as 'health food' at all but they offer a lot of quality products so people tend to perceive it that way, for good or bad. They do market themselves has having great prices, which is true...
Our Story | Trader Joe's
"It’s not complicated. We just focus on what matters — great food + great prices = Value."
That said, we don't do all our shopping at TJ's, or any other place. Ours is a combination of King Soopers, WalMart, Vitamin Cottage, TJ's, Safeway, a local Food Mart, and even Amazon. They all have pros and cons... So we get what we need from wherever we can get the best value as circumstances permit (convenience plays a role too of course). Fortunately we don't need to spend the big bucks at whole food because we have what we feel is a better alternative in our immediate area.
Gross profit doesn't establish legitimacy to me... look how much the porn industry makes. But I'm not implying that Whole Foods is offering anything like porn, and I do see your point. "Joke" was probably not the right word. I just meant that their prices seem inordinately high overall and to me 'organic', or whatever other labels they stick on their products, does NOT necessarily mean healthy, and therefore does not justify the cost. TO ME. I'm sure there are things worth buying there though... we don't have one near us these days, so it's a non-issue.
Trader Joe's, on the other hand, offers food that just tastes GOOD, often for less than than what you'd pay for lower-quality, bigger-brand items in a typical grocery store. It doesn't really market itself as 'health food' at all but they offer a lot of quality products so people tend to perceive it that way, for good or bad. They do market themselves has having great prices, which is true...
Our Story | Trader Joe's
"It’s not complicated. We just focus on what matters — great food + great prices = Value."
That said, we don't do all our shopping at TJ's, or any other place. Ours is a combination of King Soopers, WalMart, Vitamin Cottage, TJ's, Safeway, a local Food Mart, and even Amazon. They all have pros and cons... So we get what we need from wherever we can get the best value as circumstances permit (convenience plays a role too of course). Fortunately we don't need to spend the big bucks at whole food because we have what we feel is a better alternative in our immediate area.
TJs is opening a store near me. I am looking forward to it.
Many consumers believe that GMOs are harmful, even in the face of 2,000 scientific studies that have found them to be safe. Whole Foods is the biggest source of non-GMO products, and profits greatly from this irrational fear. I don't even think they believe that GMO products are harmful.
Europe has banned GMO foods, so I wouldn't assume that authorities in all those countries are irrational. On the contrary, I would tend more to conclude that many Americans aren't able to assess issues like this objectively, because of the corporate dominance of the economy and media, resulting in a skewing of the "facts" available to the public, i.e. propaganda posing as scientific reports and "objective" news articles. Same with Global Warning. Corporate interests have a very strong influence over the media.
My problem with Walmart is they take jobs away from the middle class. And I'm not just referring to union retail jobs (though those too), but they also tie a noose around the necks of distributors, truckers and wholesalers. They practice predatory pricing to drive out competition so that they're the only game in town. Because they're so large, they can afford to open a store and run it at a loss until all the other players are gone, then they start inching prices up. Most of the products they sell are manufactured in China. They don't have a social or ecological conscience about anything they do so when shopping there, the buyer must always beware. They create their own customer base by impoverishing small towns, and for the most part, us tax payers have to make up the difference. Also, the one in my town is dirty, a perpetual mess, and filled with meth heads and trailer trash.
For me, it's a general practice to do my shopping at smaller locally owned businesses whenever possible. I had my roof replaced by a homeowner in my town who owned a roofing business, same with my new garage door. Would rather give them my money than Home Depot or Lowes.
It's all about who you want to do business with: Mr. Potter or George Bailey? My choice is to support my community as much as possible.
Isn't that illegal in the US? I thought they only did that in Latin America.
Yes, predatory pricing is illegal. It's very hard to prosecute though.
The Wal-Mart where I live can't keep their cashiers. When the company's stock value takes a dip, management cuts back on staff hours, so their full-time job suddenly becomes part time. A bunch of people quit, then the store has to try to find new cashiers to fill those spots. You can imagine that after a few cycles of this in a small town, there's no one left who wants to work there, who has halfway decent qualifications and is legal to work. So they sometimes end up hiring people they'd previously fired for various reasons (stealing from the till, for one). It's crazy. The cashiers who stick around end up handling twice the customer load, which means lines are chronically very long.
OK, I guess this is off-topic. Sorry, folks. Back to topic.
I worked for Whole Foods Market full time from 1987-1995. I have shopped there off and on for 28 years. It is the most convenient grocery store for me.
Okay. I'll take your word for it, not that it matters. Your whole thread just seems to be a troll thread.
I've never shopped at Whole Foods but I've eaten a number of their products which they've donated to various events I've attended. They may be pricey, but their food is very good. I guess some people like that kind of stuff.
It's all about choices - and I choose to shop at Whole Foods at times.
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