How Trader Joe's Shoppers Are Reacting To Inflation

It's getting pricey out there! U.S. inflation rates hit record numbers in May 2022, when they rose to 8.6%, per Trading Economics. Hardest hit areas include housing, which increased 5.5%, electricity, increasing 12%, gasoline, which went up a whopping 48.7%, and, of course, food costs, which increased 10.1%. According to News 12 New Jersey, the price of eggs has increased 32% compared to a year ago.

Consumers seem to be getting antsy for a solution. "My grocery bill is probably doubled from what I used to pay. It's like everything is insane," said Ashley Hassane, a New Jersey shopper. One way to cut back on expenses is to cut back on the amount of groceries one purchases, which has become the plan of action for some Trader Joe's shoppers, as documented in a Reddit thread on the r/TraderJoes page, which asks, "What do you buy less of or no longer buy?"

"Yes, inflation sucks," the Reddit post begins, then prompts Redditors to share what alterations they are making to their Trader Joe's shopping lists to save some money. Some are focusing on fresh produce and minimizing the amount of product they might otherwise throw away when it goes bad quickly. "I've definitely become more mindful of fresh items like berries, salads, and greens," wrote one user. Another Redditor admitted they've cut out frozen meals and started cutting back on snacks. "I still keep snacks in the house but less variety than I used to. And I've started going to Sam's Club for things like meat, chips, bread, or anything that can be stored in the freezer or is shelf-stable because I can get a good deal."

Still a third Redditor said they've actually increased their Trader Joe's grocery budget because they've eliminated eating out and delivery, and actually provided a tip on how to cut back. "The key to sticking to my no-delivery resolution is having easy, delicious options at home so there's plenty of frozen food in the house now." Unfortunately, a fourth Redditor said they've had to cut Trader Joe's from their budget completely due to gas prices — the average price of gas today is $5 per gallon. "The only store in our area is all the way across town," the user wrote.