Blame the FTC and their puzzling pursuit of the Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger. I can't fault Whole Foods for trying to defend themselves. And the argument that Whole Foods does not control the organic/natural foods market (at least in Portland) because of the existance of stores like NewSeasons is valid. Especially when you consider Brian Rohter used to run the stores that became the Portland Wild Oats locations.

Makes me sick!! Im opening a business in smaller scale dealing with close to the same problem!! The good part? I love whole foods and NOW IM GONE!! So take no shopping from me for the next hopefully 60 years and theres a significant loss! Now..all we need is a few hundred thousand more to do the same.

I am writting BOYCOT WHOLE FOODS on the back window of my car this morning. Every American needs to take a stance on this. This is an excelent example about the republicans talking with a forked tongue. They preach "FREE MARKETS" then make it lawfull to run lawful competition out of business. Why is "HELL" would a PRIVATE business plan be made available to your competitors. THIS IS IMPERIALISM. Bush abolished to Anti Monopoy laws that have served us so well for so many years. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE BACK "OUR" COUNTRY ! ! ! ! ! ! ! NOW ! ! ! ! ! !

Nothing here trumps that FACT that business and marketing plans are private and not to be shared with a competitor. This is still IMPERIALISM and should be stomped out,,, literally.

BOYCOT WHOLE FOODS ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Whole Foods has some of the dirtiest rotten top excutives in any industry in
the entire country. Top thug in this
company is John Mackey, a lackluster
executive who can spin crap into silk.
Thank God he and his wife pledged to have no children. Could a future America
stand anymore like him!

What the heck is a food thought leader?

Whoa, those first three guys sound like the same person. Might want to ease up on the shift-1 button a bit if you really want to be persuasive. No one wants to side with a shrill.

But, yeah, WF might want to lay off. They can claim that it's the FTC forcing their hands and that it's competitor's records will all be kept secret, but there is a precedent for WFs to try to break that confidentiality.

Until this is resolved, this is one shopper who's taking it elsewhere.

BOYCOT WHOLE FOODS starting today

Thats sounds like something Wholefoods
would do just to gain internal info. WF's
CEO is just a plain as*****. thats why I won't shop there anymore

I WILL NEVER SHOP AT WHOLE FOODS AGAIN IN MY LIFETIME .WHO THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE.I AM A SMALL BUSSINESS OWNER FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS AND BELIEVE ME I KNOW ALL ABOUT THESE BULLIES.THEY DO ANY AND EVERY THING POSSIBLE TO KILL OFF THE LITTLE GUY.ONE THING I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IS WHERE THEY FORCE VENDORS TO SELL CERTAIN PRODUCTS TO ONLY THEM AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY NAME THEIR OWN PRICE SO IF THE SUPPLIER DONT PLAY BALL THEY CANCEL THE ACCOUNT.WHAT A FREE MARKET.

Don't believe "everything" you hear or read. There are dirty people on both sides here, you can believe that much. As far as "boycotting" one or the othere why not let them fight it out and just shop where you feel you get the best deals. I say this for only one reason...the MEDIA! You'll never hear the actual truth on this matter, not from them anyway. Who ever the media sides with (could be for many different reasons) they will always make them look better, in every way possible. So don't worry about it, just shop where you would normally and do it for the right reasons, for the reasons you did in the first place.

I used to work for a mom and pop place that had to sell because of the "big guy." I officially today will never shop at Whole Foods ever again---think of the loss, I'm 37 and could've shopped there for like 50 more years!!! I'm going back to more small stores whenever possible:.)

Could be worse, could be WalMart

I heard Whole Foods is going to use Veggie Oil to Power Stores

http://www.curiousread.com/2008/12/whole-foods-to-use-veggie-oil-to-power.html

monoploys are not allowed an that is what this is --- liers dont need your secrets but to steal your ideas for themselves they are to lazy to earn them -- themselves --- the president would stop this if you wrote them they did down here in new orleans on light company same game just different product believe you will win an you will i wrote the president on the damages the light company caused an he said no monopolys allowed they were made to fix things with out using my insurance most people dont know but what you are told an most of the time its a lie so check it out with the president he really will answer you

First of all, Whole Foods is a bit expensive, but remember people, we pay a little more to be able to feed us natural, organic foods-this will alleviate us from getting sick in the fututre which will cost alot of money. HealthCare is not what it used to be...we are guinny pigs if we do not educate ourselves and get on the bandwagon in good nutrition and get away from all of that preservativea, addtivies, pesticides, hormones, formaldyide among other things.....people, remember it is your choice to be either healthful and pay a bit more now than to pay for your ignorance later which will cost alot money plus giong western medicine will create a vicious circle is you let them....sorry, I got off the subject, but we need to wake-up and understnad what we as humans are doing to ourselves. In reference to Whole Foods-they are an organic foodmart....period. They should respected as to what they are doing....the reason why they are successful is because they are in good locations.....locations that have a population that is tired of being tired....thank goodness there is a Whole Foods in my opinion...for our health sakes

This story is ridiculous. I work for Whole Foods and it is an awesome company, best one I have ever worked for.

I actually worked at the Whole Foods corporate office in downtown Austin. From what I know of John Mackey (and his management team), they are cut throats. I had to quit because the stress of working in the offices was too much. I like shopping there better than working there!

I love Whole Foods. In New York City where I live, we call it Whole Paycheck. I know organic is more expensive, but Whole Food's prices on a lot of items are high. I do love their store brand ( I htink it is called 365) and it is very reasonable. I use their brand mint hair conditioner and think it is fab-u-lous!

I am definitely a bargain shopper and do a lot of my shopping online to save money on gas, use less gas and not pay tax most of the itme and use coupons. I shop at all my favorite stores through an online website that gives me the unpublished codes at about 300 stores (including Target, The Gap, Best Buy, Old Navy, Drugstore.com, etc) as well as giving me between 5 and 50% back in cash on my purchases. The site is http://www.fatcrumbs.com I am being good to the environment and great to my wallet

I miss Wild Oats. The associates at Whole Foods are not as knowledgeable about vitamins and homeopathic treatments.