Redefining everything as advertising does not work. I heard of Whole Foods through word of mouth which is not advertising in general. Sure placement can be.
I could very well be wrong, but I doubt you heard enough through word of mouth to get you in to the store. You need quite a bit of information at a pretty specific time to go to a grocery store you haven't been to before, everything from location to a serendipitous follow up thought for "I need groceries today".
Assuming you did end up there without seeing/hearing any advertising, you went in and bought products with "advertising" stamped on the front of them, right? Even store brand products have labels that feature a message the store would like you to consider. Otherwise we'd just buy things in brown cardboard boxes and stamped burlap sacks like the good ol' days.
As far as I know I have never seen a Whole Foods advert. Not sure they advertise here (uk). I spend a fair amount of time finding new grocery shops in the area.
Considering all labelling to be advertising is, as above, overextension of a reasonable definition. Although I do buy stuff out of cardboard boxes and sacks too.
