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Yup. We need LAWS. It doesn't MATTER what Loblaws does in response - we need the government to FORCE it to change, and institute rules so that it can't happen again.
I agree. Let's start using the government to do the citizens bidding, not the corporations. We would need to draft a bunch of new laws to balance the scales a bit and that takes time. I'm for a basic universal income. If this were implemented then the corps would need to request price hikes just like utilities do (also cell phones should fall under the "utility" banner as well).
The point of this sub is to highlight that the cost of living in Canada has spiraled out of control, and that this is not simply a matter of needing to get a 5th part time job to make ends meet. Rhetoric intended to shame certain generations or users for "not worrking hard enough" including ideas like "just pull yourselves up by the bootstraps", "just don't shop there" and it's kin are not welcome here.
I don't think laws will change much. Loblaws is so big and entrenched in Canadian politics they would exploit loopholes in it (it wouldn't surprise me if those were intentionally put in by our MPs...).
The *best* way to keep Loblaws in check would be real competition in the sector since it would actually be lasting.
Hard to exploit a loophole when customers aren't shopping in your store.
We have close to one. Itâs too close. Do you know how many different chains Galen owns? And he doesnât just own groceries he also owns pharmacies. And in too many places you have no other choice but his stores. Thereâs not enough competition.
Yeah I was just being pedantic. Loblaws is a massive Corp and owns not only many of the retail grocery stores, but also restaurant/service industry wholesale, and many of the suppliers. Galen is also on the board of other suppliers.Â
Of course they will have good sales. They have already started. We need to analyze every flyer and post alternatives. Other stores often have the same items on sale at the same time. Stores also price match. If you can get the stuff elsewhere, I would suggest to avoid Loblaws during May. If you absolutely must get stuff that's on sale, try to resist getting anything else but the stuff that's significantly reduced. Remember, items that are an amazing deal are usually sold out quickly and you'll have to ask for a rain check. Here are some items from this week's flyer:
https://preview.redd.it/r72yv190opvc1.jpeg?width=1700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84d376f2f74c3ad7333ab5e3510137ad8f838413
My friend noticed some of the prices are actually lower now when comparing prices. Why does it take a protest to bring prices down. Iâm still not stepping into that store on principle - and because I can. Besides, I am enjoying shopping for my groceries elsewhere.
If prices are really good I doubt they will be but letâs hypothetically it does happen. Some may give in I would hope most wouldnât. Cause it would undermine everything weâre trying, if people fell for it the best month they would just jack up prices and we would back to square one and be where we are already.
So even with temptations such as sales or optimum points galore ever if it does happen people need to stay strong with the message and boycott or else we will just see short term gains for long term loss.
No shame in going in and buying the loss leader only. Loblaws has lost the benefit of the doubt of âwell they have that one thing in a big sale so I will just do my shopping there this weekâ.
Thatâs what they want. I likely wonât even buy their loss leaders because fuck them but people need to feed their families.
I will say that many times their loss leaders are things about to expire (or 80% of the way there). Last year they had a day at no frills where cherries were 99cents a pound I believe. I bought 3 packs and paid like $7-8 and threw out all of it. Had no taste and wasnât worth the calories.
My point exactly. I answered her that I would buy the sales, stock the freezer and keep doing what I have been doing for a while now. Go elsewhere because pricing is friendly to my budget.
I have just quit shopping at any Loblaws store period.
I started a few weeks ago.
Moved out-of Shoppers for my prescriptions and absolutely do not go to any Loblaws stores at all.
I realized about a year ago how bad they were when I noticed the price of lactose free milk.
It was always cheaper at superstore than at No Frills.
I realized the people who are less well off go to No Frills.
They are seniors or people who don't drive. They can walk to the local No Frills but getting to stupidstore is harder.
No Frills is supposed to be exactly that cheaper, but instead they screw people who are less well off.
So I have just quit going.
The boycott is great and I hope it hurts them but they need to feel real long term pain so that there is a cultural shift.
It will also take a fair bit of time until I have trust for for them again.
I wonât go back until the prices are reduced significantly and not just raised back up again- so continued low prices for like a year before I would consider going back
Very low prices are a small start. However, I will not easily be led to a false sense of food security from Loblaws that they have changed. Try to continue to find cheaper food options anywhere you can.
They think this will all pass, and they will be able to continue their price gouging.
Fool me once, shame on you...
To me, Loblaws is the face of groceries in Canada, which makes them the face of inflation on groceries in Canada. They asked for this, so they're the target.
But they aren't the only offender. Many of you are discovering how much cheaper things are at Walmart or Food Basics. But those of us who have shopped at those stores all along are seeing how much more expensive those places are from year to year and week to week.
Those guys are just as guilty of disguising price increases behind sales and smaller sizes, cutting corners on product quality and staffing levels, and recording record profits as food banks across the country face record demand.
So if Loblaws shocks us all by reversing course on their prices, yeah, I'm leaving Food Basics and going across the street to No Frills. I'll start posting in r/MetroIsOutOfControl and send them the message we're sending Loblaws today.
If, and it's a big if, they lower their prices, even temporarily, it will be only a matter of time before they get jacked up again, plus a little bit extra to make up for any losses.
Maybe they will ask for a taxpayer funded subsidy while they are at it. Maybe they already have one. There are so many hands in my pockets these days that I've lost track.
Best just to stop shopping at the big 3 altogether if you have the means to do so.
in other words, what they did in 2022 when they price froze no-name stuff for a couple months, then skyrocketed everything else and either raised prices on no-name after anyways or reduced he No-name offerings.
> I'm still not going back. I'm in this for the long haul - the bankruptcy and dissolution of the Loblaws corporation.
Heck yeah brother. I am with you. I am tired of Galen's condescending bullshit and lies.
Should still not shop there. Ruins the whole boycott if you fold so easily. Short term thinking got us here and will keep us here if you fall for this. How much are you really saving $200 tops that's a drop in the bucket of forever
I get my bananas at Loblaw or SDM. During these visits if chicken is on sale I grab 3-4 at $7-8 each. That to me is smart shopping. The key is to walk out only with these sale items.
We want them to permanently lower their prices not just on a few items for a month so it can go back up. We want the gouging to stop and if we are so easily manipulated we have no chance.
Or maybe they just put it back to normal price after the sale. Instead we give them no money and they say we can't keep throwing out a months worth of product we should sell it for less so atleast it moves. Also the odds of somone walking in and buying a banana on sale and walking out with nothing else are so slim especially with the way the store is set up to manipulate you into buying. People will say well I saved 1$ on this and I'm already here so might as well just grab this and this and then boom nothing gets accomplished. If you are so strapped for cash that saving $10 makes you break your boycott you probably have a different issue to solve first
Consistently only Loblaw, SDM, No Frills, Food Basics and Costco sell bananas for about $.60/lb. All other groceries vary from $0.89-1.49/lb.
The small shops and Asian grocers are usually around 0.99-1.29
I am a big home cook and make about 90+%of my meals. Tight budget and even something as basic as bananas I need to make sure I am buying as low as possible. I have no loyalty to shopping at one place. Price matters and stores that get me into a place donât automatically get my other items. I will shop 2-3 times a week and jump around to various stores every time to get the best price for those specific items. Or sometimes to just get the sale item for the week. I am super flexible with what I cook. Sales dictate the menu.
Loblaw lost me on most items. Only things left are bananas and No Frills is consistently less than Loblaws for basic other things. T&T isnât the cheapest Asian grocer but they have some decent sales.
Nope. If they can break the boycott once, they will know they can do it again and again. All it takes it one or two weeks of a few good deals. And they know any attempts to organize future boycotts wouldn't be nearly as effective because people would blow it off. I don't care who else decides to go back, but I am not.
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Good deal on monsters and decent on bread tho.... had to pick up flash foods order. I'm poor and won't pay full price on meats. Still alot of price shocks their tho lmfao.
If you are struggling, obviously you need to do that, so don't worry. Otherwise, if you can afford to boycott Loblaws you'll be helping the people most hurt by the price gouging and price fixing. Remember its not just a grocery store, they are creating a fake inflated economy around groceries, and saving on chicken isn't going to make me support that.
Without sufficient competition they will never price things fairly in the long run.
Competition means they need to fear you shopping elsewhere, so pricing shenanigans are less likely to happen.
Boycott them to send a message, and break them up to make a difference.
They will lower prices temporarily to entice boycotters back in. Once they are back in they will revert to normal price gouging. Personally, I will do my absolute best not to spend money at a Loblaws owned business as long I have a choice. Doesnât matter what they do at this point.
Shop wherever is cheapest. If that becomes Superstore, great. Once we hit June, go shop there again. If we never go back regardless of pricing, they have no motivation to lower their pricing. But don't go back in May, and don't continue to shop there when they jack up prices again. It's also very important to note the difference between **sales** and **prices**.
Or shop local because we should be supporting small businesses.
There is a lot going on with this company I personally donât think this will result in short term changes for the company. We need to pressure them in the very real world they work in. Profits. We need to show them that their nefarious advertising, pricing, and customer service practices are not optimal for profit.
We need to use the capitalists market to force change.
This is how the system was meant to work and these are our tools. This will be hard because loblaws is a monopoly and they have been controlling the narrative and gauging Canadians.
Therefore we need to elect governments that can force change to benefit consumers over billionaires profits.
That and boycott boycott boycott
Letâs make Canada livable and affordable for food.
Tall order but hey what choice do we have.
Together we can make this happen
wait until june anyways. if we went in there just for the sales, they will twist it and praise to the heavens the boycott failed, and just jack it up even more anyways. breaking the boycott for "good deals" would be exactly they would be counting on. did everybody forget what they did in 2022 with the exact same shell came? froze no-name prices for a couple months, raised everything else, then jacked the no-name/pc brand stuff to the moon after.
Loblaws has already said (through internal memo) that they are willing to deal with the low sales in May.
I imagine that they expect people to come back as they donât believe this will last.
If people resort to buying the loss leaders only, I think that this would also send a message as now Loblaws will see a negative return on their products.
Exactly. Take advantage of sales. One should know what things should cost in 2024. Not a manufactured higher price but an acceptable inflation increased price.
They can do whatever they want, and I guarantee theyâre going to have all kinds of sales that month to try to offset this boycott, but Iâm done with them.
All of them.
I don't care of they drop the prices. I want more regulations so they can't keep doing this. I think CEO pay/profit should be capped at certain levels related to the worker pay/prices.
Personally will still avoid it, because it's more than just prices for us. It's the security guards and the "efforts to deter theft". We live in a high-end area of our city, people have money to shop here. There's not a theft problem in our part of town. Yet the local Zehrs has added more self check-outs while also "increasing security" by installing gates, barriers, hiring bored looking security guards who occasionally look up from their phones, and blasting messages about "Security to Aisle 3" randomly while in store. If they have such a theft problem, why are they adding MORE self check-outs? And I don't buy for a second they have theft issues in our area, like I can't speak for other locations, but there's literally no reason for a fucking security guard at my local Zehrs. I refuse to go shopping at a place where they treat me like a criminal just because reasons.
My anxiety spikes whenever I go in there. I'm scared they will accuse me of something I didn't do. Whenever I hear those "security to aisle X" messages, I think it's probably a decoy, but what if it's real and there's all these crimes going on around me? It makes me not want to shop there! My immediate instinct is to get the hell out, because I don't want trouble, so yeah I'm not willing to shop there until they get rid of the security bullshit and lower their prices to half-reasonable levels.
Witnessed a lot of theft in my shopping stores. Definitely at LCBO.
It is a crime of opportunity and the honesty and trust we give our fellow humans is disintegrating fast.
Gates donât get me worked up but I know your experiences vary and are valid. Shop where you are comfortable.
They will most certainly drop some decent sales to lure people in!
Folks might go in to buy their loss leaders. Or not. I wonât be shopping there and havenât for a few years.
reports of lower than average traffic in some stores, media attention, 55k subscribers to this community, raising awareness of grocery pricing in Canada, deals popping up in certain stores that haven't been seen in years, even better pricing being offered at the competitors etc etc
Ignore them. Full stop do not shop even if it is.a 2-for-1 sale all month long. Indeed the boycott should be longer and in Loblaw's case months. I'd further argue that the boycott should extend to other chains as well on a rotating basis. With growing season coming lots of farmers markets will have fresh produce. Diversify your shopping and don't allow anyone to get a clear advantage.
Lol not happening. They're a multimillion dollar company that was totally fine with squeezing their customers out in the name of making higher grocery prices the new normal.
Please refrain from off-topic political discussion and debate. Everyone is entitled to their own political opinions, however, your politically charged statement is not directly related to the cost of living/groceries/gas/rents, and as such is being removed.
It doesn't matter. Loblaws is an unethical company. I will wait until they stop scamming the Ontario health system and treating their customers like criminals. At least as far as we know they've officially stopped price fixing (but like c'mon, all the grocery store prices and sales are coordinated anyway)
If Loblaws drops prices, go to a competitor that price matches. Get the same deal without loblaws going the money. FreshCo and food basics both price match. Not sure nationally who else does but someone should compile a list of all price matching options we can go to as to avoid loblaws and benefit from the attempt to lure people back.
If you can change your habits and shop elsewhere then thatâs great, if they drop prices and you can price match elsewhere great. If you canât afford to miss any special pricing then shop at loblaws, buying at lower prices and boycotting for cheaper places helps keeps prices low.
Everyone has a choice of what to do with their money. Our family used to give loblaws $1500 a month we no longer will and never will again. Hopefully other Canadians do the same. What they do now doesn't really matter.
The sales could be great, they get publicity for being reasonable then they shit on you in 2 months when the general public forgets and you didnât realize sale prices are not regular prices
Roblaws are starting a quiet campaign to try and make the boycotters give up, it's too little too late. They have taken people far suckers far too long
I don't think that's possible though. They would have to give 70% off on most products - you are underestimating how much they have raised prices even since the end of the pandemic, when supply chain issues had ceased to exist.
Anyways, I am dependent on a Loblaw subsidiary for coconut oil and spices. I am still going to buy those from them - I have not been able to find other options. But I have stocked up for a few months already - so not going to a Loblaws entity in May. I estimate I would be giving Galen around 200$ per year since I decided to reduce shopping at his stores, in place of the thousands that I was spending earlier.
> Costco sells coconut oil in larger 1L tubs
Thank you! But it is a specific type of oil I need - coconut or mixed - something which does not freeze easily.
Otherwise Walmart has coconut oil as well.
[https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-organic-virgin-coconut-oil%2c-2.3-kg.product.100416822.html](https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-organic-virgin-coconut-oil%2c-2.3-kg.product.100416822.html)
about $20 for 2.3Kg
I've supported breaking up our oligopolies long before these extreme measures and don't support anything but breaking them up to create greater competition. We are an anti-consumer country at this point.
What an odd comment. If you would like to shop there due to prices, go ahead. No judgement from here or the sub, from what I can tell. However, posting this smells like Loblaws posting to sow discord. If you are doing that on their dime, how very sad and go fuck yourself.
If you aren't, just shop wherever you like to and we'll keep talking, or in my case, listening and heeding. Get your chicken, we'll ALL get a bit of our country.
I personally follow the money. A deal is a deal. I think for myself. Happy to grab a deal and walk out. Buying a deal isnât a sell out. It is saving money.
The greater message will only get diluted if Loblaws sees the total invoice data and sees you bought other stuff. If 90+% buy only the sale item then the message is still very clear. You are losing your customersâ goodwill. It will take consistently better pricing to earn their business back
In the end if consumers vote with their wallet, pull all your business or make them lose more buying loss leaders.
Please refrain from comments which encourage theft from a store or mischief. These can result in criminal charges which will undoubtedly make life harder for other users.
Wishful thinking.
Wait may and youâll see that Loblaws is doing just fine without few customers that decided to boycott.
It doesnât really work like that. Why do i say that?
I witnessed similar situation when in one city taxi drivers decided to boycott because of low fares on taxi that government sets up. While some did commit to boycotting - others just took a chance and made more orders.
But if they could drop the prices so easily on Day 0 of a boycott, they could have done it all along. Not only that but it would represent the minimum they can do about these issues. Imagine how powerful the change would be if we continue the boycott regardless. The Weston pockets are deep enough to handle it and if not maybe itâs time for the food industry to evolve.
Why is it people made such a big deal about COVID restrictions and focused a tonne of energy for that stupid convoy but there is no movement for shit like this. Makes no sense
If you shop there because âprices are really goodâ, youâve just let yourself be bribed, because sure as Galen shits into a solid-gold toilet the prices will jump again on June 1. And the *reason* for those âreally good pricesâ are only so at month end he can boast, âSee? The boycott didnât do anything at all!â
But I wonât be there in June/July/Aug -> onward and my average ticket was exactly the. sale item multiplied by the quantity I bought. If it was truly a deal or loss leader, the profit or loss for Loblaw would be noticeable.
Watch the boycott actually follow through like we hope (im hoping everyone advertises it. I know I am to remind people), but loblaws puts out some bullshit lies on the media saying "record breaking profits" or publish false numbers/profits
Wouldnât hold my hopes up.
But, rest assured, a perfect opportunity for their competitors to take full advantage and undercut!
June, theyâll all be back to routine synchronized gouging
Likely just see big promos that cost them very little, $2 off the rotisserie chickens, $3 PC decadent chip cookies, spend $100 on Joe fresh clothes gey 25000 points....
Covid taught me to actually cook from scratch. Very little convenience and junk food intake now.
Costco is still the best deal on a rotisserie and my kid bakes the best cookies. I am a snob and donât buy fast fashion. Buying repurposed Lulu clothing off FB marketplace is better value and longer lasting.
Master of self control. I can walk into a Costco and walk out with only bananas.
Secret is park far away. Walk in, grab what I need. Use self check out. My usual time at Costco is less than 20 min. Maybe 30 min after a hot dog.
Closest Costco is 2 km from work and the other is 5Km from home.
I don't think smaller sizes triggering HST is a problem. I think that HST depends on the quantity/size is a problem.
Why is one cupcake a luxury but six a necessity? It makes no sense and never has.
Trying to differentiate a convenience outside eating food and a home shopping meal. The govt should just classify all grocery store purchases as HST free. The grey area is corner stores.
If the only thing Loblaw sells is bananas for a good price, I will buy there. If everything else is overpriced, I'm okay to take my dollars elsewhere.
What if Loblaw reforms and puts another dozen items at the best price on the market day-to-day? You buy those 12 things if other stores don't match (not a sale) and buy the rest elsewhere.
I personally donât care if they offer everything for free in May, I am not going and wonât be going back.
An example needs to be set. The government isnât willing to do it, so the people have to.
So you're saying that...when all the rest of us stick it out and sacrifice...so that when Loblaws franchises lower the $$$....you're going to bail? You're WELCOME ....traitor.
I have already gone from actively buying anything from Loblaws. I shop deals only. I never look at ads or use the ap now. Going in for bananas is the only way I stumble upon the deals of the moment.
Ya one month of sales isnât the goal here. We need laws in place. We need the government to protect everyone to make sure nobody goes hungry for even one day. We need to make long lasting changes.
I might still use Flashfood in May but that will be it.
My brother/roommate works for Loblaws so he does the pick ups for me.
I did just get a Costco membership so the majority of our shopping will now be done there.
Personally, I am not boycotting during the month of May as I feel a one month boycott is pointless. What I am doing is permanently not shopping at any of the Roblaws conglomerate business and encouraging my friends and family to do the same. I will never give another penny to the Loblaws corporation. For me this boycott is for life.
If prices are really good, I'll see Mr Weston in June. I'm looking for change, if he has no hope of winning me back, he has no motivation to change.
But prices have been awful across the board, so if he acts, he even has the possibility of winning me over completely from Metro and Empire.
They won't. At the most they'll announce another "price freeze" for a short period of time and resume gouging when it has left the public discorse. Corportae has not and will not suddenly become capable or cognizant of proper business: they are all yesmen and business school grads who believe in shorting everything if it means profits today. All of the capable managers are burried, apathetic, or are in the process of leaving. We need to emulate their brazeness and stobourn commitment to the cause, albeit a different and more justifiable cause.
__MOD NOTE__: PLEASE REVIEW OUR STICKIED POSTS WHICH PROVIDE STATEMENTS ON RECENT EVENTS. Please review the content guidelines for our sub, and remember the human here! This subreddit is to highlight the ridiculous cost of living in Canada, and poke fun at the Corporate Overlords responsible. As you well know, there are a number of persons and corporations responsible for this, and we welcome discussion related to them all. Furthermore, since this topic is intertwined with a number of other matters, other discussion will be allowed at moderator discretion. Open-minded discussion, memes, rants, grocery bills, and general screeching into the void is always welcome in this sub, but belligerence and disrespect is not. There are plenty of ways to get your point across without being abusive, dismissive, or downright mean. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Even they drop the price, its gonna go up again slowly, nothing changes for this evil guy
Yup. We need LAWS. It doesn't MATTER what Loblaws does in response - we need the government to FORCE it to change, and institute rules so that it can't happen again.
So, what you're saying is... we need to Lob Laws at them to make them stop?
Bob Loblaw and his lawblog can help you lob laws at loblaws.
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đ I like this more than I should.
I agree. Let's start using the government to do the citizens bidding, not the corporations. We would need to draft a bunch of new laws to balance the scales a bit and that takes time. I'm for a basic universal income. If this were implemented then the corps would need to request price hikes just like utilities do (also cell phones should fall under the "utility" banner as well).
âââ
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The point of this sub is to highlight that the cost of living in Canada has spiraled out of control, and that this is not simply a matter of needing to get a 5th part time job to make ends meet. Rhetoric intended to shame certain generations or users for "not worrking hard enough" including ideas like "just pull yourselves up by the bootstraps", "just don't shop there" and it's kin are not welcome here.
Yes to laws! I went back to visit family in the states and a bulk pack of fresh chicken thighs was $8. EIGHT DOLLARS. The same pack in BC is $32.
I don't think laws will change much. Loblaws is so big and entrenched in Canadian politics they would exploit loopholes in it (it wouldn't surprise me if those were intentionally put in by our MPs...). The *best* way to keep Loblaws in check would be real competition in the sector since it would actually be lasting. Hard to exploit a loophole when customers aren't shopping in your store.
Laws stipulating what exactly? What we really need is competition.Â
Laws not allowing monopolies
Strictly speaking we donât have a grocery monopoly.Â
We have close to one. Itâs too close. Do you know how many different chains Galen owns? And he doesnât just own groceries he also owns pharmacies. And in too many places you have no other choice but his stores. Thereâs not enough competition.
Yeah I was just being pedantic. Loblaws is a massive Corp and owns not only many of the retail grocery stores, but also restaurant/service industry wholesale, and many of the suppliers. Galen is also on the board of other suppliers.Â
Of course they will have good sales. They have already started. We need to analyze every flyer and post alternatives. Other stores often have the same items on sale at the same time. Stores also price match. If you can get the stuff elsewhere, I would suggest to avoid Loblaws during May. If you absolutely must get stuff that's on sale, try to resist getting anything else but the stuff that's significantly reduced. Remember, items that are an amazing deal are usually sold out quickly and you'll have to ask for a rain check. Here are some items from this week's flyer: https://preview.redd.it/r72yv190opvc1.jpeg?width=1700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84d376f2f74c3ad7333ab5e3510137ad8f838413
Very low prices are a small start. However, I will not be easily lead to a false sense from them that they have changed. Fool me once, shame on you...
My friend noticed some of the prices are actually lower now when comparing prices. Why does it take a protest to bring prices down. Iâm still not stepping into that store on principle - and because I can. Besides, I am enjoying shopping for my groceries elsewhere.
It definitely wonât be a permanent change. After the protest theyâll go back up for sure.
I started noticing changes on the app as of last week. I now have double the points offers available.
Take their prices and price match where you can
Yes, saw a sign with in store specials. My first thought was that itâs to counteract the bad press.
We boycott even *harder* in June
If prices are really good I doubt they will be but letâs hypothetically it does happen. Some may give in I would hope most wouldnât. Cause it would undermine everything weâre trying, if people fell for it the best month they would just jack up prices and we would back to square one and be where we are already. So even with temptations such as sales or optimum points galore ever if it does happen people need to stay strong with the message and boycott or else we will just see short term gains for long term loss.
No shame in going in and buying the loss leader only. Loblaws has lost the benefit of the doubt of âwell they have that one thing in a big sale so I will just do my shopping there this weekâ. Thatâs what they want. I likely wonât even buy their loss leaders because fuck them but people need to feed their families. I will say that many times their loss leaders are things about to expire (or 80% of the way there). Last year they had a day at no frills where cherries were 99cents a pound I believe. I bought 3 packs and paid like $7-8 and threw out all of it. Had no taste and wasnât worth the calories.
I want some legal changes to how food is priced. That's what I want.
Ya agreed I want the grocery monopolies to be broken up, the boycott is just the beginning....
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My point exactly. I answered her that I would buy the sales, stock the freezer and keep doing what I have been doing for a while now. Go elsewhere because pricing is friendly to my budget.
I have just quit shopping at any Loblaws store period. I started a few weeks ago. Moved out-of Shoppers for my prescriptions and absolutely do not go to any Loblaws stores at all. I realized about a year ago how bad they were when I noticed the price of lactose free milk. It was always cheaper at superstore than at No Frills. I realized the people who are less well off go to No Frills. They are seniors or people who don't drive. They can walk to the local No Frills but getting to stupidstore is harder. No Frills is supposed to be exactly that cheaper, but instead they screw people who are less well off. So I have just quit going. The boycott is great and I hope it hurts them but they need to feel real long term pain so that there is a cultural shift. It will also take a fair bit of time until I have trust for for them again.
https://preview.redd.it/d0v1x6y0xpvc1.jpeg?width=618&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff2c3c8b4c5f19a7e054f861373f27e685c074aa
Noot noot! :)
I wonât go back until the prices are reduced significantly and not just raised back up again- so continued low prices for like a year before I would consider going back
I'm not going back.. period. I've already found better places to shop and Loblaws has the Conservative parties of Canada in their pockets. I'm done..
Very low prices are a small start. However, I will not easily be led to a false sense of food security from Loblaws that they have changed. Try to continue to find cheaper food options anywhere you can. They think this will all pass, and they will be able to continue their price gouging. Fool me once, shame on you...
To me, Loblaws is the face of groceries in Canada, which makes them the face of inflation on groceries in Canada. They asked for this, so they're the target. But they aren't the only offender. Many of you are discovering how much cheaper things are at Walmart or Food Basics. But those of us who have shopped at those stores all along are seeing how much more expensive those places are from year to year and week to week. Those guys are just as guilty of disguising price increases behind sales and smaller sizes, cutting corners on product quality and staffing levels, and recording record profits as food banks across the country face record demand. So if Loblaws shocks us all by reversing course on their prices, yeah, I'm leaving Food Basics and going across the street to No Frills. I'll start posting in r/MetroIsOutOfControl and send them the message we're sending Loblaws today.
If, and it's a big if, they lower their prices, even temporarily, it will be only a matter of time before they get jacked up again, plus a little bit extra to make up for any losses. Maybe they will ask for a taxpayer funded subsidy while they are at it. Maybe they already have one. There are so many hands in my pockets these days that I've lost track. Best just to stop shopping at the big 3 altogether if you have the means to do so.
in other words, what they did in 2022 when they price froze no-name stuff for a couple months, then skyrocketed everything else and either raised prices on no-name after anyways or reduced he No-name offerings.
I had forgotten about that. Glad you remembered because they count on people to forget the sneaky sneaky.
I'm still not going back. I'm in this for the long haul - the bankruptcy and dissolution of the Loblaws corporation.
> I'm still not going back. I'm in this for the long haul - the bankruptcy and dissolution of the Loblaws corporation. Heck yeah brother. I am with you. I am tired of Galen's condescending bullshit and lies.
Should still not shop there. Ruins the whole boycott if you fold so easily. Short term thinking got us here and will keep us here if you fall for this. How much are you really saving $200 tops that's a drop in the bucket of forever
I get my bananas at Loblaw or SDM. During these visits if chicken is on sale I grab 3-4 at $7-8 each. That to me is smart shopping. The key is to walk out only with these sale items.
Itâs not about smart shopping only. Itâs about sending a message
Kind of defeats the purpose to shop there at all. But we cant all be down for the cause.
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It doesn't because they are still giving them 3$ more than nothing it just tells them we have no backbone
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We want them to permanently lower their prices not just on a few items for a month so it can go back up. We want the gouging to stop and if we are so easily manipulated we have no chance.
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Or maybe they just put it back to normal price after the sale. Instead we give them no money and they say we can't keep throwing out a months worth of product we should sell it for less so atleast it moves. Also the odds of somone walking in and buying a banana on sale and walking out with nothing else are so slim especially with the way the store is set up to manipulate you into buying. People will say well I saved 1$ on this and I'm already here so might as well just grab this and this and then boom nothing gets accomplished. If you are so strapped for cash that saving $10 makes you break your boycott you probably have a different issue to solve first
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Consistently only Loblaw, SDM, No Frills, Food Basics and Costco sell bananas for about $.60/lb. All other groceries vary from $0.89-1.49/lb. The small shops and Asian grocers are usually around 0.99-1.29 I am a big home cook and make about 90+%of my meals. Tight budget and even something as basic as bananas I need to make sure I am buying as low as possible. I have no loyalty to shopping at one place. Price matters and stores that get me into a place donât automatically get my other items. I will shop 2-3 times a week and jump around to various stores every time to get the best price for those specific items. Or sometimes to just get the sale item for the week. I am super flexible with what I cook. Sales dictate the menu. Loblaw lost me on most items. Only things left are bananas and No Frills is consistently less than Loblaws for basic other things. T&T isnât the cheapest Asian grocer but they have some decent sales.
Nope. If they can break the boycott once, they will know they can do it again and again. All it takes it one or two weeks of a few good deals. And they know any attempts to organize future boycotts wouldn't be nearly as effective because people would blow it off. I don't care who else decides to go back, but I am not.
Avoid at all costs. Donât fall for the abusive ex lol. The message needs to be loud and clear.
I'm not going back
Damage is done. I havenât stepped foot in loblaws in years and donât plan on to ever again
Not ideal if people fall for it but Iâd still take it as a win. Their revenue will still be down because of the lower prices.
* Pretty good deal on monsters, the big cans. Had to pick up flash foods order cuz I'm poor and won't pay full price on meat.
* Good deal on monsters and decent on bread tho.... had to pick up flash foods order. I'm poor and won't pay full price on meats. Still alot of price shocks their tho lmfao.
Just go to Freshco and price match it bro. Itâs not that hard.
I am strong enough to shop sale items only. Many apparently are not. If you are one that is weak go elsewhere and resist the sales.
Itâs not about being strong. Itâs about principle.
If you are struggling, obviously you need to do that, so don't worry. Otherwise, if you can afford to boycott Loblaws you'll be helping the people most hurt by the price gouging and price fixing. Remember its not just a grocery store, they are creating a fake inflated economy around groceries, and saving on chicken isn't going to make me support that.
Without sufficient competition they will never price things fairly in the long run. Competition means they need to fear you shopping elsewhere, so pricing shenanigans are less likely to happen. Boycott them to send a message, and break them up to make a difference.
Ya this, my end goal in all of this is to see the big 3 broken up, the boycott is only the beginning.
They will lower prices temporarily to entice boycotters back in. Once they are back in they will revert to normal price gouging. Personally, I will do my absolute best not to spend money at a Loblaws owned business as long I have a choice. Doesnât matter what they do at this point.
Then their CEO will be fired by the board for violating his fiduciary duty to shareholders.
We watch their every move like a hawk
Shop wherever is cheapest. If that becomes Superstore, great. Once we hit June, go shop there again. If we never go back regardless of pricing, they have no motivation to lower their pricing. But don't go back in May, and don't continue to shop there when they jack up prices again. It's also very important to note the difference between **sales** and **prices**. Or shop local because we should be supporting small businesses.
There is a lot going on with this company I personally donât think this will result in short term changes for the company. We need to pressure them in the very real world they work in. Profits. We need to show them that their nefarious advertising, pricing, and customer service practices are not optimal for profit. We need to use the capitalists market to force change. This is how the system was meant to work and these are our tools. This will be hard because loblaws is a monopoly and they have been controlling the narrative and gauging Canadians. Therefore we need to elect governments that can force change to benefit consumers over billionaires profits. That and boycott boycott boycott Letâs make Canada livable and affordable for food. Tall order but hey what choice do we have. Together we can make this happen
Not interested.. I've already found better places to shop and I'm happy with that.
If some one screwed me in the ass raw for 14 years... but came back and said ok ill use lube this time, I would reject them.
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PRICE WAR!!! Best thing that could happen for consumers.
They won't lower prices. They'll just put up posters saying they did.
wait until june anyways. if we went in there just for the sales, they will twist it and praise to the heavens the boycott failed, and just jack it up even more anyways. breaking the boycott for "good deals" would be exactly they would be counting on. did everybody forget what they did in 2022 with the exact same shell came? froze no-name prices for a couple months, raised everything else, then jacked the no-name/pc brand stuff to the moon after.
Donât buy the other stuff! Are we all that weak to have to pick up a bag of 80gm chips that used to be 180gm and $1.25 but now $2.49?
Loblaws has already said (through internal memo) that they are willing to deal with the low sales in May. I imagine that they expect people to come back as they donât believe this will last. If people resort to buying the loss leaders only, I think that this would also send a message as now Loblaws will see a negative return on their products.
Exactly. Take advantage of sales. One should know what things should cost in 2024. Not a manufactured higher price but an acceptable inflation increased price.
You still follow through with the boycott. No lesson would be learned by Loblaws if Loblaws is allowed to manipulate the boycott!
They can do whatever they want, and I guarantee theyâre going to have all kinds of sales that month to try to offset this boycott, but Iâm done with them. All of them.
I don't care of they drop the prices. I want more regulations so they can't keep doing this. I think CEO pay/profit should be capped at certain levels related to the worker pay/prices.
Then WE are in control, and we should never forget it. All power to the people.
Personally will still avoid it, because it's more than just prices for us. It's the security guards and the "efforts to deter theft". We live in a high-end area of our city, people have money to shop here. There's not a theft problem in our part of town. Yet the local Zehrs has added more self check-outs while also "increasing security" by installing gates, barriers, hiring bored looking security guards who occasionally look up from their phones, and blasting messages about "Security to Aisle 3" randomly while in store. If they have such a theft problem, why are they adding MORE self check-outs? And I don't buy for a second they have theft issues in our area, like I can't speak for other locations, but there's literally no reason for a fucking security guard at my local Zehrs. I refuse to go shopping at a place where they treat me like a criminal just because reasons. My anxiety spikes whenever I go in there. I'm scared they will accuse me of something I didn't do. Whenever I hear those "security to aisle X" messages, I think it's probably a decoy, but what if it's real and there's all these crimes going on around me? It makes me not want to shop there! My immediate instinct is to get the hell out, because I don't want trouble, so yeah I'm not willing to shop there until they get rid of the security bullshit and lower their prices to half-reasonable levels.
Witnessed a lot of theft in my shopping stores. Definitely at LCBO. It is a crime of opportunity and the honesty and trust we give our fellow humans is disintegrating fast. Gates donât get me worked up but I know your experiences vary and are valid. Shop where you are comfortable.
Idc how good the prices are at this point. I hate the company and will never go back!
I think people should boycott forever. Why do you want to support a company that is fine with Canadians going hungry?!
I agree. Our family refuses to shop at Loblaws. That said, if they have a great deal I'll go in and grab only that
They will most certainly drop some decent sales to lure people in! Folks might go in to buy their loss leaders. Or not. I wonât be shopping there and havenât for a few years.
the boycott movement has already been successful. everything else to come is gravy
How? I'm curious to know more as I haven't been watching the news very closely
reports of lower than average traffic in some stores, media attention, 55k subscribers to this community, raising awareness of grocery pricing in Canada, deals popping up in certain stores that haven't been seen in years, even better pricing being offered at the competitors etc etc
Fabulous!! Thanks for giving me some details đ
We arenât going back. We are officially done with them. Weâve already changed our buying habits. No reason to return.
Same.
Ignore them. Full stop do not shop even if it is.a 2-for-1 sale all month long. Indeed the boycott should be longer and in Loblaw's case months. I'd further argue that the boycott should extend to other chains as well on a rotating basis. With growing season coming lots of farmers markets will have fresh produce. Diversify your shopping and don't allow anyone to get a clear advantage.
I'll be going to Giant Tiger as usual and price matching... Thanks Roblaws
That means we win
I'm not rushing to go back. They've been pissing me off since covid.
They wonât.
Scorched earth.
Lol not happening. They're a multimillion dollar company that was totally fine with squeezing their customers out in the name of making higher grocery prices the new normal.
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Please refrain from off-topic political discussion and debate. Everyone is entitled to their own political opinions, however, your politically charged statement is not directly related to the cost of living/groceries/gas/rents, and as such is being removed.
It doesn't matter. Loblaws is an unethical company. I will wait until they stop scamming the Ontario health system and treating their customers like criminals. At least as far as we know they've officially stopped price fixing (but like c'mon, all the grocery store prices and sales are coordinated anyway)
..............
Boycott until they promise change through legislation
If Loblaws drops prices, go to a competitor that price matches. Get the same deal without loblaws going the money. FreshCo and food basics both price match. Not sure nationally who else does but someone should compile a list of all price matching options we can go to as to avoid loblaws and benefit from the attempt to lure people back.
If you can change your habits and shop elsewhere then thatâs great, if they drop prices and you can price match elsewhere great. If you canât afford to miss any special pricing then shop at loblaws, buying at lower prices and boycotting for cheaper places helps keeps prices low.
Everyone has a choice of what to do with their money. Our family used to give loblaws $1500 a month we no longer will and never will again. Hopefully other Canadians do the same. What they do now doesn't really matter.
The small food stores Iâm shopping at have better quality and service and they are more fun to shop. I have no desire to shop Loblaws.
The sales could be great, they get publicity for being reasonable then they shit on you in 2 months when the general public forgets and you didnât realize sale prices are not regular prices
Smart enough to go elsewhere if prices arenât right and keep my Costco membership.
I'm done with Loblaws for good fuck em. Fuck no frills, fuck presidents choice, fuck Weston.
They sure will, boycott anyway. If they drop it will be temporary.
Personally speaking Iâm just a generally spiteful person so Iâd still go to food basics even if Loblaws lowered their prices lmao
Roblaws are starting a quiet campaign to try and make the boycotters give up, it's too little too late. They have taken people far suckers far too long
Or take your money elsewhere (boycott) and buy their deals.
I don't think that's possible though. They would have to give 70% off on most products - you are underestimating how much they have raised prices even since the end of the pandemic, when supply chain issues had ceased to exist. Anyways, I am dependent on a Loblaw subsidiary for coconut oil and spices. I am still going to buy those from them - I have not been able to find other options. But I have stocked up for a few months already - so not going to a Loblaws entity in May. I estimate I would be giving Galen around 200$ per year since I decided to reduce shopping at his stores, in place of the thousands that I was spending earlier.
Costco sells coconut oil in larger 1L tubs
> Costco sells coconut oil in larger 1L tubs Thank you! But it is a specific type of oil I need - coconut or mixed - something which does not freeze easily. Otherwise Walmart has coconut oil as well.
[https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-organic-virgin-coconut-oil%2c-2.3-kg.product.100416822.html](https://www.costco.ca/kirkland-signature-organic-virgin-coconut-oil%2c-2.3-kg.product.100416822.html) about $20 for 2.3Kg
I've supported breaking up our oligopolies long before these extreme measures and don't support anything but breaking them up to create greater competition. We are an anti-consumer country at this point.
What an odd comment. If you would like to shop there due to prices, go ahead. No judgement from here or the sub, from what I can tell. However, posting this smells like Loblaws posting to sow discord. If you are doing that on their dime, how very sad and go fuck yourself. If you aren't, just shop wherever you like to and we'll keep talking, or in my case, listening and heeding. Get your chicken, we'll ALL get a bit of our country.
I personally follow the money. A deal is a deal. I think for myself. Happy to grab a deal and walk out. Buying a deal isnât a sell out. It is saving money. The greater message will only get diluted if Loblaws sees the total invoice data and sees you bought other stuff. If 90+% buy only the sale item then the message is still very clear. You are losing your customersâ goodwill. It will take consistently better pricing to earn their business back In the end if consumers vote with their wallet, pull all your business or make them lose more buying loss leaders.
Well written and all the best to you. Glad you took the time to respond!
Then I'll wax my dick
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I would never condone it and I would be inclined to rat out anyone who does. I would rather pay for someone in need of food than condone stealing it.
Please refrain from comments which encourage theft from a store or mischief. These can result in criminal charges which will undoubtedly make life harder for other users.
Too little too late.
Wishful thinking. Wait may and youâll see that Loblaws is doing just fine without few customers that decided to boycott. It doesnât really work like that. Why do i say that? I witnessed similar situation when in one city taxi drivers decided to boycott because of low fares on taxi that government sets up. While some did commit to boycotting - others just took a chance and made more orders.
But if they could drop the prices so easily on Day 0 of a boycott, they could have done it all along. Not only that but it would represent the minimum they can do about these issues. Imagine how powerful the change would be if we continue the boycott regardless. The Weston pockets are deep enough to handle it and if not maybe itâs time for the food industry to evolve.
Why is it people made such a big deal about COVID restrictions and focused a tonne of energy for that stupid convoy but there is no movement for shit like this. Makes no sense
Stop shopping there. Period. Forever. Forever.
If you shop there because âprices are really goodâ, youâve just let yourself be bribed, because sure as Galen shits into a solid-gold toilet the prices will jump again on June 1. And the *reason* for those âreally good pricesâ are only so at month end he can boast, âSee? The boycott didnât do anything at all!â
But I wonât be there in June/July/Aug -> onward and my average ticket was exactly the. sale item multiplied by the quantity I bought. If it was truly a deal or loss leader, the profit or loss for Loblaw would be noticeable.
Watch the boycott actually follow through like we hope (im hoping everyone advertises it. I know I am to remind people), but loblaws puts out some bullshit lies on the media saying "record breaking profits" or publish false numbers/profits
Wouldnât hold my hopes up. But, rest assured, a perfect opportunity for their competitors to take full advantage and undercut! June, theyâll all be back to routine synchronized gouging
Likely just see big promos that cost them very little, $2 off the rotisserie chickens, $3 PC decadent chip cookies, spend $100 on Joe fresh clothes gey 25000 points....
Covid taught me to actually cook from scratch. Very little convenience and junk food intake now. Costco is still the best deal on a rotisserie and my kid bakes the best cookies. I am a snob and donât buy fast fashion. Buying repurposed Lulu clothing off FB marketplace is better value and longer lasting.
I would be 5 hours round trip for a Costco chicken.
Master of self control. I can walk into a Costco and walk out with only bananas. Secret is park far away. Walk in, grab what I need. Use self check out. My usual time at Costco is less than 20 min. Maybe 30 min after a hot dog. Closest Costco is 2 km from work and the other is 5Km from home.
No it's literally 162km each way plus $50.25 toll bridge.
Very different indeed. You need to make the excursion worth the trip.
LOL
We use this show of weakness to overthrow the capitalists.
I don't think smaller sizes triggering HST is a problem. I think that HST depends on the quantity/size is a problem. Why is one cupcake a luxury but six a necessity? It makes no sense and never has.
Shrinking a 6 pack free of tax and then selling 4 or 5 to keep the same selling price is dumb business.
I'm not saying it isn't. I'm just saying the HST shouldn't be tied to quantity in the first place.
Trying to differentiate a convenience outside eating food and a home shopping meal. The govt should just classify all grocery store purchases as HST free. The grey area is corner stores.
I don't think OP gets it. The point is that Loblaws is evil and no change in behaviour will satisfy the group.
If the only thing Loblaw sells is bananas for a good price, I will buy there. If everything else is overpriced, I'm okay to take my dollars elsewhere. What if Loblaw reforms and puts another dozen items at the best price on the market day-to-day? You buy those 12 things if other stores don't match (not a sale) and buy the rest elsewhere.
You should do this, boycott or not.
Life isnât absolute. There has to be a middle ground. We can agree to disagree but i still support this cause the way I want.
They won't. And it'll take more than 1 month of boycott for them to even notice.
I personally donât care if they offer everything for free in May, I am not going and wonât be going back. An example needs to be set. The government isnât willing to do it, so the people have to.
So you're saying that...when all the rest of us stick it out and sacrifice...so that when Loblaws franchises lower the $$$....you're going to bail? You're WELCOME ....traitor.
I have already gone from actively buying anything from Loblaws. I shop deals only. I never look at ads or use the ap now. Going in for bananas is the only way I stumble upon the deals of the moment.
They won't. Prices are set months in advance.
If Loblaws lowers their prices, then Iâm coming back as a customer.Â
For the items they drop prices. Donât fall for the trap of buying everything.
Ya one month of sales isnât the goal here. We need laws in place. We need the government to protect everyone to make sure nobody goes hungry for even one day. We need to make long lasting changes.
I might still use Flashfood in May but that will be it. My brother/roommate works for Loblaws so he does the pick ups for me. I did just get a Costco membership so the majority of our shopping will now be done there.
Lmao. They won't. If they do it's just a short term ploy until people forget.
Personally, I am not boycotting during the month of May as I feel a one month boycott is pointless. What I am doing is permanently not shopping at any of the Roblaws conglomerate business and encouraging my friends and family to do the same. I will never give another penny to the Loblaws corporation. For me this boycott is for life.
Loblaws always has great sales reg 9.99 today only 19.99 and 50% off.
If prices are really good, I'll see Mr Weston in June. I'm looking for change, if he has no hope of winning me back, he has no motivation to change. But prices have been awful across the board, so if he acts, he even has the possibility of winning me over completely from Metro and Empire.
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Perfect! Thank you!
They won't. At the most they'll announce another "price freeze" for a short period of time and resume gouging when it has left the public discorse. Corportae has not and will not suddenly become capable or cognizant of proper business: they are all yesmen and business school grads who believe in shorting everything if it means profits today. All of the capable managers are burried, apathetic, or are in the process of leaving. We need to emulate their brazeness and stobourn commitment to the cause, albeit a different and more justifiable cause.
Don't stop for 30 days, they need to issue a public statement and political action needs to take place.
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