For many Americans, a routine trip to the grocery store is a common (and perhaps increasingly terrifying) activity.
Food is historically more expensive than it has been in decades, and everything from pantry staples to refrigerated staples like cereal, bread, meat and eggs have gone up in price compared to just a few months ago.
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Some CEOs have even suggested unconventional alternatives to keep the cost of a daily meal down. Kellogg's CEO Gary Pilnick recently told Americans they could cut alarmingly high dinner costs by opting for cereals or less filling options.
“The cereal category has always been fairly affordable and tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure,” Pilnick said in February. “If you think about the cost of cereal for a family compared to what they could make otherwise, it will be much more affordable.”
However, the reality is that the cost of grain has increased by 10% to 15% year over year. Food in general is up 0.3% compared to the previous month. People are feeling the pressure and many are choosing to shop at budget stores in an effort to cut costs.
One budget grocery store that has enjoyed widespread popularity in recent months has been Trader Joe's, which sells food and other products under its own brand by pooling surplus items from wholesalers and retailers. Costs are typically lower than they might be at a big box grocery store like Kroger. (K.R.) , and Trader Joe's often offers fun and novel products that you might not see anywhere else. Customers love their cannoli dip, everything but the bagel chips, green jalapeño dip, and cookie butter ice cream.
New Viral Trader Joe's Causes Chaos
It's easy to understand why Trader Joe's has such a loyal following. As long as you combine low prices with highly indulgent foods, you'll have a winning combination.
But a new item has been causing chaos in stores across the country. Trader Joe's new mini tote bag, a smaller version of its larger canvas bag that is often used to carry groceries, is selling out and causing long lines across the country.
A TikTok user posted a video of Trader Joe's with a line around the store as eager customers lined up for a chance to buy a bag. The store imposed a limit of five bags per customer, as they are only available for a limited period of time.
The video has been viewed more than 3.5 million times.
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“I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and the phones were off the hook with people calling about the bags. There were signs that they were out of stock everywhere. They said they sold 900 in two days…but why??” commented one user on the Trader Joe's subreddit.
“Have you seen Stanley's fashion? I've stopped asking why people are obsessed with certain strange and mundane items, it just makes me hate consumerism,” one user wrote.
“I like the size for different stores,” wrote another. “Like at the craft store, when you buy smaller items, or at Ultra or Sephora, where they have smaller things. I like small bags! I bought 2!”
“I bought the blue one yesterday at a Chicago location (I wanted the green one but it was out of stock), it's pretty small but it fits a lot of things and the side pockets are a decent size too, one of the workers told me they're blowing up shelves,” said another .
The mini bags measure 13″L x 6″W x 11″H and sell for $2.99. They are completely sold out online, but some shoppers report seeing them in stores, depending on location.
