Huge price gap in Dollarama vs Loblaw paper towels sparks anger — but there’s more to the story
A post shared online about the difference in the price of a paper towel brand at Loblaw stores versus Dollarama has sparked anger.
In a post on Reddit, user SurreptitiousSquash shared a photo of a six-pack of the Cascades Tuff brand paper towel at Real Canadian Superstore being sold for $9.99. However, on the packaging, you can see a Dollarama logo indicating that it costs $4.50.
“Can someone tell me why this paper towel has a $4.50 Dollarama price tag but is on the shelves at Superstore for $9.99?” reads the caption on the post.
Hundreds of Canadians flooded the replies.
Many accused the major grocer of marking up the Dollarama-priced paper towel just to make more money.
“‘Because f**k you, consumer. We can do whatever we want,'” reads one comment.
“Highway robbery! But then again, no surprise that’s Roblaws for ya bunch of crooks!” added another.
Others even recommended customers report the store to Canada’s Competition Bureau.
“It’s becoming quite alarming to see what GougingGalen’s stores are doing!” commented one frustrated shopper.
At first glance, yes, it does look like the Real Canadian Superstore was reselling Dollarama paper towels for double the price, but there’s more to the story.
It’s complicated
In an email statement to Daily Hive, a Loblaw spokesperson said the $4.50 price on the packaging “appears to be an error where a customer service representative incorrectly accepted a return for an item not purchased at our store.”
They also had a reason for the $9.99 price tag.
“The tag on the shelf is for a 6=12 roll, which is double the regular 6 roll of the product,” the Loblaw spokesperson clarified.
But, as many comments pointed out on the Reddit post, is it okay for the store to mark up the price for the exact same product that goes for half the price at Dollarama?
If you look closely, the packaging on the Dollarama paper towels is labelled as “regular” sized. You can’t see the packages next to it, but when searching for the same brand on Superstore’s site, the store only sells the “Mega” sized (meaning you get more sheets in a roll) Cascades Tuff paper towels, which go for $12.99 online.
Real Canadian Superstore
On Loblaws’ website, a pack of six “Jumbo“-sized paper towels from the brand costs $9.99.
Loblaws
Daily Hive went to a Dollarama in Toronto to confirm that the discount store only sells “regular”-sized paper towel rolls for $4.50.
Daily Hive
Several people in the comments speculated what Loblaw confirmed.
Others noted that this would be the ideal case for using Canada’s Scanner Price Accuracy Code, which applies to all scanned merchandise with a Universal Product Code (the barcodes you see on a product’s packaging), a bar code, and a Price Look-Up code (usually used to identify bulk produce sold in grocery stores) in all participating stores.
Participants include electronic stores like Best Buy, big-box stores like Costco, and even supermarkets owned by Loblaw Companies Limited.
If you notice that the wrong price rings up for an item at checkout and you’re overcharged, the Retail Council of Canada advises you to notify the cashier, and you could get that product for free.
What do you think about this paper towel mix-up? Sound off in the comments, or send us an email about pricing disparities you’ve seen at major Canadian chain stores at [email protected].