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Amazon will cut prices on avocados at Whole Foods when it completes acquisition on Monday

Amazon will cut prices on avocados at Whole Foods when it completes acquisition on Monday

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Maybe we can buy a house now

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Amazon today announced that it expects to close the deal on acquiring Whole Foods on Monday after the FTC and shareholders approved the sale this week. Amazon says shoppers can expect lower prices at Whole Foods stores starting that same day on “best-selling grocery staples” such as organic eggs, bananas, butter, salmon, ground beef, and — our Vlad Savov’s favorite — avocados. (Maybe he’ll change his mind about Amazon Prime now?)

Later down the line, Amazon Prime will replace Whole Foods’ current customer rewards program and offer Prime members additional savings. Additionally, Whole Foods’ private label 365 brand will be available for order via Prime Pantry, Prime Now, AmazonFresh, and Amazon.com. Amazon Lockers will also be placed in some Whole Foods stores, where customers can pick up online orders or place them in lockers for returns.

"We're determined to make healthy and organic food affordable for everyone,” Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer, said in a press release. Whole Foods CEO John Mackey adds, "By working together with Amazon and integrating in several key areas, we can lower prices and double down on that mission and reach more people.”

Exactly how much the price of a single avocado will be reduced by or how that price compares with competing supermarkets is to be determined, but for now it does alleviate concerns from critics who were skeptical about Amazon’s intent in buying Whole Foods. Many were worried that the online giant would use Whole Foods’ demographics to expand its food delivery services instead of focusing on making healthy produce available to more people. For its part, Amazon recently announced a discounted Prime membership for those on government assistance, which should make these products more accessible.