Whole Foods is a great example of a lure set up to get people to impulsively spend more money than necessary. Their basic staples are often priced similarly to other grocery chains, but when you shop there you will also pass by all the fancy, awesome, expensive foods too. It is hard to resist, especially if you are shopping hungry on your way home after a long day at work.
When I was on a tight budget as a student in DC, I loved Whole Foods. Stuff like natural peanut butter and bread was actually cheaper than other grocery stores (for the same quality), and I had no problem resisting the expensive stuff. They also had a well-stocked bulk aisle for cook-at-home staples, and cheap bagels (69¢ as I recall) that you could take to the seating area and toast them yourself.
I think they might position themselves differently depending on the region, because in the midwest I had a totally different experience. There, prices were universally high at Whole Foods.
