Whole Foods Workers Start First Union: How This Could Impact Your Grocery Prices
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T. Woods
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Amber Barkley
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In late November, Whole Foods employees at a Philadelphia branch of the multinational supermarket chain — known for selling products free from such additives as hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors and preservatives — filed to hold a union election. This is the very first union filing for Whole Foods, which is nicknamed “Whole Paycheck” for its budget-busting prices.
That an Amazon-owned business has filed for a union election is newsworthy in and of itself because, as The Guardian reported, Amazon has “aggressively” opposed any form of unionization beneath its multinational umbrella.
What may also become newsworthy? If Whole Foods is driven to raise prices in the face of unionization.
Why Prices Could Increase
The Guardian reported that Ben Lovett, a Whole Foods employee at the unionizing Philadelphia store, noted the company has already raised the price of groceries in the face of rising cost of living — to the point that, he said, Whole Foods employees can no longer afford to shop at Whole Foods.
Unionization can typically cost a company 10%-15% more per employee versus non-unionized employees. Unionization would cost Whole Foods, and thus Amazon. That, coupled with the fact that Whole Foods also imports organic products from China — which could soon to face steep tariff hikes if President-elect Donald Trump’s plans are put into place — would likey cause a steep spike in prices for the grocery chain.
All of this comes after a summer assertion from Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel that the supermarket’s prices would be lowering, as he finds the common “whole paycheck” joke to be “aggravating,” Yahoo Finance reported. However, after the upcoming union vote in January 2025, and the threat of Trump’s tariffs, it remains to be seen if Whole Foods will be able to do anything but increase prices instead.
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