Same here in NZ where it's a duopoly for the supermarkets.
Huge margins being placed on product and profits dubiously disguised by unrealistic operating costs.
Canadian chains...and the three companies that own them all...
Loblaws, the largest of the bunch, was an instrumental player in the illegal bread price fixing scheme. They are in the news often for the things they do - the latest is installing a system in some of their stores where if you use a self-checkout machine, after you are done there is an automatic gate that you must scan your receipt through before it lets you out of the store. It treats everyone as if they are criminals, and I do hope someone challenges it in the courts - it's false imprisonment. They cannot stop you without a specific allegation that you personally have stolen something.
This was their second plan - they originally tried using security guards to check receipts as you left the store, something that unless you have agreed to as part of a membership style store (like Costco) is also illegal.
This sort of hubris shows that without significant competition, these companies act without regard to laws and people's rights. They know that in many smaller communities they are the only store, so people cannot choose a different option.
Canadian chains...and the three companies that own them all...
Canadian chains...and the three companies that own them all...
Loblaws, the largest of the bunch, was an instrumental player in the illegal bread price fixing scheme. They are in the news often for the things they do - the latest is installing a system in some of their stores where if you use a self-checkout machine, after you are done there is an automatic gate that you must scan your receipt through before it lets you out of the store. It treats everyone as if they are criminals, and I do hope someone challenges it in the courts - it's false imprisonment. They cannot stop you without a specific allegation that you personally have stolen something.
This was their second plan - they originally tried using security guards to check receipts as you left the store, something that unless you have agreed to as part of a membership style store (like Costco) is also illegal.
This sort of hubris shows that without significant competition, these companies act without regard to laws and people's rights. They know that in many smaller communities they are the only store, so people cannot choose a different option.
The Bottom Bump ("punt") has entered the chat. That's how many companies shrink their goods without you noticing as the package is the same height and width, but nay, the bottom bump gets deeper and deeper. So you have to be a good unit shopper first and foremost.
Yeah, it was frustrating to see the other day that the bump in the peanut butter jar rises up halfway to the top... (okay, not quite that high, but close enough to be as irritating as the wait list for an Omega SE)
I'll give you another recent example:
I know that I'm among friends here (some days it feels like you all are my closest friends, and I don't think I'm alone in that). So I can freely admit to all of you that I have what, in the end, may turn out to be a terminal addiction to Reese's peanut butter cups. I buy them in the big bag, 60 at a time, and keep a few in a dish on the kitchen counter.
I had a chance to do a little comparison about three weeks ago. This is what I found:
Again with the Peanut Butter!!
I opened a fresh jar the other day and was horrified to discover I had grabbed a jar of chunky at the market instead of creamy- the horror!! I have been powering my way through it though…. in these unprecedented times….we gotta live with chunky sometimes.
Again with the Peanut Butter!!
I opened a fresh jar the other day and was horrified to discover I had grabbed a jar of chunky at the market instead of creamy- the horror!! I have been powering my way through it though…. in these unprecedented times….we gotta live with chunky sometimes.
Just opening a jar of bloody awful penis butter would be enough to horrify me regardless of whether or not it’s smooth of chunky
Creamy?!? Man, I knew something was off with you... 😝
Just opening a jar of bloody awful penis butter would be enough to horrify me regardless of whether or not it’s smooth of chunky, joyous just have to show me a pic of the disgusting stuff to make me feel queezy
Same goes for vaginamite!
Creamy?!? Man, I knew something was off with you... 😝
On apple slices, creamy (chunky falls off)
This made me think a bit, as our grocery spend used to be maybe 60% at Loblaws (Zehrs), 30% at Costco, and 10% at Sobeys (Freshco). As other general retailers continue pushing more into providing food items, doesn't that somehow offer additional competition? I did a quick search for where most groceries are sold, and it showed Costco and Walmart not far behind the big 3.
Again with the Peanut Butter!!
I opened a fresh jar the other day and was horrified to discover I had grabbed a jar of chunky at the market instead of creamy- the horror!! I have been powering my way through it though…. in these unprecedented times….we gotta live with chunky sometimes.
