A Canadian woman has decided to take on the notorious grocery corporation Loblaw and its high prices by boycotting the company altogether.
Ann D, a 30-year-old corporate strategist based in Toronto, recently started documenting her journey of boycotting Loblaw-owned stores on TikTok.
Her decision to stop shopping at Loblaw stores started when the grocery giant announced in January that it would end its 50% off discounts on nearly expired food.
After facing public backlash, Loblaw quickly announced it would reverse the controversial decision.
But D told Daily Hive that Loblaw’s attempt to right its wrongs was “too late” for her.
“I was outraged that Loblaw would prioritize their profit margin over the increase in food waste it would cause, especially as so many Canadians face food insecurity today,” she stated.
Since then, she’s posted videos of her quest to find cheaper options at local grocers.
“Here’s what you can get for $56 when you don’t go to Loblaws,” she says in a TikTok video posted last month.
The camera pans to several vegetables, a pack of pork spare ribs, over one pound of flank steak, some spices, and three bottles of Asian cooking sauces and condiments.
Compared to other shoppers’ grocery hauls from the country’s large grocery retailers, D’s purchased from a local shop is a steal of a deal.
@thathungrygal Jan 28 weekly shop ft loblaws boycott. Have a hankering for a beef & broccoli type dish with a corn-cilantro salad. And as usual, prepping my daily lemon ginger shots for the week too #weeklyshop #loblawsisoutofcontrol #fuckgalen ♬ original sound – that hungry gal 😋🤷🏽♀️
People in the comments shared their thoughts about her cheaper purchases.
“Crying in northern Ontario… but you’ve inspired me to look for alternatives when I head to larger cities! Thank you!” said one commenter.
“I was in No Frills today, and a package of little tomatoes was $9! Last year, it was $5. This was a southern Ontario store, and the tomatoes are also from an Ontario greenhouse,” said another.
D told Daily Hive that because she lives in a big city, she has access to many smaller independent grocers or ethnic shops where she says prices are often lower.
“On average, I have decreased my spend on produce (fruits and veggies) significantly,” she added.
D has continued to post about her Loblaw boycott and has started making videos highlighting other independent grocery stores Canadians can shop at in different cities nationwide.
@thathungrygal weekly veggie haul #boycottloblaws #veggielover ♬ original sound – that hungry gal 😋🤷🏽♀️
@thathungrygal Replying to @SarahG WHERE TO SHOP IN HALIFAX #halifaxnovascotia #canadagroceries #halifaxgrown ♬ original sound – that hungry gal 😋🤷🏽♀️
D said that most comments she’s been receiving about her boycott have been supportive because she feels that many Canadians can relate to the “ever-increasing costs of groceries and the lack of a competitive grocery market.”
“I also read many comments from those who have been inspired to start boycotting Loblaw or to look into alternative options for their regular weekly shop,” she said.
However, she also recognizes that many Canadians don’t have the option to boycott the grocery giant because its stores are the only choice in rural communities or smaller cities.
Canada’s limited grocery store options reflect the lack of competition in the Canadian market.
The federal government has pledged to take action on Canada’s high grocery prices and is working to create more avenues for competition.
Last year, Canada’s grocery giants agreed to work towards stabilizing food prices after meeting with the feds, but it’s apparent that many Canadians are still struggling to afford the basics.
D said that she hopes the federal government can reduce red tape for new grocery retailers — like Aldi and Lidi — to enter the market and increase transparency by requiring grocers and suppliers to share their price-setting practices and margins.
She also thinks more measures should be taken to scrap “bulk” pricing, encouraging shoppers to purchase more than they need to receive the discounted price but consequently increasing food waste.
“Instead, offer discounts for buying imperfect or near-expiry products,” she said.
For the foreseeable future, D says she will keep boycotting Loblaw-owned stores as she continues to share her grocery tips on TikTok.
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