As if your local Trader Joe’s wasn’t already crowded enough, your next visit could be even more snug, as the grocery chain’s new collapsible tote bag has gone viral—and is selling out quickly.
The bags sell for just $3.99, making them more affordable that last year’s must-have accessory, the Stanley cup, which retails for nearly $50. Design-wise, they’re nearly as plain, with just two designs to choose from, both of which read “Greetings from Trader Joe’s” with a hodgepodge of images. One features a giant rutabaga, a biplane, and a grocery cart. The other is festooned with a sleeping moon, a giant strawberry, and a carrot.
What makes them so desirable, though, is the fact that they’re as practical as the Stanley cup, which could keep drinks cold all day. The bags stand up on their own, making it easier to transport groceries home, and collapse nearly flat when not being used. They’re also roomy and can hold a lot of groceries.
That got people talking on TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram.
@nwsahm New TJ’s bags!! Collapsible hard side grocery bags and Thanksgiving snacks. #traderjoes#traderjoessnacks2024#traderjoesthanksgivingpopcorn#fyp♬ original sound – Lori~Beth
“You’ve got places to go, people to see, and, more likely than not, stuff you’ve got to bring with you,” the company wrote on its website. “That’s one reason why we’ve put so much effort into creating fun and functional reusable bags over the years (and inadvertently created a few Mini Tote crazes along the way…).”
“Craze” isn’t an exaggeration. Because Trader Joe’s sells only a limited number of the tote bags, the secondary market can get a bit ridiculous, with prices historically reaching into the hundreds of dollars, sometimes higher. Even now, when the tote is still available in stores, there are listings for it on eBay starting at nearly $40.
That’s still a bit shy, though, of the insanity that surrounded Stanley cups at their peak. In January, people camped outside of Target stores for a new release of the 40-ounce tumbler.