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Whole Foods Market opened its flagship Kensington store last month, with big promises on organic freshness, but customers and local retailers are not all bowled over.
Paul Seastram, duty manager at the Sainsbury's store a mile away in Ladbroke Grove, told MB&R that he had "not seen any impact on the store".
He added that organic sales were going "even better than last year," and that no customer feedback on Whole Foods had been received.
He thought Whole Foods Market may have a niche audience, and believed that the prices might put a lot of customers off. John Mackey, CEO and founder of Whole Foods Market, has been quoted as saying local retailers would be "hurt".
A recent article in the Evening Standard criticised the Whole Foods' policy of pricing by weight, and canvassed disgruntled customers. Reactions included complaints that foods like spinach were not sourced in the UK, and salads cost up to £14.
Has the number of customer complaints about the price of goods increased recently?
