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Trader Joe's goes beyond necessary packaging
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Necessary packaging? Photo/Dalberg
Just entering your neighborhood Trader Joe’s is a good feeling in itself. Food for all diets – vegan, vegetarian, gluten intolerant, for example— can be found, and with a good deal of options. Organic food is not pricey at all (organic bananas- 29 cents each). It’s a great opportunity to eat healthy on a tight budget. And shopping amongst the “surf bum” employees and local hippies adds to your cool factor.
However, one thing you may or may not have noticed is how much of the produce is packaged. Except for some single apples, bananas, and grapefruit, the majority of Trader Joe’s fruit and vegetable selection is tightly sealed in plastic. Ginger is wrapped in cellophane and cardboard. Kale and rainbow chard come in prepackaged bags. Kiwis come in plastic cartons of six; lemons and limes are sold in mesh bags. Whatever happened to touching your produce before you buy it? Really smelling it to determine if it’s ripe? Why are we forbidden to handle our veggies and choose one kiwi instead of six?
I confronted some of the employees at the Trader Joe’s located in the Northwest District of Portland. None of them knew how to respond. One told me Corporate told them it was the “Trader Joe’s way”, while another told me that the packaging you see in the storefront is only the beginning. Behind the scenes are boxes and boxes of unnecessary wrapping and packing, protecting the food from the elements while it’s being shipped from around the world. At least we know our food is handled with care.
But why all the extra packaging? From a company that boasts quality and diverse cuisine, catering to all the greenies of the West coast and beyond, they are not environmentally friendly in any way. Sure, they love it when you buy a canvas bag for an extra dollar, and tell us they care for the environment and avoid pesticides, hormones, and genetic engineering. However, if you can see beyond the colorful signs and the exotic atmosphere, you can see the truth right before you. It’s the Trader Joe’s way.
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