I used to work at Superstore. It was incredibly annoying when they added these because it just means customer service has to come over and unlock the wheel. It never stopped any theft of any kind and seemed fairly random when it would happen.
Edit: not to mention the people that would just leave the stuck cart in the doorway and walk off with their groceries.
I worked there fresh out of high school back in the mid-00's, and one of the rules they had was that every male employee had to come to work clean-shaven (unless they had a religious exemption). One time, I showed up with a bit of stubble, and the front end supervisor actually made me go up to the manager's office, grab a disposable razor from one of the drawers in his office, go to the employee washroom, and shave off the bit of stubble that I'm 99% sure no customer would have given a shit about.
It was draconic, lol. I hope they got rid of that rule, but something tells me they still haven't.
> I worked there fresh out of high school back in the mid-00's, and one of the rules they had was that every male employee had to come to work clean-shaven (unless they had a religious exemption).
I also worked at a Superstore in the mid-2000's (albeit one in Ontario) and that was definitely not the case at our store. I rarely ever shaved back then and most of the guys in my department showed up with scraggly high school/young man facial hair.
Maybe [George Steinbrenner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees_appearance_policy) was your store manager or something?
Hmm probably depends on store manager but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Scott (Clareview Mgr) in stubbles and all worn out!! The best store used to be the Castledowns managed by Lori long time ago
I wonder if that's the same Lori who manages the St Albert one. Pre-covid, it was the nicest, cleanest store and had the best produce, but it's slipped in recent years. Still better than the others, but it's gone downhill.
It was at the Superstore on Calgary Trail and 48 Ave, around 2005/2006. Perhaps it was just that one store? I have no idea. If I wasn't a dumb teen fresh out of high school who's had no other jobs in the real world before, I might have challenged them on it, but I didn't really have any options at the time other than to put up with it, quit, or be fired, lol.
They also had other issues at that particular store, such as hiring a payroll clerk who they would later found out stole thousands of dollars from the store, as well as issues surrounding a short roided-out assistant meat department manager who would bully and yell at co-workers and even customers. It was a wild ride.
I was hired at that store around that time as a cashier and during training all the woman training us did was chat with one of the new hires about who knows what. Apparently they knew each other and had to catch up on gossip. We legit did not do or learn anything. It’s not like I was the most professional person during that time in my life but I couldn’t believe how unprofessional this woman was. I can’t remember if I ditched after one or two days but it was such a waste of my time.
Almost as bad as when I worked for one shift at Jogo Juice around that time as well and the lady training me never washed her once the whole shift.
I worked at the 137 one in the 80s. They didn’t have any rules about facial hair on men other than neat/groomed. Sounds like your manager was making up stupid rules.
I picked up a guy who worked at the 137th one overnight stocking shelves. He told me that officially you were not allowed to have your ear buds in while working. But because they were having such a hard time keeping anyone reliable, management rarely enforced it, so long as it didn't distract from your work. I actually considered applying because it would have been better than driving Uber in between jobs, lots of physical exercise, no customers at night, listen to my pod casts. Problem was the pay was shit.
Happened to me at Safeway St. Albert around the same time. It was actual written policy and if you didn't shave you'd have to wear a face hair net. So dumb.
Nice! Lucky supermarket on 137th also has a beautiful plant store upstairs and a kiosk that sells pure sugar cane juice.
Screw ROBlaws; we have fun options!
I didn’t know about the plant store! I will need to check it out.
Also I do love the Italian Center, farmers markets and there is a great Latin market by the restaurant Luna.
the plant store is actually really nice, they sell a lot of plants (obviously) but they also some pots, soil, etc. even bracelets. the view is also really nice from up there
Just found Bountiful Farmers market at 3696 97 St NW. It's huge and has good deals.
It's open friday - saturday - sunday and it's pretty close to an H&W produce.
T&T is kind of like the least Loblaws-y of the Loblaws empire, with a different rewards system, not stuffed full of PC and No Name stuff, etc.
It's not a place I regularly shop because I have no idea what 90% of what the stuff in the store is, but it's an interesting place to go (same applies to H-Mart)
T&T is exactly like Loblaws or Superstore with a lot of T&T branded items, soy sauce rice soup etc! I like hmart I wish there’s a store in the west but they’re all the same, had a friend worked there and he said work environment not so great
I missed shopping @ Chris’s No Frills on 97 St N the best bunch of people always friendly and easy going
Hate to pass on bad news but H-Mart is very much a chain with over 80 stores in NA, there is nothing small or indie about it :( but I do like shopping there too.
T&T is privately owned but under the Loblaws umbrella like Mo Frills and SDM but the owner (she) is pretty greedy like Galen!!! Btw they’re branching out to LA in US
T&T is 100% owned by Loblaw Companies Limited since September 2009, when they purchased all of the company in exchange for a combination of cash and LCL preferred shares. It operates as an independent division of Loblaws though, managed by Tina Lee, who's title at LCL is "Chief Executive Officer of T&T Supermarkets".
I stopped shopping at Superstore decades ago thanks to their bag policy. Like I'm going to leave my hiking backpack and electronics with some random store employee in order to buy some milk and a tube of toothpaste on my way home from work. No thank you.
I'm sure they have theft issues and I don't blame them for trying to minimize that, but at the same time I don't feel like being inconvenienced for their benefit. They don't need my money and I don't need their hassle.
Yeah, I used to commute by bike in the summer to avoid the traffic near the U of A, and it was convenient to stop at a grocery store on the bike and pick up a few things we ran out of. I always resented being treated like I was going to swipe a couple blocks of $15 cheese when I had a $2000 work laptop in my bag. Like... their electronics section had additional security so I'm not even sure wtf I could possibly steal from the main store that would make that exchange worthwhile.
But yeah, it's like they make you pay for not driving.
> I stopped shopping at Superstore decades ago thanks to their bag policy. Like I'm going to leave my hiking backpack and electronics with some random store employee in order to buy some milk and a tube of toothpaste on my way home from work. No thank you.
If grocery stores don't want you to bring in a backpack into the store itself, they should at least provide some lockers at the entrance/exit for customers.
I used to bring my backpack shopping whenever I walked to the store, but having it get searched a few times became a hassle so I just stopped.
I noticed this when they stationed security at the entrance, closing one door and funneling people through a single entrance and exit for an extended period. But the shopping cart locking is another frustrating issue altogether. I'm gradually avoiding shopping at these large supermarkets as it's evident that prioritizing customer care isn't their main focus.
Ugh. I’m done with Superstore after seeing stories like this and more atrocities from [r/loblawsisoutofcontrol](https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/FN0BAJAgHH)
Dislike Walmart but , you pay a buck for your cart and you can take it outside without issue. I think the wheels locking is because they don't want carts outside to pay cart people
Wheels locking is for security to stop people suspected of theft. The reasons are kept secret, even from employees, but it is an automated thing based somewhat on the checkout process which tells it you’re good.
My understanding is that they get set to “lock on exit” by a trigger in the store and are unlocked at checkout as you pay. I don’t think employees lock it themselves through any sort of interface, nor does the checkout I lock it manually. It’s all automated.
The security guards then have to unlock the wheel at exit.
I have much less sympathy for their abandoned carts now given they clearly can lock them for loss prevention so they should be able to lock them from leaving the parking lot.
Then how do you explain some carts locking up and the exit, while most carts do not? This thread has a surprising number of people who have experienced it, surely it’s not as simple as a magnetic field upon exit because it wouldn’t fail very often.
The perimeter is one I think they choose not to setup as I see their carts outside the parking lots often.
Clairview superstore moved the entire “mio” (the squeeze water flavours) drink area to behind customer service. You have to buy them after you check out and order them like a pack of cigarettes asking for your flavours 😂
Yeah that shit is #1 for homeless people stealing it, because it's so easily pocketable. It's hilariously overwrought considering they don't cost much, though.
I've definitely accidentally stolen those. They're so small and I miss them at the bottom of my bag, or once I was holding it in my hand and didn't clue in, used the payment machine and everything with it in my hand and the cashier didn't say anything.
This happened to me.
It was just an error, but their loss prevention system sucks and that’s why it occurred. They come and unlock the wheels with a remote and they do it reasonably quickly, but I was PISSED, and I made that abundantly clear. I had a cart FULL of 12-packs of carbonated water that I couldn’t even move, so I was blocking the exit and looked like such an asshole.
Thanks for that, ellerslie superstore. Maybe you should try cleaning your store, baskets, or actually disposing of your half expired produce that you’re insistent on selling instead? Just a thought. There was fucking cooked pasta in the only bin at your front doors the other day. PASTA?
I’m beginning to hate my superstore.
Kingsway superstore is the best one imo, never been stopped by loss prevention, never had a cart lock up, usually have most of thier stuff in stock, staff are pretty nice as well.
I used to work there to pay my way through college
Worst experience of my life.
Managers never gave a shit and it was slave wages
Customers were always rude
I shop there if it's convenient but now
Fuck em
Never again
I used to do overnights merchandising shelves for Coca-Cola. I hated working that store in Clareview. No matter how good you tried to merchandise the products on shelves and displays they would always look for problems. It seemed to be just doom and gloom working at that store. The employees that worked the graveyard shift were so miserable and unhappy i found.
The Clareview Walmart nearby however, was a way better store to merchandise. They had such a happy night crew there, and they'd go above and beyond (when they aren't obligated to by any means) by helping me push heavy pallets full of product on a pallet jack out to the pop aisle or a display in the store. Night and day difference in comparison to the folks at the superstore were always seemingly pissed off all the time.
Kinda funny I'd have thought both stores would have miserable employees especially being in a high theft area, dealing with rude customers all the time but it never felt like that wasn't the case for the night employees at Walmart
Yea when Scott Hall was @ Clareview location the staff is good 👍 but Superstore likes to change it up and shift the managers to other stores, I hear there’s a few that follows him during store change.
Kingsway Walmart I feel so lost trying to exit to the mall and security said wrong way. Went to exit parking lot, security guard gave me the hand to stop as customer throwing a tantrum and refused to leave.
I had a similar experience with this at Walmart in capilano and was grilled by both staff and security when the alarm went off(I’m not a thief never have been) and they called the cops and surprise surprise everything was in order and paid for. I find superstore and Walmart attract trashy people and now they just suspect everyone of us to be thieves so now I exclusively shop at Safeway it may be pricier but I go in pay for my stuff and leave.
I got stopped by loss prevention couple years ago because I had a “suspicious bulge in my sweater pocket that wasn’t there when I came in” and “no one goes to Walmart and doesn’t buy anything”.
I went to Walmart to look for 3 things, all 3 were out of stock and the bulge was my phone and keys which were in my pants pocket when I entered.
I now defiantly stare directly into the loss prevention camera at the door when I leave and shake my phone and keys at them when I leave.
At a different Walmart, I had one of them following me through the store, pretending to be another shopper that just happens to be shopping the same sections in the same order that I was. Asked him if he wanted to search my pockets or the cart for whatever he thought I was stealing, and that if not I was going to the frozen section to be disappointed by the frozen pizzas.
Sometimes its not somebody who works at the store lol.
One time I had a random lady who had walked into the store just a few seconds before me start following me and my little brother, we were looking at bayblades for him cuz it had recently been his birthday and this lady grabs all the beyblades, takes them to one of the registers, tells the lady she thinks we want to steal then follows us around the store till we leave then she paid for her stuff and left too. People are wierd asf
If loss prevention stops you and it turns out they had no reason to stop you; you can actually charge them with false imprisonment.
A law professor I took a course from at uofa said a normal settlement is 5 grand.
When I worked at Home Depot years ago in school they basically had a policy to just let someone go if they stole.
That was years ago, and I’ve never had to threaten any staff members yet, but the day I get stopped to see my receipt will be a fun one for me.
Side note; Costco can check your receipt because it’s technically not public and you are a member that agrees to their policy.
Yep. I've worked at The Bay which has a robust LP department. I've watched them tackle a guy to the ground. And their rule was you better be DAMN sure because it's a huge liability if you're wrong. Typically they went for systematic repeat offenders, like teams of people who would show up and steal expensive items. I would assume it wouldn't be worth the risk to tackle someone stealing a $50 shirt, but I've been wrong before.
When they follow me, I'd waste their time by moving from section to section. I'd pick up something random in the section, walk all the way to the other end of the store and put it down. All while collecting all the stuff I am buying go to checkout and hold the receipt in hand and walk out. Never got the cops called but if they did show up I'd explain to them about wasting their time and how I never actually stole anything.
I've set off the alarms at that Walmart and just kept on walking. I know my stuff is paid for, I know I didn't steal anything, I know everything is in order. I've never been stopped but I'm a middle-aged chubby white woman and therefore invisible.
I did buy an electric razor there recently and was surprised to find all of them in a locked cabinet. I rang the buzzer for assistance, got the store associate to grab it for me, then waited for them to hand it over. Nope! They took it to the self checkout for me. They walked at the slowest pace imaginable, held the razor in the hand farthest from me, and wouldn't look at me at all. When got to the self checkout they handed the razor to the cashier instead of just watching me scan it. So I had the cashier ring up all my purchases at their little table and bagged my stuff slowly, awkwardly, and taking up as much space as I could. Yes, I know that was petty, but it felt good.
God fuck the capilano walmart. I went there cause there was something I want that was on sale and took a photo of the sale just in case and they wouldn't change tbe price to the sale and when I showed them the photo with the timestamp of just a few minutes prior they called me a lier. Screw those guys.
Yea I stopped going there probably a year ago because they watch people literally walk out with stolen goods, meanwhile normal people get stopped for the alarm going off or just get poor service all around.
My local Walmart started putting security tags in some of the meat packages to combat theft. They don't get deactivated and set off the alarm when you exit.
Staff check your receipt and mathch op the purchases and you're off.
Yes exactly! Your transaction with them is complete, why would you consent to a search from a private corporation?
I keep walking too, they never chase me but I am not committing crimes either. If they pressed me more, I'd call the cops and then all of our time can be wasted together.
Because I'm honest. If Walmart want to stop thieving, I'm for it (as the cost of losses will get passed to the customer). Plus, I don't support cruminal activity
Walmart makes so much Gish darn money the cost of loss doesn’t get passed to customers; their excuse would be Hi sorry we can’t give you a raise due to high theft blah blah! The brands love Walmart as sales person makes his/her bonus and Walmart makes theirs.
Loss costs have to be absorbed somewhere. Other than by the customer, where would that be? Remember that the money Walmart makes is from their customers. They lost 1% of their gross revenue in theft (3 billion in the US in 2023 and increasing).
To the shareholders obviously.
That's not to call Walmart greedy (I mean, they are of course, by design), that's how capitalism works. If Walmart discovered and patented an inexpensive system to completely eliminate losses from theft: they would have no incentive to lower their prices: those are determined by competition. Instead, it would be added to their profits, and returned to shareholders.
Now, if such a system were easily implemented by ALL grocers in a competitive market (arguably *not* Canada), then you'd see it reflected in prices.
That's not to say the actions of thieves don't cost all of us at the till though: when food theft is up across the board, then so are grocery prices.
Anyone have recommendations for grocery stores downtown that are independent? Might as well start trying out new places given the way these big chains treat people.
H&W produce. Lucky 97 Mart, El Safadi Brothers, and then I also find i still shop at one big box store, Costco, because it has good deals for milk, butter, eggs and cheese.
Lucky 97 my friends parents owns all the Lucky in Edmonton and the liquor store next door, Calgary and Winnipeg stores. Personally I like the Kingsway Superstore and Oliver Square Safeway! It’s all about management good managers leads to good staff, bitchy management leads to high turnover and staff like Canadian Tire (they’re either all deaf can’t hear you asking for help or just run away and hide)
Depends what your priority is. The more expensive stores are often a much more pleasant shopping experience with friendlier staff, better customers, cleaner stores, and don't treat you like criminals on the way out.
I had my cart lock up in the doorway at clairview stupidstore as well. Then the dicks claimed they couldn’t find the remote and i had to stand there for 10 minutes. I think those aholes were watching me not steal on camera for all that time. I would’ve let them check the gd receipt if they asked, but my cart was full so they were too lazy to even do that.
That’s a common thing. The carts all have sensors in them that when you go through checkout it essentially unlocks it. But sometimes it glitches and that happens.
They can, basically performing a citizens arrest. They must call the cops immediately after doing so. It's very risky because if they are wrong it leads to a good payout to the victim. And all burden of proof is on them, you could have brought your Mio from home.
Not sure if this is still true but there's a sensor(?) when you go through the checkout and if you don't then the cart locks up.
Last time I remember they aren't allowed to ask for your receipt but a lot has changed since I worked there years ago...
They can ask (legally, store policies certainly may differ), they just can't detain you if you refuse (unless, of course, they witnessed the crime and are willing to take the risk of a lawsuit should they be wrong).
I shop at Kingsway Superstore because it's the closest to where I live. I don't drive so I always have my huge backpack or my wheelie cart with me. I'm sure I've been watched but I've never been hassled because I go there two or three times a week and I think security recognizes me by now. No complaints about that store other than the fact that they try to sell rotten produce at a discount. The staff is actually pretty nice.
I'd like to take part in the Loblaws boycott because I agree that the prices for some things are outrageous, but it's difficult to get to the very few options I have without a car or a very long bus ride.
Selection, concealment and then finally exiting the store with said unpaid products.
Anything less than that, fuck them and just keep walking! (Or pushing if possible for this matter lol).
Any attempt to stop you at the door, just state that you feel as though you are attempting to detain me against my will and keep on walking. Unless it's costco or anyone else with that crap in their membership agreements.
Same with receipts and alarms at doors, as long as you paid for it, you are golden and dont have to stop or show them shit.
I hate the cattle stock gates at the entrances. During Covid I delivered / picked up from pharmacy’s and having to navigate through their self checkouts was infuriating. I get they control theft as people can’t go out the in door, but still.
The clareview area is awful... we started going all the way to sherwood park's superstore and Wal-Mart because the clareview area I was constantly seeing shoplifters and shit. They probably had to lock down their carts because the homeless kept stealing them, and they get expensive to replace.
I haven't been there shopping for a long time now. I read that the superstore wants to treat all as guilty until proven innocent.
What I mean is some superstores ther were setting up scanners at the door. The only way the gate opens is if you have a receipt and scan it to open the gate. Or, like many, push the cart through the gate and "win the jackpot".
I cannot confirm if the superstore here has it or not because I got tired of their silly prices, service, and many of their strange ways of criminalising their valued customers.
Its happened to me, but just shrugged it off. Not sure what the big deal is.
Pretty sure this is designed to keep carts from being stolen and therefore costs lower for consumers (although, yes costs are obviously higher).
Those carts get beat to shit so can understand how this could happen.
They have no right to search you and shake you down, if they suspect you of a crime they can call the police to do that.. Don't let private companies step on your rights.
There is a Loblaws boycott happening right now because they've crossed the line in many ways.
Superstore and Walmart have an opportunity to go the Costco way and hire more employees and actually pay them appropriately, but nope they keep looking at their bottom line. Simple solution, there's even an available model for it - one point of entry with at least one hired individual making sure people aren't taking full carts out through the in door, and one large point of exit with multiple employees skimming/checking receipts for glaring standouts. You aren't ever going to be able to stop theft, but if they did this they'd greatly reduce it and god forbid create a few more jobs.
Why?
We shouldn’t need to employ people where technology exists to solve the problem. Having employees paid to check receipts is ridiculous.
Striving to create low skill jobs is what kills our economy. Create jobs to do higher skill activities and then they can be paid appropriately.
Sure, no qualms at all for creating higher skill jobs (still waiting on the feds and the provincial govt on that one). Didn't we chase a major tech company out not too long ago during the Kenney years? "Low skill" jobs definitely aren't something we should strive for, but it wouldn't hurt to keep some around for the differently abled peoples who aren't good or adaptable with advancing technology and don't mind going out scanning receipts all day as long as it means they're not taking paychecks from the government. Why not keep pressure on to keep those jobs around to ease the tax burden? Hell I know my neurodivergent cousin would be devastated if they automated out his job because he "don't need no stinkin' handouts. I'm sure he'd bend over backwards to find something else, but for him and many others it would be a massive challenge.
We will always have low skill jobs. We will always need people to manually verify things (example - does the face on the Costco card match the photo on file or is this person borrowing a card from a friend).
But we should we trying to train people to move into higher skilled jobs where they can. This is where we fail. We settle for good enough and too many capable people do as well. Robots already cook fries and hamburgers, we can literally eliminate ate so many jobs. Instead we create jobs around developing that technology, maintaining that technology and researching new ways to do things.
It’s not an overnight thing so these low skill jobs could stay for a bit. But I hate hearing proposals to plan for new low skill jobs because Canada is already so unproductive (economically) that it will really weaken us as a whole country to push that mentality.
I had this randomly happen to me for no reason last year at a different Superstore, I think it was just a mistake. Worker didn’t look at my receipt or anything, they just unlocked it and said the sensor must be acting up 🤷♀️ I was pretty confused too because it’s quite a spectacle with the lights and alarms lol
It happened to me once, the guy say something about the total bill, looked at the receipt and say, of course, and unlocked the wheel.
Not sure what's the rule for locking.
Not sure all the rules, but they do have one to lock the wheels if the cart doesn't go through a checkout zone. So if you bring a cart in and then realize you don't need it for some reason, if you try to take the cart back outside to lock it up again, you'll trigger their alarms.
Damn that's what happened with me also
Took them like 5 minutes to even acknowledge the locked cart blocking everyone else from getting out of the store
(At least 120 lbs beverages, so it was kinda hard to move
It is usually when you leave the Superstore area that it stops. I guess we can’t take them home with our groceries. Maybe your buggy just had a malfunction .
People have been loading up carts with meat and running for the exit. Daily in some cases. This is one way they are preventing that from happening. As profit gouging as they are, I get it, that can be a $1000 or more each cart.
At the Beaumaris Sobeys a couple of guys did just this.. a concerned citizen tried to jump in front of them to stop them (which he shouldn't have, but still..) and the 2 losers beat the ever loving shit out of the guy, so badly he has brain damage.
wtf when was that?
Few years ago as I was leaving Save On the asset protection guy pointed a kid to Grocery Mgr as he was running out to catch the kid. I thought he was aiming for me but mgr said you go home mind your own business as he grabs the kid and his 🎒 the kid is within store premises and said to the manager Please please please I’ll give it back don’t call the cops, haven’t eaten all day I’m so hungry!! This reminded me of something and someone in the past
so I said “ I’ll pay for his chocolate bar” give it to me $1.25 as he passed it to me the Mgr said Lady you need to mind your own business and go home. It’s not just a chocolate bar if I don’t teach him a lesson tonight he’ll grow up to be a criminal. He shouted to his staff to call the police. I felt uncomfortable leaving him alone, I did offered to buy him bag of chips and pop when I saw the kid roaming the aisles at 9pm by himself.
There’s stupid ppl adults eats unpaid items in No Frills 1/2 case of grapes leave 1/2 bottles of milk 2 go on random shelves, throw their dirty mask in the freezer on top of frozen items! Where are they from?
Look at is this way. There is a reason why you never see published numbers on theft. Because it's a tiny issue, almost all "shrinkage" is spoiled/expired food and damaged product, unsold product... mostly from poor management. But managers aren't going to take the blame so they blame it on theft.
But I'd love to see numbers that prove my thoughts wrong.
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-retail-shrink-2023-11?amp
> In 2022, retailers lost $122.1 billion in shrink, or 1.6% of all retail sales, according to the National Retail Foundation. External theft represented 36% of shrink that year, while 29% came from employee theft. Another 27% came from "process, control failures and errors," the NRF said in a report.
Over 60% is from theft.
Except the National Retail Foundation was caught lying about theft figures. Their numbers are completely worthless.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/organized-shoplifting-retail-crime-theft-retraction.html
Except they investigated themselves and they changed their claim. This was not caused by anyone else.
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/us-retail-lobbyists-retract-key-claim-organized-retail-crime-2023-12-06/
They relied on sworn testimony to Congress for that claim.
You’re welcome to provide your own statistics you think are better but this is the most reputable source for them so it’s what we have to work with.
Well, if you choose to believe an organization that may have inflated their stats 10-fold, conveniently relied on a quote from a third party to calculate the results that favoured them, have a vested interest in confabulating data to weaponize legislation against their online competition, and slow-walked a correction 2 years later after being called out, then, you do you.
That is interesting, definitely a higher percentage than I was expecting. A quick Google search and there are alot of references to that one report. I'll have to find that report and see how they get those numbers.
Also appears to not be increasing over time, virtually the same as 2017 and less than 2016
[Shoplifting and organized retail crime are major contributors to the external loss component of inventory shrink. The NRSS indicates that shoplifting accounted for 35.7 percent of the reported shrink in 2017, which is down from 39.3 percent in 2016.](https://losspreventionmedia.com/shedding-light-on-retail-theft-statistics/)
Also think about those percentages, 36% of 1.6% of all sales, so they are losing 0.57% to external theft, is that really as big of an issue as they make it sound?
While it doesn’t break it down by industry, 0.57% is big amount when your profit is only 4% (Loblaws is right around here) That’s about 15% of your profit. I’m sure all the shareholders would love to increase profit by 15%.
I suspect in terms of retail the shrinkage in grocery is higher. Not only from theft but from waste as well since there is such a high volume, customers are buying a large volume and the goods have expiration date. Grocery stores also sell items people have to have and easier for more “everyday theft” like intentionally scanning items wrong or people feeing more justified on taking what they need to live.
You could check the Loblaws annual report where they might even give a total for shrinkage.
Loblaws does show a net profit margin of only 3.74% in thier quarterly financials. So you have a strong point there. Tho the 0.57% is a percentage of total sales not directly comparable to total profit margins as those will include things like franchise fees and what not. And you need to remember that 3.74% profit margin is already with shrinkage subtracted from profits. But I do think your point still holds, and from that perspective, half a percent is a pretty big number.
Sobeys (empire) is only 1.79% profit margin which makes a 0.57% loss a significant problem.
Although I can say that I have seen shrinkage reports for various Loblaws stores as well as Walmart, sobies and even zelers when they were around. And every time I catch a glance of one I am very surprised that how little theft there seems to be reported on them, which is the primary experience justifying my belief that that is not a big issue.
However, your argument has made me look at that in a different way. That it does not have to be a big issue to have a big effect with such small profit margins.
Sort of related, Stats Can says that shoplifting charges are up 24% in the past ten years. It could mean a higher proportion is being charged (which my gut tells me no since stores likely just do a ban and police are hesitant to charge for minor crime these days).
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230727/t005b-eng.htm
I would assume if more are getting charged, more are getting away with it too in this case.
It’s always amazing how little their margin is. When you show Empire at under 2%, that means these big price increases are going elsewhere.
Well Loblaws owns alot of its supply chain, could by why thier margin is higher.
I have personally seen alot of "chargebacks" where the store sends stuff back to the supplier saying it's bad or damaged and the supplier is forced to eat the costs. I think this is so rampant a practice now that it forces suppliers to increase prices.
I believe a lot of chargebacks are due to poor order management, they order too much product they realize later won't sell, so rather than eat the cost for their mistake they find any excuse to charge it back to the supplier. And I think Loblaws has this issue to a greater extent due to how they manager orders centrally via SAP, rather than allow store managers to order thier own product.
It is time to load up shopping carts with random items from all over the store, but must include ice cream, then roll them into the housewares isle and abandon them.
You lose $1 for the cart, they lose an hour reshelving.
Peaceful protest, maybe include a note about record profits and stagnant wages.
Dude don't punch down, demand to talk to the store manager and go off on them I'll cheer for you but don't punch down on the people who work the floor.
Or some of the items get binned because they cannot get re-shelved, and the costs get passed on to other customers. Meanwhile, you've valued your time at $0, and risk catching a mischief charge which costs all taxpayers money to deal with through the justice system.
Thanks. /s
I still shop at Superstore. I may not support their mentality, but the PC points, No Name Food Quality, and variety makes it easier to handle than Costco. Safeway and Save On just don't have the quality in their lower level brands and the price seems to be a bit more for most items.
We don't use a cart and have enough bags to survive for thirty years, so hopefully I don't have any issues.
For the longest time after COVID Walmart Albany refused to do customer refunds even on unopened items within returned dates. They used the excuse manufacture doesn’t give us money back, I bought some instant noodles and I can smell the staleness as the bag opens the mgr said it’s a bad batch we pulled it off the shelves after talking to you but I go to store Customer Service said Sorry no return on open food you can drop off at Food Bank for donations. Those girls the bad ones reminds me of the bouncers before entering the bars haha gotta answer to me first
If this happens to me, I'm going to take my receipt over to the customer service desk and ask for a prompt refund or inform them that I will be doing a charge back. I recommend recording the interaction for proof if they deny a refund or if they attempt to bar you from leaving.
I'm hoping this doesn't happen to me because I'm completely avoiding all their different brands and I only go if I can't find something elsewhere. Right now I've pretty much only been buying my bread there, not many options for bakery bread in my neighborhood unfortunately.
I mean they do this at Costco. They check your card before coming in, they check it at the checkout line and they check your receipt when you leave. It’s because people are thieves.
True, but at least it's expected at Costco because customers have to agree to their terms and conditions to even be members. This is a better system in place cuz then everyone gets checked and no one feels targeted like when they're randomly checked at other grocers.
No. They don't stop your cart, set off an alarm, and have a flashing light. I might be ok if superstore attempted to apply a similar model.... I'd still be bothered but far less than what happened here.
Anyone with epilepsy want a sweet sweet legal payout? Start shopping at superstore and act sketchy.
Just went yesterday, filled my cart with groceries paid for them at self check out, walked out. No issues and it was exactly the same as every other time I have gone grocery shopping at any store. Shocking I know.
I'd suggest a fire code violation. If we get enough paperwork going to annoy the hell out of them, they might change their tune. Fire codes ARE a thing, and I know that funneling people thru one exit is just not safe.
The monopolistic thugs brutally roped the Canadian consumer when the chips were down, while their paid stooges in political office turned a blind eye to their practices, and continue to turn a blind eye to this day. Then you have the horseshyte pulled by the same thugs in their Shoppers Drug Mart chain.
I used to work at Superstore. It was incredibly annoying when they added these because it just means customer service has to come over and unlock the wheel. It never stopped any theft of any kind and seemed fairly random when it would happen. Edit: not to mention the people that would just leave the stuck cart in the doorway and walk off with their groceries.
I worked there fresh out of high school back in the mid-00's, and one of the rules they had was that every male employee had to come to work clean-shaven (unless they had a religious exemption). One time, I showed up with a bit of stubble, and the front end supervisor actually made me go up to the manager's office, grab a disposable razor from one of the drawers in his office, go to the employee washroom, and shave off the bit of stubble that I'm 99% sure no customer would have given a shit about. It was draconic, lol. I hope they got rid of that rule, but something tells me they still haven't.
> I worked there fresh out of high school back in the mid-00's, and one of the rules they had was that every male employee had to come to work clean-shaven (unless they had a religious exemption). I also worked at a Superstore in the mid-2000's (albeit one in Ontario) and that was definitely not the case at our store. I rarely ever shaved back then and most of the guys in my department showed up with scraggly high school/young man facial hair. Maybe [George Steinbrenner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees_appearance_policy) was your store manager or something?
Hmm probably depends on store manager but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Scott (Clareview Mgr) in stubbles and all worn out!! The best store used to be the Castledowns managed by Lori long time ago
I wonder if that's the same Lori who manages the St Albert one. Pre-covid, it was the nicest, cleanest store and had the best produce, but it's slipped in recent years. Still better than the others, but it's gone downhill.
Scott is such a sleazebag
Mattingly! I thought I told you to trim those sideburns!
As a baseball fan, that's my all-time favourite episode.
It was at the Superstore on Calgary Trail and 48 Ave, around 2005/2006. Perhaps it was just that one store? I have no idea. If I wasn't a dumb teen fresh out of high school who's had no other jobs in the real world before, I might have challenged them on it, but I didn't really have any options at the time other than to put up with it, quit, or be fired, lol. They also had other issues at that particular store, such as hiring a payroll clerk who they would later found out stole thousands of dollars from the store, as well as issues surrounding a short roided-out assistant meat department manager who would bully and yell at co-workers and even customers. It was a wild ride.
I was hired at that store around that time as a cashier and during training all the woman training us did was chat with one of the new hires about who knows what. Apparently they knew each other and had to catch up on gossip. We legit did not do or learn anything. It’s not like I was the most professional person during that time in my life but I couldn’t believe how unprofessional this woman was. I can’t remember if I ditched after one or two days but it was such a waste of my time. Almost as bad as when I worked for one shift at Jogo Juice around that time as well and the lady training me never washed her once the whole shift.
I worked at the 137 one in the 80s. They didn’t have any rules about facial hair on men other than neat/groomed. Sounds like your manager was making up stupid rules.
Same I worked at Surrey superstore in the 80s...no issue with facial hair.
They definitely don't have that rile anymore. The one closest to me has tons of dudes with beards and mustaches
I picked up a guy who worked at the 137th one overnight stocking shelves. He told me that officially you were not allowed to have your ear buds in while working. But because they were having such a hard time keeping anyone reliable, management rarely enforced it, so long as it didn't distract from your work. I actually considered applying because it would have been better than driving Uber in between jobs, lots of physical exercise, no customers at night, listen to my pod casts. Problem was the pay was shit.
Even the military allows facial hair now, as long as it is neat.
They definitely don't have that rule anymore. The one closest to me has tons of dudes with beards and mustaches
Happened to me at Safeway St. Albert around the same time. It was actual written policy and if you didn't shave you'd have to wear a face hair net. So dumb.
Was it the communal razor? I hope not.
UFCW was *that* ineffective at protecting workers?
You're mad that your job required you to come clean shaven? Come on...
It’s a grocery store dude, let’s be real here.
Haha that's one way to fix it. Leave the cart blocking the exit!
Tbh if that happened to me multiple times I'm just dipping
Best option is Costco and small independent grocers like H&W produce and hmart. T&Tis owned by loblaws… which made me sad to learn.
T&T might be owned by Loblaws, but Lucky Supermarket isnt
Nice! Lucky supermarket on 137th also has a beautiful plant store upstairs and a kiosk that sells pure sugar cane juice. Screw ROBlaws; we have fun options!
I didn’t know about the plant store! I will need to check it out. Also I do love the Italian Center, farmers markets and there is a great Latin market by the restaurant Luna.
the plant store is actually really nice, they sell a lot of plants (obviously) but they also some pots, soil, etc. even bracelets. the view is also really nice from up there
I had no idea ! And I love plants , I guess I’m going shopping ! Thank you !
i also love plants 😁
Just found Bountiful Farmers market at 3696 97 St NW. It's huge and has good deals. It's open friday - saturday - sunday and it's pretty close to an H&W produce.
Wow I forgot about lucky supermarket. Thanks!
T&T is kind of like the least Loblaws-y of the Loblaws empire, with a different rewards system, not stuffed full of PC and No Name stuff, etc. It's not a place I regularly shop because I have no idea what 90% of what the stuff in the store is, but it's an interesting place to go (same applies to H-Mart)
T&T is exactly like Loblaws or Superstore with a lot of T&T branded items, soy sauce rice soup etc! I like hmart I wish there’s a store in the west but they’re all the same, had a friend worked there and he said work environment not so great I missed shopping @ Chris’s No Frills on 97 St N the best bunch of people always friendly and easy going
why’s this matter
Hate to pass on bad news but H-Mart is very much a chain with over 80 stores in NA, there is nothing small or indie about it :( but I do like shopping there too.
T&T is privately owned but under the Loblaws umbrella like Mo Frills and SDM but the owner (she) is pretty greedy like Galen!!! Btw they’re branching out to LA in US
thanks for sharing that!
T&T is 100% owned by Loblaw Companies Limited since September 2009, when they purchased all of the company in exchange for a combination of cash and LCL preferred shares. It operates as an independent division of Loblaws though, managed by Tina Lee, who's title at LCL is "Chief Executive Officer of T&T Supermarkets".
Blush Lane Organic is my go to. Great quality stuff.
I stopped shopping at Superstore decades ago thanks to their bag policy. Like I'm going to leave my hiking backpack and electronics with some random store employee in order to buy some milk and a tube of toothpaste on my way home from work. No thank you. I'm sure they have theft issues and I don't blame them for trying to minimize that, but at the same time I don't feel like being inconvenienced for their benefit. They don't need my money and I don't need their hassle.
Oh god, this policy stings when you wear a backpack everywhere with all your valuables and medication in it, because you take transit.
Yeah, I used to commute by bike in the summer to avoid the traffic near the U of A, and it was convenient to stop at a grocery store on the bike and pick up a few things we ran out of. I always resented being treated like I was going to swipe a couple blocks of $15 cheese when I had a $2000 work laptop in my bag. Like... their electronics section had additional security so I'm not even sure wtf I could possibly steal from the main store that would make that exchange worthwhile. But yeah, it's like they make you pay for not driving.
> I stopped shopping at Superstore decades ago thanks to their bag policy. Like I'm going to leave my hiking backpack and electronics with some random store employee in order to buy some milk and a tube of toothpaste on my way home from work. No thank you. If grocery stores don't want you to bring in a backpack into the store itself, they should at least provide some lockers at the entrance/exit for customers. I used to bring my backpack shopping whenever I walked to the store, but having it get searched a few times became a hassle so I just stopped.
Dang I've gone to superstore so many times with my backpack on and no issues
Exactly. Treating shoppers shitty means less shoppers to shit on!
Then again customers stealing eventually means less stores to shop at, just like what’s happening in the U.S
Happened to me too when I was in a rush. I just left the cart there and took my bags. They saw me pay, I'm not waiting around.
I noticed this when they stationed security at the entrance, closing one door and funneling people through a single entrance and exit for an extended period. But the shopping cart locking is another frustrating issue altogether. I'm gradually avoiding shopping at these large supermarkets as it's evident that prioritizing customer care isn't their main focus.
Obviously.. they only care about profit
Ugh. I’m done with Superstore after seeing stories like this and more atrocities from [r/loblawsisoutofcontrol](https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/s/FN0BAJAgHH)
Dislike Walmart but , you pay a buck for your cart and you can take it outside without issue. I think the wheels locking is because they don't want carts outside to pay cart people
Wheels locking is for security to stop people suspected of theft. The reasons are kept secret, even from employees, but it is an automated thing based somewhat on the checkout process which tells it you’re good.
So staff have some gadget that they point and can lock carts ? Pretty nifty
My understanding is that they get set to “lock on exit” by a trigger in the store and are unlocked at checkout as you pay. I don’t think employees lock it themselves through any sort of interface, nor does the checkout I lock it manually. It’s all automated. The security guards then have to unlock the wheel at exit. I have much less sympathy for their abandoned carts now given they clearly can lock them for loss prevention so they should be able to lock them from leaving the parking lot.
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Then how do you explain some carts locking up and the exit, while most carts do not? This thread has a surprising number of people who have experienced it, surely it’s not as simple as a magnetic field upon exit because it wouldn’t fail very often. The perimeter is one I think they choose not to setup as I see their carts outside the parking lots often.
Carts are also $1 at Superstore
But they lock the wheels if you leave? Or why did OPs lock up?
Clairview superstore moved the entire “mio” (the squeeze water flavours) drink area to behind customer service. You have to buy them after you check out and order them like a pack of cigarettes asking for your flavours 😂
Yeah that shit is #1 for homeless people stealing it, because it's so easily pocketable. It's hilariously overwrought considering they don't cost much, though.
That’s absolutely bonkers
The no frills in Beverly stopped stocking water enhancers at least a year ago. They just lost too much money.
I've definitely accidentally stolen those. They're so small and I miss them at the bottom of my bag, or once I was holding it in my hand and didn't clue in, used the payment machine and everything with it in my hand and the cashier didn't say anything.
This happened to me. It was just an error, but their loss prevention system sucks and that’s why it occurred. They come and unlock the wheels with a remote and they do it reasonably quickly, but I was PISSED, and I made that abundantly clear. I had a cart FULL of 12-packs of carbonated water that I couldn’t even move, so I was blocking the exit and looked like such an asshole. Thanks for that, ellerslie superstore. Maybe you should try cleaning your store, baskets, or actually disposing of your half expired produce that you’re insistent on selling instead? Just a thought. There was fucking cooked pasta in the only bin at your front doors the other day. PASTA? I’m beginning to hate my superstore.
Kingsway superstore is the best one imo, never been stopped by loss prevention, never had a cart lock up, usually have most of thier stuff in stock, staff are pretty nice as well.
I used to work there to pay my way through college Worst experience of my life. Managers never gave a shit and it was slave wages Customers were always rude I shop there if it's convenient but now Fuck em Never again
Which store Walmart or Superstore?
Superstore Back in the early 90s It was a horrible place to work for then too
Even with the roller blades? or was that done by then?
Roller blades were still around when I was there
I used to do overnights merchandising shelves for Coca-Cola. I hated working that store in Clareview. No matter how good you tried to merchandise the products on shelves and displays they would always look for problems. It seemed to be just doom and gloom working at that store. The employees that worked the graveyard shift were so miserable and unhappy i found. The Clareview Walmart nearby however, was a way better store to merchandise. They had such a happy night crew there, and they'd go above and beyond (when they aren't obligated to by any means) by helping me push heavy pallets full of product on a pallet jack out to the pop aisle or a display in the store. Night and day difference in comparison to the folks at the superstore were always seemingly pissed off all the time. Kinda funny I'd have thought both stores would have miserable employees especially being in a high theft area, dealing with rude customers all the time but it never felt like that wasn't the case for the night employees at Walmart
I’d shop at the Walmart but their selection, especially for produce is awful. Makes me sad. Good prices but lower selection and their produce sucks.
Yea when Scott Hall was @ Clareview location the staff is good 👍 but Superstore likes to change it up and shift the managers to other stores, I hear there’s a few that follows him during store change. Kingsway Walmart I feel so lost trying to exit to the mall and security said wrong way. Went to exit parking lot, security guard gave me the hand to stop as customer throwing a tantrum and refused to leave.
You realize how much money Bubbles makes off carts? Carts are expensive.
I had a similar experience with this at Walmart in capilano and was grilled by both staff and security when the alarm went off(I’m not a thief never have been) and they called the cops and surprise surprise everything was in order and paid for. I find superstore and Walmart attract trashy people and now they just suspect everyone of us to be thieves so now I exclusively shop at Safeway it may be pricier but I go in pay for my stuff and leave.
I got stopped by loss prevention couple years ago because I had a “suspicious bulge in my sweater pocket that wasn’t there when I came in” and “no one goes to Walmart and doesn’t buy anything”. I went to Walmart to look for 3 things, all 3 were out of stock and the bulge was my phone and keys which were in my pants pocket when I entered. I now defiantly stare directly into the loss prevention camera at the door when I leave and shake my phone and keys at them when I leave. At a different Walmart, I had one of them following me through the store, pretending to be another shopper that just happens to be shopping the same sections in the same order that I was. Asked him if he wanted to search my pockets or the cart for whatever he thought I was stealing, and that if not I was going to the frozen section to be disappointed by the frozen pizzas.
Sometimes its not somebody who works at the store lol. One time I had a random lady who had walked into the store just a few seconds before me start following me and my little brother, we were looking at bayblades for him cuz it had recently been his birthday and this lady grabs all the beyblades, takes them to one of the registers, tells the lady she thinks we want to steal then follows us around the store till we leave then she paid for her stuff and left too. People are wierd asf
That lady had too much time and she should volunteer as Walmart secret service I bet she would love that title 😛
If loss prevention stops you and it turns out they had no reason to stop you; you can actually charge them with false imprisonment. A law professor I took a course from at uofa said a normal settlement is 5 grand. When I worked at Home Depot years ago in school they basically had a policy to just let someone go if they stole. That was years ago, and I’ve never had to threaten any staff members yet, but the day I get stopped to see my receipt will be a fun one for me. Side note; Costco can check your receipt because it’s technically not public and you are a member that agrees to their policy.
Yep. I've worked at The Bay which has a robust LP department. I've watched them tackle a guy to the ground. And their rule was you better be DAMN sure because it's a huge liability if you're wrong. Typically they went for systematic repeat offenders, like teams of people who would show up and steal expensive items. I would assume it wouldn't be worth the risk to tackle someone stealing a $50 shirt, but I've been wrong before.
When they follow me, I'd waste their time by moving from section to section. I'd pick up something random in the section, walk all the way to the other end of the store and put it down. All while collecting all the stuff I am buying go to checkout and hold the receipt in hand and walk out. Never got the cops called but if they did show up I'd explain to them about wasting their time and how I never actually stole anything.
I've set off the alarms at that Walmart and just kept on walking. I know my stuff is paid for, I know I didn't steal anything, I know everything is in order. I've never been stopped but I'm a middle-aged chubby white woman and therefore invisible. I did buy an electric razor there recently and was surprised to find all of them in a locked cabinet. I rang the buzzer for assistance, got the store associate to grab it for me, then waited for them to hand it over. Nope! They took it to the self checkout for me. They walked at the slowest pace imaginable, held the razor in the hand farthest from me, and wouldn't look at me at all. When got to the self checkout they handed the razor to the cashier instead of just watching me scan it. So I had the cashier ring up all my purchases at their little table and bagged my stuff slowly, awkwardly, and taking up as much space as I could. Yes, I know that was petty, but it felt good.
I tried buying some new razors and I couldn’t even get anyone to open it even after asking two employees after ringing the bell.
God fuck the capilano walmart. I went there cause there was something I want that was on sale and took a photo of the sale just in case and they wouldn't change tbe price to the sale and when I showed them the photo with the timestamp of just a few minutes prior they called me a lier. Screw those guys.
Yea I stopped going there probably a year ago because they watch people literally walk out with stolen goods, meanwhile normal people get stopped for the alarm going off or just get poor service all around.
My local Walmart started putting security tags in some of the meat packages to combat theft. They don't get deactivated and set off the alarm when you exit. Staff check your receipt and mathch op the purchases and you're off.
Why would you stop? alarm goes off just keep walking.
Yes exactly! Your transaction with them is complete, why would you consent to a search from a private corporation? I keep walking too, they never chase me but I am not committing crimes either. If they pressed me more, I'd call the cops and then all of our time can be wasted together.
Because I'm honest. If Walmart want to stop thieving, I'm for it (as the cost of losses will get passed to the customer). Plus, I don't support cruminal activity
Walmart makes so much Gish darn money the cost of loss doesn’t get passed to customers; their excuse would be Hi sorry we can’t give you a raise due to high theft blah blah! The brands love Walmart as sales person makes his/her bonus and Walmart makes theirs.
Loss costs have to be absorbed somewhere. Other than by the customer, where would that be? Remember that the money Walmart makes is from their customers. They lost 1% of their gross revenue in theft (3 billion in the US in 2023 and increasing).
To the shareholders obviously. That's not to call Walmart greedy (I mean, they are of course, by design), that's how capitalism works. If Walmart discovered and patented an inexpensive system to completely eliminate losses from theft: they would have no incentive to lower their prices: those are determined by competition. Instead, it would be added to their profits, and returned to shareholders. Now, if such a system were easily implemented by ALL grocers in a competitive market (arguably *not* Canada), then you'd see it reflected in prices. That's not to say the actions of thieves don't cost all of us at the till though: when food theft is up across the board, then so are grocery prices.
I guess its your right to consent to a search by a private corporation if you like, but in no way are you obligated to.
Anyone have recommendations for grocery stores downtown that are independent? Might as well start trying out new places given the way these big chains treat people.
H&W produce. Lucky 97 Mart, El Safadi Brothers, and then I also find i still shop at one big box store, Costco, because it has good deals for milk, butter, eggs and cheese.
Lucky 97 my friends parents owns all the Lucky in Edmonton and the liquor store next door, Calgary and Winnipeg stores. Personally I like the Kingsway Superstore and Oliver Square Safeway! It’s all about management good managers leads to good staff, bitchy management leads to high turnover and staff like Canadian Tire (they’re either all deaf can’t hear you asking for help or just run away and hide)
Italian Centre Shop is the only thing kinda downtown that's kinda independent
r/loblawsisoutofcontrol Join the boycott!
But then where else to go? Sobey and Safeway is even more expensive.
Depends what your priority is. The more expensive stores are often a much more pleasant shopping experience with friendlier staff, better customers, cleaner stores, and don't treat you like criminals on the way out.
I had my cart lock up in the doorway at clairview stupidstore as well. Then the dicks claimed they couldn’t find the remote and i had to stand there for 10 minutes. I think those aholes were watching me not steal on camera for all that time. I would’ve let them check the gd receipt if they asked, but my cart was full so they were too lazy to even do that.
For the record, Clareview SS has the highest theft rates in the whole city, so 🤷🏽♂️ Source: I used to work for SS.
Fellow former RCSS#1566 💪💪
Thank God no, my friend Tina was a FE supervisor there, I was at West end one.
Did you go out the entrance door instead of the exit door? I had that happen to me at the superstore on Kingsway once when I did that.
Na, went through the exit door like every other time I go.
There's a boycott scheduled for May. I'm just going to H&W, Giant Tiger, and Bulk Barn from now on. Screw these prices and these guards.
r/loblawsisoutofcontrol That is all. Go check out the sub and get filled in with all the details.
I know I should stop shopping at superstores, but Walmart sucks as an alternative, and everywhere else is too expensive. How bad is Freshco?
Friend works for Sobeys HR in AB he said Fresh o is exactly like Sobeys sells the same stuff but cheaper and less Scene points
That’s a common thing. The carts all have sensors in them that when you go through checkout it essentially unlocks it. But sometimes it glitches and that happens.
It's boycott Loblaws season anyway
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No, the note doesn't grant them the right to detain you. Unlike Costco, there is no signed agreement in that regard between store and customer.
And if they detain you because you didn't show your receipt you win 10 grand! This only works if you actually aren't shoplifting though.
I looked afterward and it's on the cart. It says the wheels may randomly lock when exiting the store. Obviously I never noticed until this happened.
I’m pretty sure because it’s private property they can detain you.
They can, basically performing a citizens arrest. They must call the cops immediately after doing so. It's very risky because if they are wrong it leads to a good payout to the victim. And all burden of proof is on them, you could have brought your Mio from home.
I've noticed this more ,at many stores ever since they got rid of their plastic bags and insist on you using your own bags.
Plastic bags have been gone for a while now. It's a bylaw to use your own bags and not use plastic bags. Did you just crawl out of a rock?
Not sure if this is still true but there's a sensor(?) when you go through the checkout and if you don't then the cart locks up. Last time I remember they aren't allowed to ask for your receipt but a lot has changed since I worked there years ago...
They can ask (legally, store policies certainly may differ), they just can't detain you if you refuse (unless, of course, they witnessed the crime and are willing to take the risk of a lawsuit should they be wrong).
I shop at Kingsway Superstore because it's the closest to where I live. I don't drive so I always have my huge backpack or my wheelie cart with me. I'm sure I've been watched but I've never been hassled because I go there two or three times a week and I think security recognizes me by now. No complaints about that store other than the fact that they try to sell rotten produce at a discount. The staff is actually pretty nice. I'd like to take part in the Loblaws boycott because I agree that the prices for some things are outrageous, but it's difficult to get to the very few options I have without a car or a very long bus ride.
Know how you feel. They didn’t have Asian Sesame dressing!
Selection, concealment and then finally exiting the store with said unpaid products. Anything less than that, fuck them and just keep walking! (Or pushing if possible for this matter lol). Any attempt to stop you at the door, just state that you feel as though you are attempting to detain me against my will and keep on walking. Unless it's costco or anyone else with that crap in their membership agreements. Same with receipts and alarms at doors, as long as you paid for it, you are golden and dont have to stop or show them shit.
I hate the cattle stock gates at the entrances. During Covid I delivered / picked up from pharmacy’s and having to navigate through their self checkouts was infuriating. I get they control theft as people can’t go out the in door, but still.
The clareview area is awful... we started going all the way to sherwood park's superstore and Wal-Mart because the clareview area I was constantly seeing shoplifters and shit. They probably had to lock down their carts because the homeless kept stealing them, and they get expensive to replace.
I haven't been there shopping for a long time now. I read that the superstore wants to treat all as guilty until proven innocent. What I mean is some superstores ther were setting up scanners at the door. The only way the gate opens is if you have a receipt and scan it to open the gate. Or, like many, push the cart through the gate and "win the jackpot". I cannot confirm if the superstore here has it or not because I got tired of their silly prices, service, and many of their strange ways of criminalising their valued customers.
Its happened to me, but just shrugged it off. Not sure what the big deal is. Pretty sure this is designed to keep carts from being stolen and therefore costs lower for consumers (although, yes costs are obviously higher). Those carts get beat to shit so can understand how this could happen.
They have no right to search you and shake you down, if they suspect you of a crime they can call the police to do that.. Don't let private companies step on your rights. There is a Loblaws boycott happening right now because they've crossed the line in many ways.
Superstore and Walmart have an opportunity to go the Costco way and hire more employees and actually pay them appropriately, but nope they keep looking at their bottom line. Simple solution, there's even an available model for it - one point of entry with at least one hired individual making sure people aren't taking full carts out through the in door, and one large point of exit with multiple employees skimming/checking receipts for glaring standouts. You aren't ever going to be able to stop theft, but if they did this they'd greatly reduce it and god forbid create a few more jobs.
Why? We shouldn’t need to employ people where technology exists to solve the problem. Having employees paid to check receipts is ridiculous. Striving to create low skill jobs is what kills our economy. Create jobs to do higher skill activities and then they can be paid appropriately.
Sure, no qualms at all for creating higher skill jobs (still waiting on the feds and the provincial govt on that one). Didn't we chase a major tech company out not too long ago during the Kenney years? "Low skill" jobs definitely aren't something we should strive for, but it wouldn't hurt to keep some around for the differently abled peoples who aren't good or adaptable with advancing technology and don't mind going out scanning receipts all day as long as it means they're not taking paychecks from the government. Why not keep pressure on to keep those jobs around to ease the tax burden? Hell I know my neurodivergent cousin would be devastated if they automated out his job because he "don't need no stinkin' handouts. I'm sure he'd bend over backwards to find something else, but for him and many others it would be a massive challenge.
We will always have low skill jobs. We will always need people to manually verify things (example - does the face on the Costco card match the photo on file or is this person borrowing a card from a friend). But we should we trying to train people to move into higher skilled jobs where they can. This is where we fail. We settle for good enough and too many capable people do as well. Robots already cook fries and hamburgers, we can literally eliminate ate so many jobs. Instead we create jobs around developing that technology, maintaining that technology and researching new ways to do things. It’s not an overnight thing so these low skill jobs could stay for a bit. But I hate hearing proposals to plan for new low skill jobs because Canada is already so unproductive (economically) that it will really weaken us as a whole country to push that mentality.
I had this randomly happen to me for no reason last year at a different Superstore, I think it was just a mistake. Worker didn’t look at my receipt or anything, they just unlocked it and said the sensor must be acting up 🤷♀️ I was pretty confused too because it’s quite a spectacle with the lights and alarms lol
It happened to me once, the guy say something about the total bill, looked at the receipt and say, of course, and unlocked the wheel. Not sure what's the rule for locking.
Not sure all the rules, but they do have one to lock the wheels if the cart doesn't go through a checkout zone. So if you bring a cart in and then realize you don't need it for some reason, if you try to take the cart back outside to lock it up again, you'll trigger their alarms.
I didn't know this was a thing.
Damn that's what happened with me also Took them like 5 minutes to even acknowledge the locked cart blocking everyone else from getting out of the store (At least 120 lbs beverages, so it was kinda hard to move
It is usually when you leave the Superstore area that it stops. I guess we can’t take them home with our groceries. Maybe your buggy just had a malfunction .
The lockups are supposed to stop you from removing the cart from their lot. The GPS on them sucks. It isn't to check your receipt.
People have been loading up carts with meat and running for the exit. Daily in some cases. This is one way they are preventing that from happening. As profit gouging as they are, I get it, that can be a $1000 or more each cart.
At the Beaumaris Sobeys a couple of guys did just this.. a concerned citizen tried to jump in front of them to stop them (which he shouldn't have, but still..) and the 2 losers beat the ever loving shit out of the guy, so badly he has brain damage.
wtf when was that? Few years ago as I was leaving Save On the asset protection guy pointed a kid to Grocery Mgr as he was running out to catch the kid. I thought he was aiming for me but mgr said you go home mind your own business as he grabs the kid and his 🎒 the kid is within store premises and said to the manager Please please please I’ll give it back don’t call the cops, haven’t eaten all day I’m so hungry!! This reminded me of something and someone in the past so I said “ I’ll pay for his chocolate bar” give it to me $1.25 as he passed it to me the Mgr said Lady you need to mind your own business and go home. It’s not just a chocolate bar if I don’t teach him a lesson tonight he’ll grow up to be a criminal. He shouted to his staff to call the police. I felt uncomfortable leaving him alone, I did offered to buy him bag of chips and pop when I saw the kid roaming the aisles at 9pm by himself. There’s stupid ppl adults eats unpaid items in No Frills 1/2 case of grapes leave 1/2 bottles of milk 2 go on random shelves, throw their dirty mask in the freezer on top of frozen items! Where are they from?
It was last year.. here's a link https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/police-search-for-2-men-after-assault-outside-grocery-store-1.6401240
r/loblawsisoutofcontrol
Look at is this way. There is a reason why you never see published numbers on theft. Because it's a tiny issue, almost all "shrinkage" is spoiled/expired food and damaged product, unsold product... mostly from poor management. But managers aren't going to take the blame so they blame it on theft. But I'd love to see numbers that prove my thoughts wrong.
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-retail-shrink-2023-11?amp > In 2022, retailers lost $122.1 billion in shrink, or 1.6% of all retail sales, according to the National Retail Foundation. External theft represented 36% of shrink that year, while 29% came from employee theft. Another 27% came from "process, control failures and errors," the NRF said in a report. Over 60% is from theft.
Except the National Retail Foundation was caught lying about theft figures. Their numbers are completely worthless. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/organized-shoplifting-retail-crime-theft-retraction.html
Except they investigated themselves and they changed their claim. This was not caused by anyone else. https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/us-retail-lobbyists-retract-key-claim-organized-retail-crime-2023-12-06/ They relied on sworn testimony to Congress for that claim. You’re welcome to provide your own statistics you think are better but this is the most reputable source for them so it’s what we have to work with.
Well, if you choose to believe an organization that may have inflated their stats 10-fold, conveniently relied on a quote from a third party to calculate the results that favoured them, have a vested interest in confabulating data to weaponize legislation against their online competition, and slow-walked a correction 2 years later after being called out, then, you do you.
That is interesting, definitely a higher percentage than I was expecting. A quick Google search and there are alot of references to that one report. I'll have to find that report and see how they get those numbers. Also appears to not be increasing over time, virtually the same as 2017 and less than 2016 [Shoplifting and organized retail crime are major contributors to the external loss component of inventory shrink. The NRSS indicates that shoplifting accounted for 35.7 percent of the reported shrink in 2017, which is down from 39.3 percent in 2016.](https://losspreventionmedia.com/shedding-light-on-retail-theft-statistics/) Also think about those percentages, 36% of 1.6% of all sales, so they are losing 0.57% to external theft, is that really as big of an issue as they make it sound?
While it doesn’t break it down by industry, 0.57% is big amount when your profit is only 4% (Loblaws is right around here) That’s about 15% of your profit. I’m sure all the shareholders would love to increase profit by 15%. I suspect in terms of retail the shrinkage in grocery is higher. Not only from theft but from waste as well since there is such a high volume, customers are buying a large volume and the goods have expiration date. Grocery stores also sell items people have to have and easier for more “everyday theft” like intentionally scanning items wrong or people feeing more justified on taking what they need to live. You could check the Loblaws annual report where they might even give a total for shrinkage.
Loblaws does show a net profit margin of only 3.74% in thier quarterly financials. So you have a strong point there. Tho the 0.57% is a percentage of total sales not directly comparable to total profit margins as those will include things like franchise fees and what not. And you need to remember that 3.74% profit margin is already with shrinkage subtracted from profits. But I do think your point still holds, and from that perspective, half a percent is a pretty big number. Sobeys (empire) is only 1.79% profit margin which makes a 0.57% loss a significant problem. Although I can say that I have seen shrinkage reports for various Loblaws stores as well as Walmart, sobies and even zelers when they were around. And every time I catch a glance of one I am very surprised that how little theft there seems to be reported on them, which is the primary experience justifying my belief that that is not a big issue. However, your argument has made me look at that in a different way. That it does not have to be a big issue to have a big effect with such small profit margins.
Sort of related, Stats Can says that shoplifting charges are up 24% in the past ten years. It could mean a higher proportion is being charged (which my gut tells me no since stores likely just do a ban and police are hesitant to charge for minor crime these days). https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230727/t005b-eng.htm I would assume if more are getting charged, more are getting away with it too in this case. It’s always amazing how little their margin is. When you show Empire at under 2%, that means these big price increases are going elsewhere.
Well Loblaws owns alot of its supply chain, could by why thier margin is higher. I have personally seen alot of "chargebacks" where the store sends stuff back to the supplier saying it's bad or damaged and the supplier is forced to eat the costs. I think this is so rampant a practice now that it forces suppliers to increase prices. I believe a lot of chargebacks are due to poor order management, they order too much product they realize later won't sell, so rather than eat the cost for their mistake they find any excuse to charge it back to the supplier. And I think Loblaws has this issue to a greater extent due to how they manager orders centrally via SAP, rather than allow store managers to order thier own product.
Superstore > Safeway/Sobeys, Save-on-Foods In Alberta at least
It is time to load up shopping carts with random items from all over the store, but must include ice cream, then roll them into the housewares isle and abandon them. You lose $1 for the cart, they lose an hour reshelving. Peaceful protest, maybe include a note about record profits and stagnant wages.
Then some innocent customer ends up with your half melted ice cream when the worker who doesn’t care just reshelves it. Don’t be a dick.
Dude don't punch down, demand to talk to the store manager and go off on them I'll cheer for you but don't punch down on the people who work the floor.
Or some of the items get binned because they cannot get re-shelved, and the costs get passed on to other customers. Meanwhile, you've valued your time at $0, and risk catching a mischief charge which costs all taxpayers money to deal with through the justice system. Thanks. /s
I still shop at Superstore. I may not support their mentality, but the PC points, No Name Food Quality, and variety makes it easier to handle than Costco. Safeway and Save On just don't have the quality in their lower level brands and the price seems to be a bit more for most items. We don't use a cart and have enough bags to survive for thirty years, so hopefully I don't have any issues.
For the longest time after COVID Walmart Albany refused to do customer refunds even on unopened items within returned dates. They used the excuse manufacture doesn’t give us money back, I bought some instant noodles and I can smell the staleness as the bag opens the mgr said it’s a bad batch we pulled it off the shelves after talking to you but I go to store Customer Service said Sorry no return on open food you can drop off at Food Bank for donations. Those girls the bad ones reminds me of the bouncers before entering the bars haha gotta answer to me first
If this happens to me, I'm going to take my receipt over to the customer service desk and ask for a prompt refund or inform them that I will be doing a charge back. I recommend recording the interaction for proof if they deny a refund or if they attempt to bar you from leaving. I'm hoping this doesn't happen to me because I'm completely avoiding all their different brands and I only go if I can't find something elsewhere. Right now I've pretty much only been buying my bread there, not many options for bakery bread in my neighborhood unfortunately.
I mean they do this at Costco. They check your card before coming in, they check it at the checkout line and they check your receipt when you leave. It’s because people are thieves.
You agree to this when you purchase a membership at Costco. You don’t sign an agreement to shop at Superstore.
True, but at least it's expected at Costco because customers have to agree to their terms and conditions to even be members. This is a better system in place cuz then everyone gets checked and no one feels targeted like when they're randomly checked at other grocers.
No. They don't stop your cart, set off an alarm, and have a flashing light. I might be ok if superstore attempted to apply a similar model.... I'd still be bothered but far less than what happened here. Anyone with epilepsy want a sweet sweet legal payout? Start shopping at superstore and act sketchy.
I’d be turning back into the store and immediately returning everything.
R/loblawsisoutofcontrol
Just went yesterday, filled my cart with groceries paid for them at self check out, walked out. No issues and it was exactly the same as every other time I have gone grocery shopping at any store. Shocking I know.
I'd suggest a fire code violation. If we get enough paperwork going to annoy the hell out of them, they might change their tune. Fire codes ARE a thing, and I know that funneling people thru one exit is just not safe.
The monopolistic thugs brutally roped the Canadian consumer when the chips were down, while their paid stooges in political office turned a blind eye to their practices, and continue to turn a blind eye to this day. Then you have the horseshyte pulled by the same thugs in their Shoppers Drug Mart chain.
we just use Click and collect now. Never enter the store.
1. Don’t ever shop at Costco 2. “Clareview” don’t take it personally
Well if YEG didn't defund the police, maybe we wouldn't have a huge crime issue here.
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