Internet users have expressed bewilderment and amusement over a petition denouncing “racist” Trader Joe brands. The company has already admitted wrongdoing and claims it is in the process of discontinuing its “harmful” packaging.
The Change.org petition calls on the popular grocery chain in the US to remove the labels used for some of its ethnic food, claiming that the “racist” practice “perpetuates harmful stereotypes.”
The internet complaint listed “Trader Ming’s,” which is used to brand the chain’s Chinese food, and “Trader José,” the label used for Mexican foods, as examples of this purportedly inappropriate packaging policy.
Trader Joe’s name is itself racist, the petition argues, claiming that it was inspired by “the horrific legacy of trading companies as they exploited and enslaved the South Pacific in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
When the e-grievance petition had attracted 1,300 signatures the company, apparently, deemed it necessary to respond. The chain’s national director of public relations said in a statement that although its approach to labeling was “rooted in a lighthearted attempt at inclusiveness,” the company now recognizes that it may actually be “contrary to the welcoming, rewarding customer experience we strive to create every day.”
ht/ fdr in hell
Should have given the petition a one-finger salute and been willing to lose 1,300 customers.
I don’t frequent their stores otherwise I could say; I’m done with them for caving to petty, self-serving assholes.
I imagine this will be a popular move among the majority of its customers, the regular ones that go there all the time and not the occasional ones like myself that go there a few times a year.
Those 1300 probably never even shopped there. Wish TJs didn’t give in. Now everyone will be paying for new logos and packaging development.
Since Costco implemented the MaskParade, I won’t even do ordering from them. My local grocery chain is relatively small and doesn’t REQUIRE masks. I may just re-learn my shopping habits from this whole warped fishy guano.
I always question when any entity says they are doing something for “inclusiveness” since it invariably means they are pandering to the left.
Just tell them to pound sand and ignore it. I was doing my weekly shopping and went out of my way to find and buy some Goya products. I’ve never used Goya before and the shelves in Walmart were pretty bare in the Goya areas. I’m going to take a different approach and go out of my way to buy things made in the USA and buy brands that represent America.
They have great products, but the fake hippy shtick gets old fast. It’s like Halloween every day there with 80% of the shoppers wearing the same contrived costume. Pro tip: Save that costume for your annual trip to Burning Man
Is it PC-acceptable to change the name to Traitor Joe’s??
On second thought no, it might be offensive to real traitors (looking at you Democraps).
This is sad. I do most of my shopping there. The entire point, as noted in the article, is inclusiveness. When you like people, or cultures, you incorporate that into the conversation. There is zero racism in this.
I once saw a photo taken by a reader in National Lampoon, circa 1974. The pic was the signage on a roadhouse/restaurant in Texas called “Big Black Ass Cowboy.”
I wonder if that eatery is still in business.
“Racism’ is not the problem. It’s the tool.
“Sounds like you should be a Whoe’ Foods customer.” would be my response.
the name “Trader” has to go
slave trader ????
they are not woke enough
When is even one of these companies going to stand up and say: “What the hell is wrong with you people?”.
Racist: Trader Joes
Woke: Traitor Joke
I am so sick of all of these companies telling me what they are now doing to combat racism, as if anything they were doing prior to June 2020 was even remotely racist. I roll my eyes out loud.
I shop at TJ’s regularly and I was never offended by any of their trade names for products of other ethnicities. It was a good way to tell people where the products came from or originated. Come on people quit being so damned bent out of shape about the way everything is named, it’s pissing me off.
Black Lives Matter Joe’s, formerly known as Trader Joe’s. Everything in the store now is just labeled Black Lives Matter. Otherwise they’ll be firebombed.
When is go there and look for soul food under the trader boy label, it doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t know what they’re talking about.
It’s gets worse. Charter schools have now mandated wokeness into their mission statement, to the extent offers of employment will be contingent upon agreeing to their anti-racism contracts. Just sign on the dotted line Mr/Ms Teacher, admitting your white privilege. Congratulations, now go PREACH, er, ah, we mean teach.
FTA: What’s more, Barth insists the new morality must be enforced across the entire KIPP network. “Moving forward,” Barth writes, “we want employee offer letters to include language that requires a commitment to anti-racism as a condition of employment because everyone who works at KIPP must be committed to anti-racism in their beliefs and in their behavior.”
https://americanmind.org/features/american-education/wokeness-comes-for-charters/
I guess school choice no longer means what we think it means.
Here in Philly, the nickname for Trader Joe’s is “Trader Joos” because the only day it’s not crowded is Saturday.
Oy, those bargains!
I think the “Trader Trayvon” brand of grape soda was a nice tribute, but that’s just me.
I always figured they were a proggy outfit and it seems I was right. I think I bought a few items there but so long ago I can’t remember when.
As to the proggy; it seems I was right, so no loss.
Loved their chai… until I learned to make my own for a quarter of the cost.
Loved their bruschetta, until, again a quarter of the cost.
Loved their garlic fries until I figured out the garlic packet. I think the cost plummeted 90%. Seriously. Taters?
Loved the Columbus brand salami slices until Krogers carried them also.
Now I don’t drive 12 miles so whats about to happen ain’t gonna hurt one bit.
So now what? – ‘Trader Karen?’
Trader Ming’s? Come on guys. Trader Ho’s. It was right there.
The people screaming racism have no idea what racism actuality is.
Can’t wait to see the new decor their overlords will provide.
Bright red room with little yellow stars, hammers, and sickles.
“Would you like a sample of our beet stew? It’s not spicy at all!”
I’ll stick with the PIG, 5% discount for seniors on Wednesday. They have a great meat dept. I love the local products they sell.
In fifty years, I’ve been in exactly one Trader Joe’s and bought nothing. Overpriced, dirty, cramped, crowded and full of aging hippies.
@jimmy,
100% correct.
I have been inside one exactly once and after going through the small, cramped isle’s and checking the prices against my local supermarket I left without buying anything.
Also, the “woke” crowds that were inside the place made me want to vomit so that was the final nail in the coffin for me because I will NOT spend my money in a store like that one.
They go on the same trash heap as Dikk’s sporting goods, target, and all those other stores that cater to anti-americans and foreign good’s suppliers.
Trader Joe’s seems to be like the “farmers market” for city-dwelling hipsters who love to shop in the outdoor malls that have garage parking for their BMWs.
That could be the key to why TJs think they need to be “woke”!