rewrite this title and make it good for SEOBJ’s Wholesale plans major store changes as customers pull back

Eddy said that “the vast majority” of BJ’s comparable sales growth during the quarter was driven by higher-income members who “remain engaged” and consistently shop in stores.

In response to elevated spending by higher-income members, Eddy said that BJ’s plans to introduce more higher-priced items at its locations to ensure it has “the right assortment for the folks that are spending.”

“We want to take our assortment upmarket a little bit in the good, better, best construct,” he said. “We have too much in the good level, and we need more better and best.”

“We’ve seen a resilient consumer, but as you look under the covers, there’s considerable pressure on the lower-income consumers, and the middle-income consumers are trading sideways a bit, and the only real growth is from the affluent customers,” he added. “We want to make sure that we are where the money is and bringing the right products to those folks.”

BJ’s vows to pass savings back to customers

Despite this upcoming in-store change, Eddy said that BJ’s will also double down on returning tariff refunds to members through pricing, since they remain financially pressured.

This is a change the company initiated during the first quarter, leading to a roughly 0.5 point of deflation in its retail pricing. The move comes after it rolled out price increases in its stores last year due to tariffs.

Two areas where BJ’s is considering using these funds to lower prices are gas (if demand drops) and eggs, as inflation remains elevated.

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“Any source of gain that we can come up with, we will always try and give it back to our members so that they reward us in the future,” said Eddy.

It is vital for BJ’s to continue investing in members who are strapped for cash, as more consumers nationwide are taking extra measures to save money.

According to a recent A&M Consumer and Retail Group survey, this includes shoppers switching brands and giving more of their business to retailers that offer lower prices.

How U.S. consumers are saving money on groceries:

Roughly 61% of consumers are making fewer grocery trips to cut costs.

Also, 50% to 60% are switching to lower-priced retailers in search of more affordable pricing.

Additionally, 35% plan to purchase less-expensive brands in stores amid financial pressures.Source: A&M Consumer and Retail Group

Chad Lusk, managing director at A&M Consumer and Retail Group, said in a press release that “consumers are re-orienting the importance of brand in their decision-making, and loyalty is waning.”

As BJ’s plans to adjust its in-store prices and assortment, it expects comparable club sales, excluding gasoline sales, to increase 2% to 3% year over year in fiscal year 2026.

“We factored everything into our outlook that we know today,” said BJ’s Wholesale Chief Financial Officer Laura Felice during the earnings call. “We’re certainly watching the tariff environment that’s continually moving.”

Related: Publix faces consumer boycott threat after store policy change

This story was originally published by TheStreet on May 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.