My friend always joked that Trader Joe's was the 'bougie' option for groceries.
Guess it's less of a joke when they're openly waging class warfare.
this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2024
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The funny thing is they are Aldi.
The Aldi brothers had a disagreement about selling cigarettes in their stores in Germany, so they split the company into two; Aldi and Aldi Süd. When they started moving into America they couldn't have those two names, so there is Aldi and Trader Joes. Obviously they market themselves differently and operate differently, same company wearing different hats.
TBF Aldi Nord is the owner/investor in Trader Joes. The company that we know as Aldi in the US is Aldi Süd, a different company.
Where does Lidl fit into the picture?
It is a straight up copy of and competitor to Aldi.
True but the way you put it makes it sound like they are still connected. AFAIK they are completely separate at every level.
Most definitely!
At least where I am, they're in the most uptown bougie strip mall they can get into; same situation with Whole Foods. Starting to shop exclusively at the two state-wide/local stores that don't have these issues, but wish more folks had access to quality local grocers who pay well and support unions.
For groceries, I like to use my local food co-op. They can be more expensive though, so I can't always afford to shop there.
Maybe this is an ignorant question, but is there a list of companies that are pro-union? I know there's no ethical consumption under capitalism, but God damn at least I want to buy my shit from companies run by actual humans instead of this vermin
The union's website lists the companies they operate in and most union stores have a sticker on the front doors, near the front doors, or by customer service that says the local.
You can of course ask an employee, and if they say no you can tell them that it is disappointing for them and go elsewhere.
Not ignorant. Ethical consumerism is difficult.
Sadly, not for groceries per se, but take a look at "B Corps" and B Corp certification.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Corporation_(certification)
You might also be interested in how various country's labor protection and fairness practices stack up. Spoiler alert, the US doesn't look great.
Nestlé has several B Corp certified entities. While some of the B Corp certified may be well intentioned, many just use it for marketing and greenwashing.
Yeah, it's a point of contention and much discussion. I agree. I think overall it's worth pursuing.
While it may not guarantee how ethical a company is, getting B Corporation status seems as good of an indicator as anything I’ve come across. I figure if Patagonia is willing to certify with them, maybe its legit? Here’s a link to their search page.
Oh, nice! I see Ben & Jerry's on there, I guess that's no surprise. And we do use Seventh Generation products, so that makes me feel good.
Unfortunately, I'm guessing there are no major retailers like Walmart or Target, so we're still kind of trapped into supporting union-busting retail behemoths in some way, unless you're fortunate enough to live somewhere with more options.
Most Giant grocery stores around the DC area are unionized. It’s not much but it’s a start.
That's not being pro-union. That's just being unionized.
There is no such as a pro-union corporation, even from a purely capitalist perspective, the desire to maximize profit will always be at odds with the worker's desire to maximize compensation.
It’s time to get honest with ourselves about our motivations and lack thereof and get on with doing the dirty work of manifesting a happier timeline for all of us.
Okay but hear me out: their spinach dip is really good.
Everyone just needs to sit down for two days to remind everyone else what the phrase ESSENTIAL WORKER means.
I wonder if this will backfire with a massive general strike and a resurgence of unions? I heard there was a general strike planned in a few years. But probably nothing is going to happen the right-wing propaganda is very strong and ingrained now in the US.
I’m gonna boycott them harder, which since I don’t go into TJ’s, is gonna more or less the same from the outside.