Monrovia, California, June 17, 2026, 01:17 PDT
- Trader Joe’s will roll out striped mini canvas totes at its U.S. stores starting June 17. The price is $2.99 each, and they’ll be available only while supplies last.
- The decline stands out after past runs of the bags drove repeat customers, long store lines, and sellouts, plus plenty of resale activity.
- Trader Joe’s is pushing back on claimed knockoffs and tells customers genuine Trader Joe’s items are only available at its own stores.
Trader Joe’s will start selling a striped mini canvas tote on Wednesday. The $2.99 bag is another non-food play by the grocer, banking on the popularity the tote has seen with shoppers in the U.S.
Retailers are trying to see if low-cost, limited edition goods will help drive store traffic even as grocery prices stay firm. At Trader Joe’s, the small bag is more than just a reusable tote. It turns into a store event. Shoppers know it can vanish in a hurry.
Numerator said in April that mini tote buyers are some of Trader Joe’s most engaged shoppers. On average, they spent $1,356 at the chain in 2025, about 2.6 times more than the typical customer. The firm said 9.6% of Trader Joe’s shoppers picked up a mini tote last year. But the bags seemed to boost loyalty among existing customers, not bring in many new ones.
Trader Joe’s latest bags are out in pastel green, pink, blue, and striped brown, with brown in and purple out versus older pastel sets, recent product listings show. Each measures 13 inches long, 11 inches tall, and 6 inches wide, made from 65% cotton and 35% polyester, with pockets on both sides.
Trader Joe’s expects brisk demand for its new offering, with public relations manager Nakia Rohde calling the size “ideal for smaller shopping trips.” The company is also telling shoppers to expect low inventory. “Supplies are limited,” Rohde said. Parade
Trader Joe’s is rolling out the tote after previous mini tote bags were snapped up in stores and ended up on resale sites. Some listings for the earlier mini totes hit $1,000 online, according to People, but resellers often take less than those headline prices.
Trader Joe’s has pushed back on the tote resale trade. Rohde said the retailer sued over fake totes, saying it acted to “protect our customers from being misled.” Trader Joe’s wants products sold only in its own stores, Rohde added, so buyers get the real thing. Better Homes & Gardens
Trader Joe’s got a temporary restraining order against two supposed sellers of fake bags, Martha Stewart said this week, citing the Reno Gazette Journal. The grocer checked the fabric color, weight, stitching and the size of the products. They decided some bags were “nonauthentic copycats.” Martha Stewart
Trader Joe’s is now in the mix with other brands chasing the tote trend. Aldi rolled out its $25 Haul It All totes in June under the ALDI Finds line. Dunkin’, Cheez-It and Ikea have also released mini totes since Trader Joe’s bags set off a wider tote craze. Better Homes & Gardens
Scarcity can go both ways. Setting store limits might slow hoarding. But when customers and workers see some stores with stock and others without, it can cause frustration. And if resellers push fakes or hike prices, a brand perk turns into a headache for customer service.
Mini canvas totes started flying off shelves in 2024 before the company even began promoting them, Rohde told the Associated Press. Jay Zagorsky, a clinical associate professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, told AP shoppers often hoard items that social media pushes as “desirable or important.” Sentinel Colorado
Trader Joe’s is keeping its usual approach for now. Low price, no online, tight supply, and a product small enough to seem casual. That’s been enough to get people lining up for a grocery bag.
