Trader Joe's raises banana prices less than a nickel but drops prices on other produce, various products
Trader Joe's is highly touted for its array of budget-friendly food options, but with food prices rising, the popular grocery chain has announced slight adjustments on the price of its bananas.
Prices on the potassium-rich fruit that famously sold for just 19 cents a piece will now increase to 23 cents per banana, a representative from the retailer confirmed to "Good Morning America," which they said "still represents a tremendous everyday value for bananas."
The increase comes after 20 years of chalkboard signs boasting the 19-cent fruit deal.
"We only change our prices when our costs change, and after holding our price for Bananas at 19 [cents] each for more than two decades, we've now reached a point where this change is necessary," the Trader Joe's representative added.
According to market data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, demand for bananas in recent years has increased primarily due to its affordability with retail prices largely unchanged.
While the slight price increase on the fruit has made national headlines, Trader Joe's reassured consumers in its statement to "GMA" that a variety of other products are dropping in price.
"At the same time, we have been able to negotiate costs for a number of our products, and have lowered our retail prices accordingly," the rep said. "A few examples: Raw Almonds are now $3.99 a pound, down a dollar; Romaine Hearts are now $2.99, down 50 [cents]; Organic Tri-Color Bell Peppers are $4.49, a reduction of 50 [cents]; and Green Onions are now 99¢, our lowest price in at least a decade."
