Green Daily

A good friend of mine has referred to Whole Foods as "Whole Paycheck" for years. That endearing term pretty much sums up the feeling of standing in the checkout line and being told that your wedge of cheese, crackers and pretty bottle of juice will cost you $80. With people tightening their belts (literally in this case), Whole Foods desires to be rid of that image and implore shoppers to see the values that are in their stores.

One Phiidelphia store even offered a "Value Tour" where a guide pointed out the virtues of a $1.50 block of tofu. Sure, you can eat cheap on tofu and rice but isn't part of the Whole Foods shopping experience grabbing something new and decadent to bring home and try?

The truth is that there are deals to be found at Whole Foods but as one analyst points out, the deals are to found in the grocery section of the store, not along the perimeter. Those areas with the produce, seafood, butchers and hot meals are usually priced higher than other local markets.

The silver lining for the consumer is that Whole Foods is aware of the their expensive image and are working to change it. They are actively trying to keep customers in the store with frequent sales on anything from hamburger to diapers.

Whole Foods in the meantime will continue to weather the storm by focusing customer's attention on the savings and continuing to offer the exemplary service that they are known for.