Trader Joe's Seems To Be Altering Some Products, According To Fans

In times of "shrinkflation," it's difficult to find a reliable business. Whereas many have viewed Trader Joe's as a last bastion of quality foods and goods, others have pointed out that even this beloved grocery store chain is not immune to a decline in value. Though there have been plenty of frequent complaints from Trader Joe's shoppers over the years, one lively Reddit thread called attention to the lessening quality of many popular products. 

"Picking up long-time favorites is more and more depressing these days," said the Redditor, citing specific issues with Trader Joe's pizzas, sparkling water, and cookies. One reply to the thread stated, "I had fallen in love with TJs Chicken Tikka Masala. They raised the price but not enough to send me packing. Then yesterday I purchased some CTM and had it for dinner. Ew! The 'chicken' tasted just like turkey. So disappointing."

Other replies include, "The cinnamon muffins are awful now in comparison to even one month ago" and, "A few years ago the Mac & cheese changed. They cut back on cheese." This doesn't appear to be limited to food items, either. One Redditor mentioned, "Flowers have declined in quality. I always used to look forward to buying their daffodils in early spring. Now they are three times the price and the bunch I bought the other day didn't open."

The downward trend in Trader Joe's offerings unfortunately doesn't seem entirely new. Even a Reddit post from four years ago alleges shrinkflation of staple products, showing a package of the fan favorite Joe-Joe's sandwich cookies coming up short in a thread titled "Not you too Trader Joe's!!" Albeit wishful thinking, there are a number of changes that customers would like to see at Trader Joe's in the future that would put an end to the lack of consistency in quality.

For example, a Reddit post from three years ago asked, "Have you noticed some products getting smaller?" and went on to comment that both the meatloaf and apple bars showed a significant decrease in size while still priced the same or more. Others confirmed this in the replies, with one commenter stating, "Yes. The mandarin orange chicken has less in it. Their Golden Round crackers (Ritz knockoff) has a 'new recipe' and there are 3 sleeves to the box instead of 4. Their TP changed as well and doesn't last as long." Another said, "Yeah all the prepacked salads look 25% smaller now."

Admittedly, Trader Joe's does offer a number of overrated items you should avoid; however, even loyal customers that buy the same products habitually are feeling the squeeze of inflation and diminishing quality. One Redditor said, "While I love Trader Joe's, I see it more as a novelty supplemental store for me," which seems to sum up customer sentiment regarding disappointment over Trader Joe's decline in quality and reliability.