Amazon may have drummed up some goodwill by lowering prices right after it acquired Whole Foods, but it turns out that extra pocket change might be fleeting.
Market research firm Gordon Haskett has been tracking the prices on 110 items at a Whole Foods in New Jersey since August 28, when Amazon officially bought the company. According to The Washington Post (which is also owned by Amazon), the firm found that while on average prices have gone down 1.2%, certain items are creeping back up in price. For example, frozen foods rose 7% in price from August 28 to September 26. But it’s not just the freezer aisle. The firm found that the costs of snacks rose by 5.3% and dairy and yogurt rose by 2%. Overall, 77 of the 110 items they looked at stayed the same in price, while 16 items increased and 17 decreased.
Luckily, the price increases aren’t across the board (yet!). It looks like Whole Foods is keeping staple items like bread and produce discounted (likely to keep customers coming back every week). And millennials needn’t worry: you can still get your LaCroix fix on the cheap: beverages prices are down about 2.8 %.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
