People are shocked at huge price disparities in Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart
As grocery store profits and overpricing continue to be a hot-button topic in Canada, shoppers are noticing significantly different costs for the same items depending on where they go.
While most rely on somewhere like No Frills to be less expensive than Loblaws (which is unfortunately not always the case), there are some food retailers that are known for their higher price points, like Pusateri’s, Whole Foods or Harvest Wagon.
Another store often found to have higher prices than even Loblaws for the same products — despite actually being owned by the supermarket giant — is Shoppers Drug Mart. And while some people in Toronto may know this fact already, it seems others are just finding out how big the disparities in costs can be.
Tums at Loblaws on Queen Street West priced at $10.99
One resident looking for rubbing alcohol posted about the appalling contrast between the same container of the first aid tool on Reddit this week, sharing a photo of the same Life Brand 500 mL bottle selling for $3.99 at their local Loblaws but a whopping $7.29 at a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart.
blogTO’s own trip to downtown outposts of the two brands revealed the same price discrepancy, with the 70% and 99% isopropyl alcohol formulas costing $3.99 and $6.49, respectively, at the Queen and Portland Loblaws, and both varieties costing $7.29 at the Queen and Beverley Shoppers.
The same Tums at Shoppers on Queen Street West priced at $14.49
While some similar items had the same sticker price at both spots, others unfortunately followed the same trend.
Old Spice deodorants at Loblaws on Queen Street West for $7.99
Containers of 140-160 tablets of Tums were $10.99 at Loblaws but $14.49 at Shoppers; Softsoap hand soap was $2.79 vs. $3.99; Old Spice deodorant was $7.99 vs. $10.99; some types of Herbal Essences shampoos were $8.99 vs. $10.99; and Extra Strength Tylenol was regularly $16.99 (on sale for $13.99) vs. $18.49.
The same varieties of Old Spice at Shoppers on Queen Street West for $10.99
Many chiming in with comments on the Reddit post say that Shoppers has long been known to have higher prices than its sister supermarket, calling it a glorified convenience store for non-prescription items (and even the dispensing fees are higher than competitors, too).
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