Canadian shares astounding price difference between Loblaws and local market

Canadian TikTok user @byjaded shared a haul of groceries she did at her local fruit market, and the price difference compared to Loblaws is astonishing.

If you haven’t been taking advantage of small, mom-and-pop-owned grocery stores in your neighbourhood, this might encourage you to do so.

“This is what you can get in Canada for $17 when you don’t shop at Loblaws,” said the creator.

According to her business Instagram account, the TikToker is based in Toronto. She picked up the groceries at Wellesley Fruit Market, just east of the city’s downtown core.

For as little as $17, she bought:

• A bundle of avocados
• A cucumber
• A bag of Campari tomatoes (looks to be at least six tomatoes)
• Four limes
• Six bananas
• Two large containers of Ontario-grown strawberries

The TikToker didn’t provide a price breakdown for each item, but she did say the strawberries were two containers for $3.

“This is the haul for all the people who are saying this is all you can get in Canada for $100,” she said. “So take this and times it by five.”

@byjaded This is all the groceries you can get in Canada for $17, remixed. #groceryhaul #canada #shopsmallbusiness #fruitmarket #torontofood ♬ original sound – JADED

Daily Hive calculated a similar grocery haul from Loblaws to compare.

Here’s a breakdown of the cost of a similar amount of items at the grocery giant:

• Five-pack of avocados — $5.99
• One cucumber — $2.49
• Campari tomatoes — $5.99
• Four limes — $3.96
• Six bananas — $1.75
• Two containers of Ontario-grown strawberries — $11.98

Without tax, this grocery trip already costs around $32.66, almost double that of TikToker’s neighbourhood spot.

Canadians shared their shock at the price difference in the video’s comments.

“Two for $3!!!!! I AM SO JEALOUS!” commented one person.

“At Galen’s, this would be 1 billion dollars Canadian,” another commenter joked.

Others shared their experiences doing groceries at small businesses.

“There’s a market near me in Durham. I got a flat (10 pints) of strawberries for $15!! I paid $8 for one pint at Superstore,” reads one comment.

“Amazing! I am always shocked the people who complain about high prices don’t shop around or try mom-and-pop shops for stuff,” added another.

Reviews for Wellesley Fruit Market mirror @byjaded’s video, praising it for its “fresh, high-quality” produce available “at affordable prices.”

A Loblaw boycott protesting high grocery prices was planned for May but has become an “indefinite” movement.

If you’re looking for alternative grocery stores in your area, you can use this helpful tool.

This article was originally published on May 2, 2024.