Whole Foods specializes in organic and premium groceries with higher prices and stricter sourcing standards, while Target offers general merchandise with a grocery section at lower prices. Whole Foods is a dedicated grocery retailer acquired by Amazon in 2017, whereas Target is a mass-market retailer with grocery as one category among many.
Whole Foods vs Target — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Premium organic-focused grocery chain offering high-end natural products, prepared foods, and customer experience.
General merchandise big-box retailer offering apparel, household goods, groceries, and a curated beauty selection.
Average Grocery Price Level. Organic Product Percentage. Store Count (US). Private Label Quality Tier. Amazon Prime Integration. Product Categories Beyond Groceries. Average Basket Size at Checkout
Choose Whole Foods if you prioritize organic products, prefer premium quality sourcing, and have an Amazon Prime membership for discounts—best for health-conscious shoppers willing to pay more. Choose Target if you want one-stop shopping with competitive prices, broad merchandise selection beyond groceries, and maximum store accessibility—best for budget-conscious families seeking convenience.
Average Price Premium vs Market Baseline
Whole Foods Market: 3-4 (groceries, bulk, supplements, prepared foods) | Target: 12+ (groceries, apparel, home, electronics, beauty, toys, etc.)
Whole Foods Market: 2017 (Amazon acquisition) | Target: Publicly traded (founded 1962)
Whole Foods Market: 40,000 | Target: 130,000 sq ft
Whole Foods Market: 365 Brand: 1,200 SKUs | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: +20-30% | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: ~15-20 weekly deals | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: $85-95 | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: 100% (all locations) | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: 25-30% | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: 50,000-60,000 | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: Hot bar, pizza, salads, sushi, prepared meals (8-12 stations) | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: $139 (Prime required for 10% discounts) | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: 2 brands | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: No separate program | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: Whole Foods Market (main), Whole Foods 365 (budget format) | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: 8+ (salad bar, rotisserie, café) | Target: N/A
Average Weekly Grocery Bill (Family of 4)
Whole Foods Market: $380-420 | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: $139 (Prime membership) | Target: N/A
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $110 Billion
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: ~1,950
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $110+ billion
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $65 billion
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 60+ million Circle members (estimated)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,948 Target stores
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Same-day pickup or 1-2 days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 12+ major categories with 40M+ items
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 60-90 days (Circle members get 90)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $99 per year
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: ~400,000
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,950+
Furniture Customization Variations Per Item
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $35 (RedCard) / $75 (standard)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1-2 days (in-store pickup) or 2-3 days (delivery)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 2,000+
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 30-120 days (varies by category)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: ~15,000
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,900 stores
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 2,500 products
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 75 brands
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 50+ million (RedCard)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Baseline
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Optical services only
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 2 hours (most locations)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 15-30 minutes
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,948 locations
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 3,500 items
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 15 categories
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 90 days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 30 days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 5% (RedCard)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: None (general customer service only)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Same-day (varies by location)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Apparel, home, grocery, beauty, electronics
Average Electronics Price Competitiveness
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 97 (5% lower with RedCard)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 150-200
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Limited access (mostly drugstore brands like Maybelline, Neutrogena)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $25-40 average transaction
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1% cash back (Red Card)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Minimal services at select urban locations only
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Buy online, pickup (2 hours), drive-up, same-day delivery
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 0 (pre-assembled)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 180000
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 120+ million
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Free (RedCard optional: $0)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 2-3 business days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: All 1,948 stores (Drive Up/Pickup)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $107.4
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 18,000
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1-2 days (store locations)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $100+ (standard); $35+ with RedCard
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,950 stores
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 60 days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 200+ customizable pieces
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 4.5/5.0 (2.1M reviews)
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 90% of items
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 1,900+
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 80-100
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Up to 5%
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: $3-$50
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: 30-90 days
Whole Foods Market: N/A | Target: Same-day delivery, Drive-Up, curbside
How to choose between Whole Foods Market and Target
Whole Foods vs Target — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Whole Foods vs Target. Contains 115 attribute comparisons, 3 FAQ pairs.
Whole Foods vs Target — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Whole Foods vs Target.
For Amazon Prime members, Whole Foods has become significantly more price-competitive — Prime members get 10% off hundreds of yellow-tag items weekly plus exclusive deals that can bring prices near conventional grocery levels on sale items. Non-Prime members pay full premium prices. Whole Foods is worth it for: quality produce/meat you can't find elsewhere, specialty ingredients, prepared foods/hot bar, and when Amazon 2-hour delivery is needed.
Yes — Target's Good & Gather private label includes an extensive organic line covering produce, dairy, grains, snacks, and beverages at prices 30-50% lower than equivalent Whole Foods organic items. Target also carries national organic brands. The selection is more limited than Whole Foods but covers most everyday organic staples.
Can I get Amazon delivery from Whole Foods?
Yes — Amazon Prime members can order Whole Foods items for free 2-hour delivery in most US markets through the Amazon app or Amazon Fresh. Same-day delivery is also available. Non-Prime members can still order but pay delivery fees. This integration makes Whole Foods one of the fastest grocery delivery options available.
How to Choose Between Whole Foods Market and Target
Average Grocery Price Level: Whole Foods Market has Premium (20-40% higher), while Target has Budget-friendly (avg market rate).
Organic Product Percentage: Whole Foods Market has 95%+ of products organic-certified, while Target has ~15-20% organic selection.
Store Count (US): Whole Foods Market has 520+ locations, while Target has 1,950+ locations.
Private Label Quality Tier: Whole Foods Market has 365 Brand (premium/organic focused), while Target has Good & Gather (value-oriented).
Amazon Prime Integration: Whole Foods Market has Prime members save 10% on select items, while Target has No Amazon Prime benefits.
Consider: Product Categories Beyond Groceries
Product Categories Beyond Groceries: Whole Foods Market has Minimal (bulk foods, supplements), while Target has Extensive (clothing, home, electronics).
Consider: Average Basket Size at Checkout
Average Basket Size at Checkout: Whole Foods Market has $55-75 (grocery-focused), while Target has $35-45 (mixed merchandise).
Whole Foods Market is better than Target
Whole Foods specializes in organic and premium groceries with higher prices and stricter sourcing standards, while Target offers general merchandise with a grocery section at lower prices. Whole Foods is a dedicated grocery retailer acquired by Amazon in 2017, whereas Target is a mass-market retaile