As the Spring season is in full swing, so is the return of Trader Joe’s iconic mini canvas tote bags.
Trader Joe’s shared a statement last month to confirm that its mini totes, which first made headlines last year, are making a comeback.
“We have plans to release mini canvas totes in April in Trader Joe’s stores across the country. The exact date they will be available in each neighborhood Trader Joe’s will vary,” a representative for Trader Joe’s told The Independent.
Now, shoppers have revealed that the bags have officially hit shelves at Trader Joe’s. The items are being restocked in four Spring colors, including pastel shades of blue, pink, purple, and green.
According to multiple TikTok videos posted today, some Trader Joe’s stores are only allowing each customer to buy four of the mini canvas totes, which cost $2.99 each.
The mini totes first went viral early last year when the bags were sold in blue, red, green, and yellow in stores.
It became something of a status symbol on TikTok, with influencers sharing how they customized the mini bags with paint, buttons, and embroidery. Customers also documented the hours they spent in line, which often went out the shop’s door, to get their hands on a bag.
The small bags were later resold on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace for three times the price. For example, third-party sellers were offering $20 for one mini tote and $999 for a set of four.
“Our Mini Canvas Tote Bags certainly sold more quickly than we anticipated,” Trader Joe’s spokesperson Nakia Rohde told the Associated Press in March 2024. “Before we had the opportunity to promote them in any way, customers across the country found them at their neighborhood Trader Joe’s.”
In September, the mini canvas tote made its second return to stores, with customers again swarming the Trader Joe’s aisles. Once the bags were eventually sold out, some buyers listed theirs for up to $500 on resale sites.
Trader Joe’s also had massive success with its mini insulated tote bags, which went viral in June 2024. At the time, the bags — the right fit for either storing lunch or keeping drinks cold — were sold in magenta and teal for $3.99 each. There was only a limited amount of totes available at most stores.
Last month, the insulated bags made a comeback, and were sold in two different colors: pink and lavender. While some customers said they could only buy two bags each at their local Trader Joe’s, not every store in the U.S. had this rule.
“Our mission is to bring customers the best quality products at the best prices. To do this, we have to manage our store space well. Some Trader Joe’s products are everyday products, and others are only available for a limited time,” a representative for Trader Joe’s said in a statement last month. “The Trader Joe’s Insulated Mini Totes are a limited-time product. Each store determines its merchandising plan, and availability will differ from store to store.”
Not surprisingly, some of the isolated tote bags are being resold online for a much higher price. One eBay listing is offering a pink and a lavender tote for a total of $24.99
