Is Whole Foods Actually More Affordable Than Trader Joe’s?
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By Felix Behr/May 10, 2021 5:28 pm EST
After the change in ownership, CNBC tested the prices again, finding that they spent $41.45 at Whole Foods and $37.15 at Trader Joe’s. This is about the same difference Philly Mag reported in 2018 when they tried Aldi, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and ACME, a Northeast regional supermarket chain. Again, they discovered that Trader Joe’s was cheaper than Whole Foods with a trip costing $53.97 vs. $59.89.
What is more interesting with Philly Mag’s wider range of comparison, however, is that Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s were closer to each other in price range than to Aldi, which was the cheapest option with $46.28, or ACME, the most expensive, with $72.94. So, neither brand really deserves the reputation they enjoy, as they have both become middle class options.
Why do we believe there’s such a difference between the two?
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Trader Joe’s offers more of a surprise. Originally, it was supposed to be the nice but cheap brand, reflecting the fact that it is owned by Aldi Nord. However, Real Simple backs up Philly Mag’s data. Aldi, or Aldi Süd, is now the noticeably cheaper brand. This might be because Trader Joe’s was founded by someone else and was retroactively fitted to align with Aldi principles, while Aldi has stuck with the pure Aldi principles. This is best seen in CNN’s coverage of Aldi’s famous carts policy. They note that other American grocers had tried this in the ’90s, but gave up in the face of customer dissatisfaction. Aldi, however, persevered. So, while Whole Foods has diluted its luxury brand status to be more squarely middle class attainable, Trader Joe’s has never embraced the no frills philosophy behind Aldi’s cheapness.
