Have you ever visited a Trader Joe’s grocery store? Even if you haven’t, I’m sure the name at least rings a bell. Maybe a friend or family member of yours visits each week for groceries, or maybe you’ve been once or twice, but you weren’t a fan. Whether or not you’ve actually been to one, I’m almost positive you’ve seen their infamous tote bags; maybe one of their fun and vibrantly-designed ones, like the pickle pattern. Surely you’ve seen the simple navy and white one if anything. Maybe you’re thinking you’ve seen it in a different color or shape before. This bag has become the trademark for the store, with people using it as an everyday bag, not just for grocery shopping. In March of last year, the grocer just about broke the internet with the release of these totes in a mini version, featuring a variety of colors. The bags quickly sold out and became a media craze, and now they’re expected to hit stores again this April with a new color palette.
The grocery store became a cultural phenomenon due to its quirky and unique products and designs, as well as its affordable prices. Trader Joe’s was one of the first supermarkets to begin selling reusable bags, with the release of their first canvas bag advertised as the “Save a Tree” bag in 1977, and it was unbeknownst to them that they would later become a fashion staple. The bags were first marketed to encourage less usage of plastic bags when grocery shopping.
The mini tote bags are 13 inches long, by 11 inches tall, by six inches wide. On the company’s website, they describe the size as being “ideal for smaller shopping trips, to pick up those few items you forgot the first time around.” The first batch of mini totes cost $2.99 and came in four colors: navy, yellow, red, and forest green. This year, eager shoppers are expecting a new color palette featuring pastel shades of pink, purple, blue, and green. These will be available for a limited time as they were last year. The first round of sales for these bags resulted in lines outside of grocery stores and an almost instant sellout. The company eventually restocked them for another brief sale in September 2024, but again were only in stock for a short amount of time before another instantaneous sellout.
Due to the overwhelming success of the previous release, I’m expecting it to be yet another societal craze. Let’s face it: humans are materialistic. And for many, what often makes something more exciting is minifying it. I also think the new color selection will entice many to indulge in these bags. It really doesn’t take a lot to please us; sometimes all it takes is something small and colorful. Though, the irony of the product itself then comes into play. As a Trader Joe’s shopper, partaker in public transportation, and a college student, I’ve seen my fair share of these staple bags. What I find interesting is how many people are using it for things other than groceries. Shoppers will come into Trader Joe’s with their trendy tote around their shoulder and leave their trip with four brown paper bags in their hands. My roommate, Alexia, has the original full-sized navy canvas tote from Trader Joe’s, and she uses hers as a beach bag. When I asked why she uses that bag specifically, she said it’s because it’s big enough to hold her beach towel and it’s easy to clean. I then proceeded to ask her if she was enticed to purchase one of the new mini totes, and she hesitated. She decided that whenever we took our next grocery trip, if they happened to be in stock, she would buy one due to the cheap price. “I’d use it as a cute school bag for spring because of the color,” she stated. I find the phenomenon as a whole very interesting.
When a new product becomes popular, it’s very common for people to resell these products online for much more than they really go for in stores. The $3 mini totes were sold on websites like Ebay, Amazon, and Poshmark for unbelievable prices. One Ebay listing is $250 for one, while another is $500 for a full set of all four. While all of the listings range in price, there isn’t a single one I was able to find for under $10. The item is nearly, if not already, being treated as a collectible.
Obscure trends like these mini bags raise a lot of questions: why does society continue to feed into overconsumption? Why is this bag a huge media spectacle and trend? What makes an object valuable? While we may never find answers to these questions, it’s important to consider and remain aware of the role we as a society play in consumerism and materialism.
On that note, make sure to check your local Trader Joe’s for the new mini totes coming in April 2025.