7 Grocery Staples Shoppers Say Are Worse Than Ever This Year
There are few things more disappointing than a favorite grocery item slowly declining in quality, to the point where it's barely the same product anymore. This seems to be an issue across the board for several different grocery chains, no matter how upscale the store might be, with issues such as poor weather and shortages negatively impacting beloved fan-favorite items they've noticed just aren't the same anymore. From household basics to frozen foods, these staples have changed. Here are 7 popular groceries shoppers are convinced have drastically declined in quality.
Whole Foods Fresh Items
Some Whole Foods customers have bemoaned the state of the fresh food bar, saying the quality has gone downhill. "I work in the kitchen and fill the hot bar," one Redditor shared. "In just a year, we've put more food (enough to notice with a changing menu) that comes in a single bag and is thawed or reheated. We also started pushing more product to be packaged in house and put in a cold shelf instead of offers from the case. The popular stuff has been the biggest change; it's barely stocked in the case and nearly all on the wall."
Sam's Club Paper Towels
Sam's Club customers complain the paper towels aren't what they used to be. "Up until the most recent package of their paper towels I've bought I had no issue tearing off full or half sheets and when folded over you could feel a 'thickness' that was there compared to the new ones coming out. Now they wind up tearing mid-sheet," one shopper said.
Costco Chicken
Several Costco members have complained about the declining quality in the Kirkland chicken, from "woody" chicken breasts to poorly processed thigh meat. "Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are terrible now. Half of them have bones in them and they're tiny," one Redditor said. "They look [like] they were deboned with a rusty chainsaw. We don't buy meat or produce any more," another agreed.
Trader Joe's Barebells Protein Bars
The Barebells Protein Bars have changed for the worse, TJs shoppers say. "The past few I have eaten seem like the inner soft filling part is smaller and the chocolate and crispy hard shell coverings are thinner because I can see the shape of the squared outline filling underneath," one customer said. "I noticed this as well!" another agreed. "Seems like quality is changing. They also didn't taste as good. I had an old box of the bars so I compared the packaging and the weights are still the same apparently. I should have actually weighed the bars though lol. Looks like I might have to switch 🥲."
Trader Joe's Orange Chicken
Trader Joe's shoppers say the Mandarin Orange Chicken is not what it used to be. "I noticed this about the orange chicken too!! The past several packages I've bought have been very low quality chicken," one customer said. "Quality of the chicken has gone way downhill – gristly and/or burnt breading. The vegan version is a little better since the vegan 'chicken' isn't as consistently yuck, but the orange sauce is blander than the sauce from the real chicken version," another commented.
Sam's Club TP
The Sam's Club toilet paper has decreased in quality, shoppers say. "Members Mark toilet paper has decreased in quality. Now is almost shredding and leaving 'dust' on the sides of the cabinet if that makes sense. Been in the last maybe 6 months or so? I actually looked online to make sure it wasn't just me with a bad batch!" one member shared.
Costco Produce
Costco members are disappointed in the quality of the fresh produce. "I'm a huge Costco fanboy, and I've noticed a discernible change in produce quality over the past year. Tasty prepared foods are also becoming harder to find," one Redditor complained. "Produce quality is suffering all across America. Other parts of the world, too. We have had record-breaking storms that include hurricanes and tornadoes. There has been flooding in some areas and droughts in others. Crops are getting harder to grow due to extreme swings in temperature," another commenter added.
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