Does Trader Joe's Still Give Customers Rewards For Reusable Grocery Bags?

Trader Joe's does many things just, well, differently. From the lack of self-checkout lanes at Trader Joe's — and a carefully cultivated homespun, quaint feel despite being a national chain — down to the absence of well-known brands at TJ's in favor of mostly private label goods, the store marches to the beat of its own drum. 

One additional way the chain sets itself apart from the herd is through a noticeable lack of plastic bags; You're either getting your goods bagged in paper bags or a reusable one, by a famously chipper, empathetic crew member. Going the extra mile to encourage sustainability, Trader Joe's at one time went so far as to incentivize shoppers to bring their own bags from home with a rewards system that gave shoppers the chance to score a gift card, just for remembering to bring their own reusable bag. 

Each week, Trader Joe's would award one $25 store gift card to a shopper. To enter, you had to bring your own shopping bag and spend at least $25, then fill out a form with your contact info to enter the weekly drawing. Sadly, this extra perk wrapped up in 2023. So bringing your own bag will win you eco-friendly brownie points — and in some regions, you'll avoid paying the 10-cent-per-bag charge — but you'll no longer be entered into a raffle.

While the Trader Joe's raffle for bringing your own bag has wrapped — with no word on whether there are any plans to resurrect it — there are still plenty of ways to bag (Pun intended) some sizable scores and savings while shopping at TJ's. Notably, even in an era of steep inflation, Trader Joe's keeps its prices cheap — a feat achieved in large part through cutting out the middle man, and sourcing store goods from the chain's own suppliers. (Insider tip: Dedicated foodie sleuths have revealed that many Trader Joe's "private label" items are made by well-known brands, just with a TJ's label.) 

While there might not be the same monetary incentive behind bringing your own bags to Trader Joe's, the chain still prioritizes eco-friendliness by offering an array of cute reusable totes near the checkout aisle; Some of which, like the Trader Joe's mini totes, sold in out in record time after achieving a cult following. But TJ's dedication to prioritizing reusable bags is hardly a new trend. With the average American using a shocking 365 plastic bags on average per year, the retailer has long aimed to be part of the solution to customers' reliance on single-use plastic. Trader Joe's launched its first reusable tote in 1977, proving the retailer has been focused on sustainability since the beginning — raffle, or no raffle.