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‘How does anyone survive in America?: Customer blasts Whole Foods for being too expensive, says lunch cost $22

‘First mistake was shopping at Whole Foods.’

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Braden Bjella

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As the costs of many different items continue to rise, many users on TikTok have gone viral for sharing their stories of facing unreasonably high prices. 

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In October of last year, a TikToker put Walmart on blast after increasing the price of a skin cleanser from $6.19 to $10.99. In February 2022, another user similarly called out Walmart, going around the store and documenting various price hikes.

Now, another user on TikTok has gone viral after sharing a meal they purchased from Whole Foods.

In a video with over 386,000 views, TikToker Vanessa (@wanderonwards), an American ex-pat living in Germany, documented a recent trip to Whole Foods while she was stateside.

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According to a comment posted by Vanessa, she went to Whole Foods and selected a prepackaged meal as she “thought it would be cheaper than eating out.”

However, when she got to the register, she discovered that her “box of vegetables & 2 chicken pieces” (along with a watermelon soda) cost over $22.

“How does anyone survive in America??” she asks in the overlay text.

@wanderonwards I will never recover financially from this trip ☠️ #america #budgeting #costofliving ♬ follow me if u think carole killed her husband – emily
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At first, many were critical of Vanessa’s choice of Whole Foods as a place to potentially save money.

“First mistake was shopping at Whole Foods,” wrote one user.

“At Whole Foods an apple is about $3,” stated another.

“ur definitely shopping in the wrong place if you want affordable,” echoed a third.

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There is some truth in these statements. Mashed writes that prices at Whole Foods “currently hover around 25% higher” than prices at competitors like Kroger.

However, other users were quick to point out that this is a common problem in stores across the country, not just in Whole Foods.

“Having just paid 27.00 for a cobb salad and a dr. pepper at a food court in Seattle, I can relate,” admitted a commenter.

“Eating well here is a luxury. Meanwhile I landed in Paris and got water and a salad for $5,” recounted a second.

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As for how Americans survive, TikTokers also shared their thoughts.

“We’re not [surviving], just barely scraping by until the inevitable collapse,” said one user.

“We don’t… everyone has debt,” explained another TikToker.

“By the grace of God. that’s how,” declared an additional user.

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The Daily Dot has reached out to Vanessa via the website contact form and Whole Foods via email.

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