Struggling Whole Foods Pushes Cheaper Image

Whole Foods is attempting to lose its reputation for high prices as shoppers increasingly look for thrift, the New York Times reports. The economic slump has changed shopping patterns: A July survey estimated that 20% of US shoppers have switched to cheaper grocery stores. Whole Foods has cut prices and offers employee tours with tips for bargain-hunting.

Exec Walter Robb emphasized the firm’s attempts to lose its “Whole Paycheck” nickname. “I’m getting a little tired of that tag around our neck,” he said. “We are a lot more competitive than people give us credit for. We challenge anyone on like items.” Demurred a customer who’d taken the tour: “It was only cheap if you were a vegetarian willing to eat beans and tofu.” (More Whole Foods stories.)