The difference between prices of the same in-house brand snack foods at two Loblaw-owned stores has caused a stir online, with some customers blaming the company for “price gouging” and others pointing out why one store may be more expensive.
The items in question are the No Name regular ripple cut chips and the PC Kettle Corn found on shelves at Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart
Both No Name and President’s Choice are in-house brands at select Loblaw stores.
One eagle-eyed shopper snapped a photo of the chips at Superstore, which were priced at $1.49. At Shoppers Drug Mart, they noticed the chips were more expensive at $2.79, but are currently on sale for $1.99.
Blatant price gouging between their own stores. Not even hiding it.
byu/Danno_999 inloblawsisoutofcontrol
At Superstore, the bag of Kettle Corn is $3.79 but at Shoppers, it’s $4.79.
“Can someone please explain to me how the prices can be so different between their stores for the identical No Name and PC brand products? They own them and control the pricing!’ the customer wrote in the “Loblaws is Out of Control” subreddit group.
The post was flooded with some people criticizing the prices, but others highlighting why there is a difference between Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart.
“Their own house brand. But it’s the ‘suppliers’ who are increasing their prices, right..,” wrote one commenter sarcastically.
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inloblawsisoutofcontrol
“Yep. The gouging has hit its fever pitch. If we boycott the sh*t out of them, we can put them back in line,” remarked another.
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“Shoppers is always a rip-off. Everything there is guaranteed to be a stupid price. On sale means nothing,” noted another Redditor.
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Many other commentators pointed out that items may be priced at Shoppers because it’s not a grocery store.
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“Shoppers is not No Frills. The drugstore has never pretended to have the price point of the discount grocer. Pricier real estate, different brand,” said one person.
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inloblawsisoutofcontrol
“Shoppers Drug Mart is a convenience store. There is your answer,” wrote another.
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“Don’t like the price? Don’t buy them,” suggested one individual.
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Shoppers Drug Mart has come to be known as the most expensive of Loblaw’s arms, with higher pricing than both competitors and other stores under the same parent company for medication, first aid supplies, personal care products, and more.
The drugstore has recently caught flack for its “outrageous” prices on everyday items like hair elastics, makeup removal pads, and hair brushes.
In response to the snack price difference, Loblaw told Daily Hive that it offers “different options to best meet the needs of our customers.”
“That includes full service grocery shops, convenient pharmacy locations with extended hours, and our cheapest options, No frills or Maxi,” said a Loblaw representative.
“Prices vary across these stores along with the cost to run them. That said, we continue to do what we can to ensure customers have access to the best possible value at all of our stores, through our very popular PC Optimum program where we gave out more than $1 billion worth of points last year alone or specific sales and promotions.”
The frustration Canadian shoppers have with Loblaw has led members of the “Loblaws is out of control” Reddit community to plan a boycott against all of the company’s stores — including No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Real Canadian Superstore — for May.
The group, which boasts more than 40,000 members and is growing rapidly, says the boycott targets Loblaw in particular because it has become the face of Canada’s cost of living crisis.
With files from Becky Robertson
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