Whole Foods is a leading grocery market in New York City that is 
notorious for its high prices. While many consumers thought the produce was pricey because it was really healthy or organic, in actuality, after investigation from the Department of Consumer Affairs, it has been noted that Whole Foods is guilty of overpricing their produce. Whole Foods has been charged with over 800 violations during 107 separate inspections since 2010 for inaccurate consumer prices. Recently, inspectors weighed 80 different types of items at eight different locations and found that every label was inaccurate with many overcharging the consumers. Michael Sinatra, Whole Foods Spokesman, notes that the store always refunds any items found to have been incorrectly priced and likewise “never intentionally used deceptive practices to incorrectly charge customers.” Whole Foods employees remarked that corporate is held responsible for these incorrect labels because it is ordered by corporate. While just last summer Whole Foods agreed on a settlement of $800,000 in a California investigation regarding the same problems, Whole Foods, now, is potentially facing fines of more than $58,000 in New York City.
To read more on the investigation at Whole Foods, click here
pressure to go all-natural in their ingredients after numerous changes in menu from high profile chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. and Panera Bread Co. And now Papa John’s International inc. is eliminating ingredients used in their pizza and dips. Ten of the fourteen are being eliminated by the end of this year and the remaining four by the end of 2016. But these costs are estimated at and added expense of $100 million each year. John Schnatter, founder and chief executive officer, has been making changes with their menu since 1996 with changes like removing fillers from the meat used for toppings and improving the pizza dough. They have removed mono-sodium glutamate from its ranch dressing and pulled trans fats form its garlic sauce. The company has also pulled cellulose, an anti-caking agent, from its mozzarella cheese. Papa John’s pizza is generally more expensive than its competitors like Pizza Hut and Domino’s but boasts their “quality ingredients for a better pizza.” While prices in pizza will increase in price corresponding with the expenses in producing pizzas with higher-priced natural ingredients, Schnatter believes that their customers have shown willingness to pay a dollar or two more for their pizzas. Papa John’s has recently started posting their ingredients online and pushing on menu transparency. With the shift in ingredients, Schnatter hopes it will put the chain in a position that’s hard for competitors to match.
paigepapers.com 