If there’s one thing people tend to say about Trader Joe’s, it’s that the store has a pretty good reputation.
Granted, you may not find every single product you need at Trader Joe’s, and you may get annoyed by the fact that your favorite products might disappear without warning.
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But for the most part, people tend to agree that shopping at Trader Joe’s is a positive experience.
Not only do the prices tend to be competitive, but the unique array of products makes for an interesting shopping trip. And while it’s always sad to lose a favorite product, it’s also fun to see new ones hit the shelves.
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Plus, Trader Joe’s also has some of the most courteous employees in all of retail.
Customer service is a core part of the company’s philosophy and culture. And when you’re doing a mundane errand like grocery shopping, it’s a nice thing to be smiled at.
Image source: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Trader Joe’s has faced its share of criticism
Though many shoppers are loyal Trader Joe’s fans, the store has been called out on more than one occasion for several of its practices.
For one thing, the company has been accused of racist product labeling, such as its Trader Jose’s branding for Mexican food. While Trader Joe’s no doubt meant it to be cute, a lot of people took it the wrong way, and understandably so.
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Trader Joe’s has also been accused of trying to prevent workers from unionizing.
The chain wouldn’t be the first business to try to engage in union-busting. But for a company that prides itself on putting employees first, some of its practices in that area have been questionable at best.
Trader Joe’s finds itself embroiled in strange chicken controversy
One of the products you’ll find at Trader Joe’s is poultry. It’s a staple item found in many consumers’ refrigerators.
On July 2, a protester from Direct Action Everywhere, a Bay Area-based animal rights group, was arrested after super-gluing himself to the poultry section at a Trader Joe’s in Pasadena.
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In addition, multiple members of Direct Action Everywhere stormed the store to protest the company’s connection to Petaluma Poultry, a division of Perdue Foods that supplies Trader Joe’s with chicken products.
“Chickens deserve medical attention,” chanted one protester while standing on a cash register.
The protester who glued himself to the poultry shelf was eventually removed by law enforcement, who handcuffed him and led him out of the store.
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That same day, another member of Direct Action Everywhere was arrested after she glued her hand to the front desk at Trader Joe’s headquarters in Monrovia.
The group claims its goal is to educate the public on animal rights. Instead, it seems like all it did was cause chaos at a busy supermarket.
Either way, Trader Joe’s may want to rethink its poultry source — if not for the sake of animals, then for the sake of avoiding mayhem while people are trying to shop.
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