Whole Foods, Amazon ready more price cuts

Whole Foods Market and parent Amazon this week plan to kick off a round of price cuts, including lower prices on fresh produce for all customers and more exclusive weekly deals across departments for Prime members.

The companies said Monday that the price reductions are slated to go into effect on April 3. Prices available to all customers go down by an average of 20% on select items throughout the store.

Starting Wednesday, customers will find lower prices on hundreds of items throughout the store — namely for produce, including greens, tomatoes, tropical fruit and other fruit and vegetables. Items with price cuts will include large yellow mangoes ($1 each), mixed-medley cherry tomatoes ($3.49 for 12 oz.) and organic bunched rainbow chard ($1.99 each).

“Whole Foods Market continues to maintain the high quality standards that we’ve championed for nearly 40 years and, with Amazon, we will lower more prices in the future, building on the positive momentum from previous price investments,” Whole Foods co-founder and CEO John Mackey said in a statement. “The standards for how our products are sourced, grown and produced are powerful and set Whole Foods Market apart from the competition. We will continue to focus on both lowering prices and bringing customers the quality they trust and the innovative assortment they expect from our brand.”

Related:Prices back on the rise at Whole Foods

Prime members shopping at Whole Foods will see twice the number of exclusive weekly deals and deeper discounts, Whole Foods and Amazon said. Over the next few months, members can expect more than 300 Prime deals on popular seasonal items.

Examples for April, to rotate on a weekly basis, include organic asparagus and strawberries at $2.99/lb., a $2 savings; sumo citrus for $2.49/lb., a $1.50 savings; air-chilled, no-antibiotic whole chicken at $1.79/lb., a 40% savings; spiral sliced ham at $3.99/lb., a 33% savings; animal welfare-rated, bone-in pork loin chops: for $4.99/lb., a $2 savings; and fresh, sustainable, wild-caught halibut fillet at $16.99/lb., a 35% savings.

Also for Prime members, there will be 35% off all Justin’s brand products, $20 off Vega One Organic Shakes (24.3 oz. to 26.9 oz. sizes), 40% off all Kite Hill plant-based products, 35% off all Epic brand products and 20% off prepared sandwiches and wraps: 20% off. Prime members, too, can get an extra 10% off hundreds of sale items across the store.

Amazon and Whole Foods noted that the latest price cuts build on hundreds of lower prices introduced since the companies’ August 2017 merger, ranging from whole trade organic bananas and Chobani yogurt to 365 Everyday Value cage-free large eggs.

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“When Whole Foods Market joined the Amazon family, we set out to make healthy and organic food more accessible. Over the last year, we’ve been working together tirelessly to pass on savings to customers,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer. “Every time a customer walks into a Whole Foods Market, they expect and trust industry-leading quality standards across aisles. And now they will experience that same Whole Foods Market quality with even more savings across departments.”

With the price reductions, the companies also will look to drive Prime memberships. Through the end of April, customers who try Prime will be able to get $10 off their $20 purchase in-store at Whole Foods when they try Prime at amazon.com/WholeFoods10. New members will be able to try Prime free for 30 days.

Amazon and Whole Foods said the latest price cuts mark the third round of reductions following their merger. Savings efforts have included an additional 10% off hundreds of sale items throughout the store and up to 20 exclusive deals available weekly for Prime members, as well as 5% back for Prime members using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card (and 3% back for cardholders without an eligible Prime membership).