Whole Foods Market

Their bread (multigrain) is one of the best of its kind in London. However, having read that they deny their staff sick pay, I'll strictly limit my purchases here in future.

For me, it looked like a museum when I went for the first time - unfriendly staff, smelly cheese everywere. I will stick with Waitrose forever. They have quality food and very high quality of service. They are the best.

As the Ecologist points out this month (surely not a 'disgruntled commercial rival'), Whole Foods Market fail to give their staff sick pay. I feel this fundamental lack of care tells you so much about the superficiality of the company's stated values. I've used them for years, now I'm striking them off my list of organic places to shop. There are plenty of alternatives in London - I reckon even Waitrose supplies cheaper, better, more ethical food than Whole Foods Market.

Apparently Whole Foods does awaken something in the people - I never saw this much opinion aired about ANY supermarket/grocery store. Fact is that there's always going to be a few whiners who never think something is good enough, unless it's the best possible product with a shelf life of 5 years and they get it for free!

"Buy locally produced food and eat food in season", says the big notice on the wall. Below it - blackberries from Mexico, in March. To me this sums up the problem with this store. However, I am pleased they are giving up plastic carrier bags in April.

This is not what sustainability and organic is about.

I'm not sorry to think it sucks. Overpriced, random quality, very American with glitz to cover up a lack of substance.

I had a brill day here but only bought a few things because of the price!

Their pistachio nuts are cheaper than any that I can buy locally, and they have a good flavour. So - at least with some things - it can work out cheaper.

Um, all of the negative reviewers must be smoking something because this store is truly PHENOMENAL. As if the yogurt, fresh juice/smoothie, crepe, waffle, pasta, salad, pastry, coffee, and sandwich bars upstairs weren't enough, they also have a tapas restaurant and a raw seafood bar that are completely phenomenal. The prepared food selection is unlike anything you've ever seen, the selection downstairs is AMAZING with fresh produce from all over the world, including many that are normally 'out-of-season' this time of year, and the cheese room... I mean, come on, if you are complaining about this store you are certifiably insane. Valrhona chocolate? I'm in, thanks. Grocery stores absolutely do NOT get better than this. Whole Foods Kensington completely redefines grocery stores, and you should absolutely check it out.

Whole Foods is the best!! I was very excited to hear that they've opened in London. I used to live in Manhattan and I loved the excellent choice on offer. I don't mind paying a little extra for beautiful presentation and a great 'experience'. Waitrose certainly doesn't have the variety. Finally, I can buy a variety of quality herbal tea again and not have to stock up every time I visit New York. I can highly recommend Whole Body too - it stocks some lovely products. Hopefully certain other supermarkets will adopt the same integrity and start treating their suppliers more fairly.

I have just read a report concerning Whole Foods Market in today's Independent newspaper, from which comes the following quote. Assuming the report is correct, I would say that far from asking for ratings for this company I feel you should not give it any publicity at all. I don't need foreign companies like this.

"Whole Foods Market, which recently expanded into Britain with a store in London's upmarket suburb of Kensington, has been discovered stocking tomatoes from one of the most notorious Florida sweatshop producers. Whole Foods ignored an appeal by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to pay an extra penny a pound for its tomatoes."

As an advocate for organic food, I was really looking forward to visiting Whole Foods Market. However, there was a distinct lack of organic food for a 'flagship organic store'. There were many more non-organic items than organic, even with known brands you can get from Tesco. Staff were average - some seemed bored and unenthusiastic, some quite friendly. The ambience of the store is good and, granted, so is the quality... but really it is not hugely different from Waitrose.

Not too impressed. Lots of non-organic food (so why the difference to the American format)? What is happening to all the waste? I saw mountains of cut cake and fruit and a full, untouched meat counter in the late afternoon. The fish eyes were milky and 25,000 wedges of the same cheese won't sell in a fortnight either. Whole Foods might have a lot of everything they sell, but 500 different teas on display doesn't make anyone in the UK drink more tea. Overall, the choice isn't much wider than Waitrose. I'll stick to Waitrose, thank you very much.

Love it and love the Fresh & Wild stores that are also owned by Whole Foods. A wonderful place to shop and have brunch with a friend, or sushi and a glass of wine in the evening. I highly recommend their brown rice sushi. Not entirely sure what is gimmicky about it (see review below); it is just providing an excellent choice of fresh food (organic and conventional), using local produce where possible and, perhaps most importantly, doing it in a way that treats the suppliers fairly (unlike certain other supermarkets!).

Vastly overpriced and gimmicky.

I am sorry, but we are getting out enough to recognise obvious knocking copy from disgruntled commercial rivals. Whole Foods Market must be doing something right if the sarcasm is this OTT.

Perhaps those who find the place vulgar would care to parade their social consciences in the bountiful markets of Harare in Zimbabwe or Pyongyang in North Korea, that is if they have the guts.

The best food store in the UK. Period.

Completely overrated store with very inconsistent quality and poorly trained staff. The whole food image is based around having good quality, organic food. This might be the first impression, but after shopping here several times I've often found myself disappointed. The products are often far from fresh, and the prices are not justified. The quality is no better than what I would expect to find at my local Tesco's.

I have only been there once but loved the place, especially the fresh meat hall. They had beautiful, fresh and tender lamb fillets I've never been able to find anywhere else. I agree it's on the expensive side, but also agree on the 'experience' concept. Not having a crowd around when shopping makes the whole thing worthwhile if you don't mind spending a little bit more.

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