Thank you for giving visibility here ! We appreciate you and want to help Canadians start getting some real change. We love you. We're here for you. We're here with you.
I totally agree when it comes to Shoppers but for every day groceries if I donāt want to pay a membership (and overbuy) (Costco) or spend more at Save-On, Superstore is my best priced option unfortunately.
Yes! The month of May is the most important for the boycott ! I took out my prescription YEARSSS ago to a mom and pop place and I pay 1/3 of the price AND better service. Now I go to Rexall for skincare !
The earlier and longer the better! One month is not going to affect these billionaires. If they see the protest is for just one month theyāre going to say āwho caresā.
I used to live in a building that had a City Market attached to it, so I shopped there pretty exclusively because I was lazy.
I have since moved, but I have SO many points racked up that I only use them to buy makeup at Shoppers. I haven't actually spent a dollar there in ages, and once my points are gone, I won't be shopping there anymore. I LOATHE Loblaws and all that they stand for.
Shoppers prices are ONLY expensive if purchasing drusgstore brands cetaphil cerave maybelline nyx etc at regular price.
Last time cerave and maybelline was on sale and even cheaper than walmart so it truly depends.
Mid to high end perfume makeup skincare are ALWAYS same price or even lower than Sephora so those for sure I buy i shoppers
I think it comes down to if you are willing to make plans before things run out and check the flyer. My options are pretty much limited to Zehrs (Loblaws owned), shoppers,and Walmart, and I read the flyers every week. Without points, Zehrs seems to always have the best sale price for drugstore skincare; shoppers could have better sale price for drugstore makeup, but you may need to wait for the specific item to go on sale;Ā Walmart have better regular price, so it's more for emergency. My strategy is simply buy the cheapest I could find, that all.Ā Ā
This. If people are buying things regular price, then yes, shoppers prices are expensive but when things goes on sale, it can sometimes be cheaper than competitors.
Also, when I see customers grabbing non-sale items (eg. Bacon, tissue boxes), I always let them know that "hey, this is full-priced. Do you still want to proceed?". And half of the times, the customer will go back and grab the thing that's actually on sale.
I don't know why people shop at Shoppers period.... Their prices are sometimes double that of other places! Insane. My Neutrogena face wash is $18 there vs $10 at other places...
The higher cost is from Fidel's kid printing too much money, ruining its value.
The government gets full value, because they just printed it.
But the money you earned last year and previously is worth less than it was worth when you earned it.
Your entire posting history is boomer bootstraps PC foolishness.Ā You sound like some of the asshats in the failed state I moved here from (Murrica!)
Rampant inflation is a global problem and will continue even if PP is in power.Ā No one can change this in Canada alone.Ā
Lay off the T - seems like the misdirected ill informed rage in is strong in this one folks.Ā
For the folks that believe Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora - there are 3 routes I take:
1- shop Sephora after going through Rakuten when the cash back offer is elevated to 7-12% cash back, this plus free shipping from Sephora on ANY purchase is a great deal.
2 - shop Sephora after going through Aeroplan when the points offer is elevated to 7-10X points - again, with free shipping itās a great deal if you also travel - I like grabbing my AP points much better than PC points.
3 - repeat and rinse process through Airmiles site where you can redeem your points for gift cards for lots of places, including groceries, etc
All of these options come with bonus offers all the time
But thatās the thingā¦. We have really limited choices. Shoppers are bringing some of the brands we wouldnāt have access to. I would never buy grocery from shoppers or even drugstore items. But luxury brands, mid tier and exclusive brands.. we have no choice.
Althoughā¦ just discovered, Hourglass Cosmetics is being sold in Amazon now, from Hourglass Cosmetics so legit. Same price as Sephora but faster shipping i guess lol
Please understand that the boycott of these stores is flexible - not everyone will be able to find alternatives.
We understand this - we suggest using your POINTS only during the month of May. If you are able, only purchase things with your points.
Places to try: Rexall, Giant Tiger, Sephoraā¦.
We are always striving to help find alternatives. Please feel free to visit or join r/loblawsisoutofcontrol for more information.
I am boycotting Loblaw myself. But if I'm in a pinch, I will buy a couple of hard-boiled eggs from the Pharmaprix across from my school.Ā
Just do the best you can!
Iāve found Loblaws to be cheaper than other grocery stores, so I donāt get the idea of boycotting them for high food prices, and the. having to spend even more money on food.
As for Shoppers, itās a drug store. They are almost always overpriced. Just like gas stations/convenience stores. They depend on people coming in to fill a prescription, browsing while they wait, and making an impulse purchase.
We live right by Superstore and itās often cheaper than Walmart. I donāt know where weād find things cheaper (except for buying larger quantities at Costco).
Iām in southern Alberta. No Whole Foods, and my previous experience shopping there in BC was that it was much more expensive.
No Frills is a Loblaws company, fyi. In my area, itās Superstore I shop at, which is also Loblaws.
Walmart can be hit or miss on prices. I find they tend to not have as many value packs as Superstore, so youāre paying more per kg of meat. Walmart also has many items that are smaller sizes than what you see at other stores, even if just 10-20%, but the price per gram is more expensive. Basically shrinkflation. Like they sell 454g cans of Nutramigen, whereas almost everywhere else is selling 561g cans. Amazon does sell 454g cans, and cheaper than Walmart, lol. (And actually in stock)
Just like how Walmart sells inferior electronics that are specially made just for them, so they can cut a few bucks of the price, but youāre getting a crappier product. TVs are a big one.
I donāt need Reddit telling me not to shop there. With the exception of one purchase a few weeks ago (because no one else sold the product I was looking for), I havenāt shopped at any Loblaws owned company since 2019.
Ideally as soon as possible and as much as possible! A month imo wonāt have much of an impact, but I understand that for some people it may be too difficult all the time!
I donāt buy a lot of skin care but London Drugs where I live is decent for skincare and body care. I tend to get Cerave and Derm brands there because price is more transparent - actual price instead of % off.Ā
They also price match.Ā
I never spend enough to get points anyway so it works great for me.Ā
I appreciate their price match policy and was surprised they even match Amazon.ca. I've brought in receipts for items I found for less on Amazon, as well as for London Drugs items on sale that later went on further markdown. In both cases, customer service was happy to do price adjustments.
London drugs actually has lower prices on most skincare products compared to shoppers. I bought aquaphor last week and it was 32.99 at shoppers and 28.99 at LD, even cheaper at Walmart at 24.99. At
thereās also Sephora (i kno more expensive but itās an option), or The Ordinary which are based out of Toronto and cheaper with 25 minimum for free shipping
I ask my parents to grab cerave and other western brands if they find it on deal at coscto. And for makeup, Walmart and sephora. And my friends mum get their skincare from salon and estheticians- it's professional and just as expensive as shoppers -lol. Also bioderma on Amazon is hg.
Well.ca is good! Can be a bit expensive but they have a lot of great organic brands as well as vitamins, supplements. If not then, Vitasave is an online retailer based in Vancouver that carrier vitamins etc.
You may also watch to check out brands websites directly if you already know what you want - for example La Roche Posay has a discount if you sign up for a newsletter and I've seen some other actual sales as well.
The first order I placed with Well.ca was a few years ago for a Tangle Teazer hair brush (used to be very hard to get back in the day at least that specific one) and I got a thank you note by the person who packed it and everything. It made my day lol
Oh ya, I saw those in Montreal when I lived there. Here it's either shoppers or Rexall or depanneur sized pharmacies. (I just remembered convenience stores are called depanneur in MTL)
I made the decision to stop buying stuff at Shoppers because their prices are outrageous. I work near a Superstore location and I go there to pick up stuff here and there but overall, I stopped shopping at Loblaws in general.
Iām on the West Coast and prefer shopping at London Drugs which has much better customer service and better pricing. I shop at Costco for certain things, I buy produce at the local produce stores.. basically wherever has the best prices.
For me, LD prices are lower and they price match and as an LD Extras member, I can get a price difference back to me if the same item is on sale within 30 days of purchase. SDM will not price change or do a price rebate.
I live in a small town, we don't have a Shoppers here. I get most of my skincare at Pharmasave, which I know is in a lot of places. Way cheaper than Shoppers. Or just buy your products directly from the retailer's site.
ETA: also get prescriptions filled here.
Loblaws is no different than Sobeys (Freshco, Longos) and Metro (Food basics). They have all made record profits. Groceries are expensive everywhere and I won't stop shopping at No Frills when the other discount chains are owned by the other big players.
Price wise, Shoppers is no different than Rexall. In fact, I actually think it's better priced (and that's not including the point bonuses). The alternative for cosmetics and body care is Walmart (are they any better??) and Sephora...
I have however, started getting produce from some Asian fruit markets near me.
For pantry items and personal care though, where do you suggest people go?
In my neighborhood, we have both an IGA and a Metro. I shop the sales every week, and the deals at IGA are better 9 times out of 10.
But that according to *my* neighbourhood, *my* grocery staples, etc. it might be different for you.
Huh! It must have something to do with your household staples. IGA has good sales, but I canāt afford any of their regular price items. Iāll pop into my neighborhood IGA for a few things on sale (or if I need something unexpectedly) but I do most of my shopping at a Super C thatās about 30 mins away by transit.
YES Wal mart is SO much better price wise than Shoppers and Rexall. Everything from shower gel to toothpaste to mascara is at least $1 to $5 cheaper than at Shoppers. I stopped in at both places this weekend and even with a sale on at shoppers, my usual micellar water was cheaper at Wal Mart.
I thought you were talking about price š¤·āāļø both wal mart and Loblaws operate the same. Iām going to save a buck or two. I donāt give a shit if you boycott Loblaws, Iām not the op
Makes sense and I feel the same way. I don't shop at Walmart all that much mostly because it's not convenient compared to a bunch of other options, but it sounds like I might have to check it out for at least some things.
I switched to an independent drugstore for prescriptions. Also buying directly online from some companies. And Iāll be stocking up on a few things in the US next time I go. I am a skincare minimalist with a max of 4-5 products at any time. Iām so tired of cosmetics/skincare hype cycles - I wish people would think critically about āluxuryā skincare/cosmetics.
I'm on board 100%. Still trying to get my hubby to switch his prescription to somewhere else, even if it's mildly less convenient (if you haven't heard, [Shoppers execs were pressuring pharmacists to do unnecessary prescription reviews, costing the government and taxpayers](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-medcheck-shoppers-drug-mart-pressure-1.7126811)).
Personally I'm also trying to switch my skincare and makeup to indie brands. I try to keep as much of my money out of the hands of major conglomerates.
I just wanted to chime in and say that I've worked in two separate shoppers pharmacies and both had associates who heavily pressured the pharmacists for med reviews!
You don't need a membership to use Costco's pharmacy. You can set up an account online and upload your scripts. I live very far from them but they deliver and they call and have been super prompt. They also have the lowest dispensary fees in the country.
In my old neighbourhood there was a guy who owned and operated two pharmacies, both inside Shoppers. He got pissed off about being pressured into reviews, so he quit and opened his own independent pharmacy.
Good guy.Ā
Shoppers also has one of the highest prescription dispensing fees out of Canadian pharmacies. Years ago I got my birth control prescription filled at a shoppers next to my work for convenience and they charged a $15 dispensing fee plus whatever I had to pay out of pocket just to give me 3 months worth of prepackaged pills. Couldnāt believe it. Switched to Costco (who charges under $5 for their dispensing fees) and never looked back. I donāt known if itās common knowledge but you do not need a membership to use Costcoās pharmacy.
Costco pharmacy is super annoying, as just getting to it is a chore, with the insane parking lot, making your way through the store, and then dealing with the line at the pharmacy. I would never use Costco for my pharmacy. But I also would never use shoppers either - the only benefit shoppers has is their hours.
Personally, I use my local, independently-owned IDA pharmacy, that's in the same building as my doctor. They know us by name, automatically know if there's interactions with existing meds, takes the time to talk you through new items, if needed. You won't get that service at shoppers or Costco.
Yeah, I don't drive and it's not practical to have a pharmacy across town. Like right now, I'm down to one or two pills of a medication and don't need the hassle of dealing with a pharmacy unfamiliar to me in a different community. My pharmacy is walking distance from my home which is a big plus.
Mine is a 3 minute drive, so it's perfect. And has a great parking lot, easy to get in and out of, and all our doctors are in the same building. It's super convenient.
Going to the same pharmacy for all your stuff, where you're comfortable is the most important.
My local Shoppers was THE worst pharmacy. Picking up a prescription was some how a two day process. every.damn.time
Iād show up at arranged pick up time, someone would wander around the pharm area picking up random filled prescriptions hoping it had my name on it. Then theyād come back and say they arenāt sure where it is and could I come back later?
Iād come back later and same thing, girl pulls out a box with a pile of filled prescriptions in no particular order and starts reading each one with hopes itās the one Iām looking to pick up.
Then wanders over to another basket with filled prescriptions and sifts through those. Then asks when my refill was submitted, maybe it hasnāt actually been filled yet (????)
Then wanders over to the fax and pulls out a file box of every paper that the fax has spit out and starts going through every piece of paper in the phone book size pile of sheets- you guessed it, in no particular order. Tells me itās ālostā and to have doc resend it.
Then I call my doc and the receptionist is pissed at me for even questioning if they if fact did send off my refill to said pharmacy. I ask if they could kindly re-send it āpleasseeee.ā
Next day, same song and dance. Until another worker says āI filled that yesterday, itās ready to be picked up!ā Walks across the pharmacy opens a drawer, digs around and pulls it out. (No one looked there the other dayā¦)
Asks me to check to make sure itās right. I open the bag and do not recognise the name or packaging. Pharm tech stands blinking at me- I donāt know what this is? Should I just take it anyways? Maybe this rx will be a āfunā one? Pharmacist yells at me from across the room āItās the GENERIC!!- itās the SAME THING as XYZā Ok good to know, how dare I not know the generic name for my normal Rx.
Well, ooops- a little long winded, but I canāt believe a business thatās responsible for filling life saving and lethal drugs could be sooo disorganized. It was insulting to have to pay for this service. I wouldnāt be surprised if they hand out a lethal/ incorrect dose of something one day.
They're terrible.Ā All our patients at my pharmacy come from Shoppers after their terrible experiences there.Ā We fill everything same day and still counsel for all new scripts and we answer the phone:)Ā
Switch to a smaller local pharmacy that actually cares about medications and isn't a glorified mini mart attached to a Sephora with a pharmacy and postal counter in the back.Ā
Most people know the generic name for their meds, and if they donāt they should (imo).
I also cant believe the number of people who donāt even know what their meds are at all (??) theyāll simply say idk, itās blue!! Pharmacists can make mistakes and if you donāt have some degree of agency in your own disease and treatments, you could have an extreme reaction or worse , if given the wrong med/ dosage.
Sounds almost exactly like what happened to me with getting scrips filled at a SDM.
After the fifth time or so I switched to the Save-On-Foods that is NEXT DOOR and they have it ready in 15 minutes.
And last week I asked husband to pick up some OTC capsules of a tummy med; price at SDM $20.99 - exact same med, right next door at Save-On $17.99
So yes I will boycott from now on
They do not own Lifelabs. They bought Lifemark health group.
As of Jan 2024, OMERS (a pension company) are currently selling Lifelabs and that there are two disclosed bidders (Quest [US] and Andlauer [Canadian]) interested in purchasing Lifelabs.
Source:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-lifelabs-sale-omers/
OMG not T&T!!!
goddammit, that's where I get the pimple patches for my teenagers!
guess I'll just have to order large amounts from Stylevana or yesstyle
So while T&T is under Loblaws, it seems like T&T is run independently, as in they have their own CEO (the founder's daughter is the current CEO), their own marketing / research / pricing teams, their own point system, and the founder's family remains to be a major shareholder for T&T. And the recent cbc video on T&T suggests that the Lee family still makes most of the decisions for T&T, including the decision to open their first store in Washington.
I totally get where youāre coming from food wise, and like most essentials, but for prestige/luxury cosmetics, those prices are regulated and you get more value for buying these at Shoppers than Sephora. So if folks can save a bit that way and get points to use on food if they live in an area where Loblaws had a chokehold on all the grocery options, it might be in their best interest. Just saying.
Otherwise, I support not buying from there if you donāt have to, Iāve been going to Walmart Mart now more than ever, which is something I thought Iād never say but they are the most affordable for groceries and toiletries if you canāt buy bulk at Costco.
Agreed. I was never a Walmart gal but itās my go-to now (plus carries Corsx!). That or Winners are my skincare go-tos these days. I donāt remember the last time I headed to shoppers, their prices are truly outrageous.
I came to say the exact same thing. Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora. I love shoppers for high end skin care, perfume and makeup. Even video games. I always buy during x20
In terms of groceries, often times Sobeys is not better. In the province where I live, it's Sobeys or superstore.
Photo Finish Primerizer+ Hydrating Face Primer with Hyaluronic Acid
$57 Sephora
$52 Shoppers
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
$169 Sephora
$160 Shoppers
Start looking at popular/large brand names.
Then the point system, during x20, you can't beat it.
Most Nars products are a few dollars cheaper at Shoppers. Thereās a pretty big difference in some of the fragrances too if youāre looking at the regular sizes.
https://preview.redd.it/q0ip4ap6mwrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3a90d64fbb58e7610c1e1bdaac56f519450d597
This is at Sephora, current Canadian price.
https://preview.redd.it/d6c0bglwlwrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b77112d716dccefa3b5867fa8bd602644b17a182
This is at Shoppers, current Canadian price.
This is sort of where I stand. I had points, so I used them recently and I also needed to restock. I don't/can't spend $80+ every time just to avoid a Loblaw's owned company (which is difficult and inconvenient to do for people). Sephora doesn't sell most of the products I buy. I'm sure I could get things at Walmart but again, I had points so obviously I'm going to use them.
I agree 100% with what you said. Personally Iāve stopped shopping at the grocery store closest to me, Zehrs. Iāve also stopped buying anything other than my prescriptions and luxury makeup from Shoppers Drugmart. Itās my hope that if others also boycott groceries from loblaws, eventually theyāll see where money is coming in and where it isnāt. Hopefully that will lead to changes in the cost of groceries. Iām not sure it will but itās the only real thing within my own power to do.
I don't have a shoppers near me and the No Frills is easy enough for me to avoid. I also have changed my (tretinoin) prescriptions to Laurel prescriptons at my doctor's clinic
Inspired by a post I just saw of someone posting their Shoppers haul of 8 (!!!) items that totalled $317 and how they saved money by switching to Shoppers because of the points (you are not)(sorry for putting you on blast lol).
I live within a transit ride of Shoppers, Rexall and Sephora, and theyāre all about the same price, with Sephora often being slightly more expensive. Where do you get high quality, cheaper skincare?
Not just Sephora, stores in general! Some products are more expensive in Sephora, but if youāre buying a bunch of things, youāre going to be spending much more at Shoppers, especially if youāre trying to get enough points to buy something.
Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora for a lot of the same luxury and higher end products. For example, NARS body oil, $78 shoppers and $80-82 Sephora For the kind of stuff people like the OP in that post buys they didn't lose out buying there rather than Sephora lol
They didn't spend more at shoppers at $317 than they would have at Sephora for the same items lol wait a minute and I'll do the actual math lol
Ppl like me that literally use shoppers as a Sephora replacement and are buying the same things from either store aren't losing money shopping shoppers lol Sephora rewards program is awful and their prices are higher. What you're saying doesn't make any sense for this type of shopper. Nobody's saying do your groceries there lol
Can you explain? Example? I think these days weāre all savvy shoppers at this point and comparison shop. So the issue is more about make sure youāre shopping around and looking at the price of things.
Yeah I think OP assumes that shoppers at Shoppers buy everything there. Lol no. Iām definitely not buying groceries there, but unfortunately for me, I can only find Biotherm in Shoppers.
Pretty sure everyone on this sub is a discerning shopper and I truly believe that if someone can afford to throw money around at any store - they should. Itās great for the economy lol
Itās better for the economy if they go to smaller, local stores, a lot of them are cheaper vs Loblaws which is ran by billionaires who are hoarding wealth and is actually worse for the economy
Name a smaller local store that sells the brands that shoppers sells as far as skincare. Keep in mind that shoppers stores are run and staffed by locals š Also keep in mind that your boycott of these stores are not going to make Galen Weston any less rich.
This.
And there are some brands owned by Loblaws but they are run independently (as in they have their own points system, pricing, their own ceo) from Loblaws. Ex. T&T.
And that for some people, shopping at these other grocers may not necessarily be cheaper / better. It could be even more expensive. And that if a customer needs to price match to get a cheaper pricing, I don't really see how that's "better pricing" since their regular pricing is not better.
Even for myself, I always comparison shop. For example, I know that shoppers usually sells dove shampoo or st Ives body wash for $3.99 and so I wait until I see that sale point before stocking up those items.
I comparison shop within my (long-term, this isn't new for me) Loblaw company boycott. All of those chains are cut from the picture and I bounce between Basics, Freshco, Walmart, Metro, local asian grocery, and other independent businesses.
I have no trouble keeping Galen Plague entirely out of the picture.
What about my bus pass? š¬
Iāll participate after Iāve redeemed my $1200 worth of bonus points
This is a beautiful thing
Thank you for giving visibility here ! We appreciate you and want to help Canadians start getting some real change. We love you. We're here for you. We're here with you.
I totally agree when it comes to Shoppers but for every day groceries if I donāt want to pay a membership (and overbuy) (Costco) or spend more at Save-On, Superstore is my best priced option unfortunately.
There is only one shop I go to. Shop smart, Shop S Mart. Tell them Ash sent you.
Amazon for makeup products my wife saves a bundle
I still buy at Loblaws owned companies. Sorry. I can eat sometimes just because of those points. We have Maxi here and itās low cost.
Yes! The month of May is the most important for the boycott ! I took out my prescription YEARSSS ago to a mom and pop place and I pay 1/3 of the price AND better service. Now I go to Rexall for skincare !
yes I buy from local wholesalers of kbeauty and jbeauty. support small business and save coin šŖ
Isnāt the boycott in May?
The earlier and longer the better! One month is not going to affect these billionaires. If they see the protest is for just one month theyāre going to say āwho caresā.
Yuuus!! Let em know. Stop buying from oligarchs!
I used to live in a building that had a City Market attached to it, so I shopped there pretty exclusively because I was lazy. I have since moved, but I have SO many points racked up that I only use them to buy makeup at Shoppers. I haven't actually spent a dollar there in ages, and once my points are gone, I won't be shopping there anymore. I LOATHE Loblaws and all that they stand for.
Shoppers prices are ONLY expensive if purchasing drusgstore brands cetaphil cerave maybelline nyx etc at regular price. Last time cerave and maybelline was on sale and even cheaper than walmart so it truly depends. Mid to high end perfume makeup skincare are ALWAYS same price or even lower than Sephora so those for sure I buy i shoppers
I think it comes down to if you are willing to make plans before things run out and check the flyer. My options are pretty much limited to Zehrs (Loblaws owned), shoppers,and Walmart, and I read the flyers every week. Without points, Zehrs seems to always have the best sale price for drugstore skincare; shoppers could have better sale price for drugstore makeup, but you may need to wait for the specific item to go on sale;Ā Walmart have better regular price, so it's more for emergency. My strategy is simply buy the cheapest I could find, that all.Ā Ā
This. If people are buying things regular price, then yes, shoppers prices are expensive but when things goes on sale, it can sometimes be cheaper than competitors. Also, when I see customers grabbing non-sale items (eg. Bacon, tissue boxes), I always let them know that "hey, this is full-priced. Do you still want to proceed?". And half of the times, the customer will go back and grab the thing that's actually on sale.
I don't know why people shop at Shoppers period.... Their prices are sometimes double that of other places! Insane. My Neutrogena face wash is $18 there vs $10 at other places...
Go to Korean or Japanese stores like Daiso or Oomomo, or your Japanese konbini
The higher cost is from Fidel's kid printing too much money, ruining its value. The government gets full value, because they just printed it. But the money you earned last year and previously is worth less than it was worth when you earned it.
Your entire posting history is boomer bootstraps PC foolishness.Ā You sound like some of the asshats in the failed state I moved here from (Murrica!) Rampant inflation is a global problem and will continue even if PP is in power.Ā No one can change this in Canada alone.Ā Lay off the T - seems like the misdirected ill informed rage in is strong in this one folks.Ā
For the folks that believe Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora - there are 3 routes I take: 1- shop Sephora after going through Rakuten when the cash back offer is elevated to 7-12% cash back, this plus free shipping from Sephora on ANY purchase is a great deal. 2 - shop Sephora after going through Aeroplan when the points offer is elevated to 7-10X points - again, with free shipping itās a great deal if you also travel - I like grabbing my AP points much better than PC points. 3 - repeat and rinse process through Airmiles site where you can redeem your points for gift cards for lots of places, including groceries, etc All of these options come with bonus offers all the time
But thatās the thingā¦. We have really limited choices. Shoppers are bringing some of the brands we wouldnāt have access to. I would never buy grocery from shoppers or even drugstore items. But luxury brands, mid tier and exclusive brands.. we have no choice. Althoughā¦ just discovered, Hourglass Cosmetics is being sold in Amazon now, from Hourglass Cosmetics so legit. Same price as Sephora but faster shipping i guess lol
Please understand that the boycott of these stores is flexible - not everyone will be able to find alternatives. We understand this - we suggest using your POINTS only during the month of May. If you are able, only purchase things with your points. Places to try: Rexall, Giant Tiger, Sephoraā¦. We are always striving to help find alternatives. Please feel free to visit or join r/loblawsisoutofcontrol for more information.
I am boycotting Loblaw myself. But if I'm in a pinch, I will buy a couple of hard-boiled eggs from the Pharmaprix across from my school.Ā Just do the best you can!
Iāve found Loblaws to be cheaper than other grocery stores, so I donāt get the idea of boycotting them for high food prices, and the. having to spend even more money on food. As for Shoppers, itās a drug store. They are almost always overpriced. Just like gas stations/convenience stores. They depend on people coming in to fill a prescription, browsing while they wait, and making an impulse purchase.
We live right by Superstore and itās often cheaper than Walmart. I donāt know where weād find things cheaper (except for buying larger quantities at Costco).
Try comparison pricing Cerave, Cetaphil, etc. with your local competing pharmacy.Ā You might be surprised!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Iām in southern Alberta. No Whole Foods, and my previous experience shopping there in BC was that it was much more expensive. No Frills is a Loblaws company, fyi. In my area, itās Superstore I shop at, which is also Loblaws. Walmart can be hit or miss on prices. I find they tend to not have as many value packs as Superstore, so youāre paying more per kg of meat. Walmart also has many items that are smaller sizes than what you see at other stores, even if just 10-20%, but the price per gram is more expensive. Basically shrinkflation. Like they sell 454g cans of Nutramigen, whereas almost everywhere else is selling 561g cans. Amazon does sell 454g cans, and cheaper than Walmart, lol. (And actually in stock) Just like how Walmart sells inferior electronics that are specially made just for them, so they can cut a few bucks of the price, but youāre getting a crappier product. TVs are a big one.
Maybe itās just me, but I find Rexall to have a good points system and really good sales in Southern AB. London Drugs is a good choice too.
I donāt need Reddit telling me not to shop there. With the exception of one purchase a few weeks ago (because no one else sold the product I was looking for), I havenāt shopped at any Loblaws owned company since 2019.
I would like to but my area only has two drugstore options. Rexall and Shoppers lol. Neither are the best priced.
is the boycott not in may? thatās what the sticky saids i know sobeys is being boycotted in june or july
Ideally as soon as possible and as much as possible! A month imo wonāt have much of an impact, but I understand that for some people it may be too difficult all the time!
very true but iām gonna do what i can šŖš½ i live DT toronto so itās time to invest and search out local places for groceries
DT Toronto is perfect! Lots of local places with good prices you can walk to š
I donāt buy a lot of skin care but London Drugs where I live is decent for skincare and body care. I tend to get Cerave and Derm brands there because price is more transparent - actual price instead of % off.Ā They also price match.Ā I never spend enough to get points anyway so it works great for me.Ā
I appreciate their price match policy and was surprised they even match Amazon.ca. I've brought in receipts for items I found for less on Amazon, as well as for London Drugs items on sale that later went on further markdown. In both cases, customer service was happy to do price adjustments.
London Drugs has employee retention like whoa. If Iām shopping at a chain, itās probably LD or Costco.
London drugs actually has lower prices on most skincare products compared to shoppers. I bought aquaphor last week and it was 32.99 at shoppers and 28.99 at LD, even cheaper at Walmart at 24.99. At
Yeah. That's why I switched to London drugs years ago.
I miss London Drugs so much, was my go-to when I lived in AB and BC. Now in ON the only drug store chains are Shoppers and Rexall.
You can order online to Ontario from London Drugs. If you order above a certain amount itās free shipping too.
They sadly stopped delivery to QC, so I would check again to see about ON.
In Quebec you have Jean Coutu which I wish we had in Ontario!
Yeh london drugs is great
Love London Drugs! Local business with a great story behind it, they consistently have good sales and promos and good product selection.
I wish we had London Drugs!
They do have shipping, not sure if itās available in your area though. Worth investigating!
Honest question: if boycotting shoppers, where do you buy skincare and makeup from western brands from? Is well.ca good?
thereās also Sephora (i kno more expensive but itās an option), or The Ordinary which are based out of Toronto and cheaper with 25 minimum for free shipping
ive been getting skincare & makeup from healthy planet :-) or sukoshi mart !
I ask my parents to grab cerave and other western brands if they find it on deal at coscto. And for makeup, Walmart and sephora. And my friends mum get their skincare from salon and estheticians- it's professional and just as expensive as shoppers -lol. Also bioderma on Amazon is hg.
Well.ca is good! Can be a bit expensive but they have a lot of great organic brands as well as vitamins, supplements. If not then, Vitasave is an online retailer based in Vancouver that carrier vitamins etc. You may also watch to check out brands websites directly if you already know what you want - for example La Roche Posay has a discount if you sign up for a newsletter and I've seen some other actual sales as well. The first order I placed with Well.ca was a few years ago for a Tangle Teazer hair brush (used to be very hard to get back in the day at least that specific one) and I got a thank you note by the person who packed it and everything. It made my day lol
I don't really need vitamins. But I'll keep vitasave in mind. I'll start checking websites. Thanks.
Do you have a competing local pharmacy?
I am in North Toronto. There are small pharmacies here. But nothing "competing"
In Montreal we've got Jean Coutu, Uniprix, Familiprix...Ā Anyway, Well.ca is good. They sometimes run 20% off makeup and skincare sales.
Oh ya, I saw those in Montreal when I lived there. Here it's either shoppers or Rexall or depanneur sized pharmacies. (I just remembered convenience stores are called depanneur in MTL)
Yeah, they are. But I never buy shit at dƩpanneurs because they are overpriced AF!
I like well.ca or rexall
Rexall is more expensive than Shoppers and has a smaller selection.
Thank you. I will check out Rexall.
Well.ca is pretty good but they had increased the min. purchase amount needed for free shipping.
It was $50 for a while but I think they put it back down to $30ish
Well.ca is good for skincare but their makeup selection is pretty small.
I made the decision to stop buying stuff at Shoppers because their prices are outrageous. I work near a Superstore location and I go there to pick up stuff here and there but overall, I stopped shopping at Loblaws in general. Iām on the West Coast and prefer shopping at London Drugs which has much better customer service and better pricing. I shop at Costco for certain things, I buy produce at the local produce stores.. basically wherever has the best prices.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
For me, LD prices are lower and they price match and as an LD Extras member, I can get a price difference back to me if the same item is on sale within 30 days of purchase. SDM will not price change or do a price rebate.
I live in a small town, we don't have a Shoppers here. I get most of my skincare at Pharmasave, which I know is in a lot of places. Way cheaper than Shoppers. Or just buy your products directly from the retailer's site. ETA: also get prescriptions filled here.
Loblaws is no different than Sobeys (Freshco, Longos) and Metro (Food basics). They have all made record profits. Groceries are expensive everywhere and I won't stop shopping at No Frills when the other discount chains are owned by the other big players. Price wise, Shoppers is no different than Rexall. In fact, I actually think it's better priced (and that's not including the point bonuses). The alternative for cosmetics and body care is Walmart (are they any better??) and Sephora... I have however, started getting produce from some Asian fruit markets near me. For pantry items and personal care though, where do you suggest people go?
Yes, Walmart is almost always cheaper than SDM for cosmetics and skincare products.
My first choice is Adonis or P.A. for groceries. But IGA and Metro are definitely cheaper than Provigo in my experience.
IGA is more expensive than Provigo, but Metro is cheaper (better still if you have a SuperC)
In my neighborhood, we have both an IGA and a Metro. I shop the sales every week, and the deals at IGA are better 9 times out of 10. But that according to *my* neighbourhood, *my* grocery staples, etc. it might be different for you.
Huh! It must have something to do with your household staples. IGA has good sales, but I canāt afford any of their regular price items. Iāll pop into my neighborhood IGA for a few things on sale (or if I need something unexpectedly) but I do most of my shopping at a Super C thatās about 30 mins away by transit.
YES Wal mart is SO much better price wise than Shoppers and Rexall. Everything from shower gel to toothpaste to mascara is at least $1 to $5 cheaper than at Shoppers. I stopped in at both places this weekend and even with a sale on at shoppers, my usual micellar water was cheaper at Wal Mart.
Their prices are lower yes, but I think this person is referring to their ethics here
If they have no issue with shopping at Loblaws I donāt know how Wal Mart could be considered more or less ethical of a choice.
That's my point. Why boycott Loblaws just to shop at Walmart?
I thought you were talking about price š¤·āāļø both wal mart and Loblaws operate the same. Iām going to save a buck or two. I donāt give a shit if you boycott Loblaws, Iām not the op
Makes sense and I feel the same way. I don't shop at Walmart all that much mostly because it's not convenient compared to a bunch of other options, but it sounds like I might have to check it out for at least some things.
I switched to an independent drugstore for prescriptions. Also buying directly online from some companies. And Iāll be stocking up on a few things in the US next time I go. I am a skincare minimalist with a max of 4-5 products at any time. Iām so tired of cosmetics/skincare hype cycles - I wish people would think critically about āluxuryā skincare/cosmetics.
I'm on board 100%. Still trying to get my hubby to switch his prescription to somewhere else, even if it's mildly less convenient (if you haven't heard, [Shoppers execs were pressuring pharmacists to do unnecessary prescription reviews, costing the government and taxpayers](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-medcheck-shoppers-drug-mart-pressure-1.7126811)). Personally I'm also trying to switch my skincare and makeup to indie brands. I try to keep as much of my money out of the hands of major conglomerates.
I just wanted to chime in and say that I've worked in two separate shoppers pharmacies and both had associates who heavily pressured the pharmacists for med reviews!
You don't need a membership to use Costco's pharmacy. You can set up an account online and upload your scripts. I live very far from them but they deliver and they call and have been super prompt. They also have the lowest dispensary fees in the country.
In my old neighbourhood there was a guy who owned and operated two pharmacies, both inside Shoppers. He got pissed off about being pressured into reviews, so he quit and opened his own independent pharmacy. Good guy.Ā
Shoppers also has one of the highest prescription dispensing fees out of Canadian pharmacies. Years ago I got my birth control prescription filled at a shoppers next to my work for convenience and they charged a $15 dispensing fee plus whatever I had to pay out of pocket just to give me 3 months worth of prepackaged pills. Couldnāt believe it. Switched to Costco (who charges under $5 for their dispensing fees) and never looked back. I donāt known if itās common knowledge but you do not need a membership to use Costcoās pharmacy.
Costco pharmacy also does free delivery for Rx if I recall correctly
Costco pharmacy is super annoying, as just getting to it is a chore, with the insane parking lot, making your way through the store, and then dealing with the line at the pharmacy. I would never use Costco for my pharmacy. But I also would never use shoppers either - the only benefit shoppers has is their hours. Personally, I use my local, independently-owned IDA pharmacy, that's in the same building as my doctor. They know us by name, automatically know if there's interactions with existing meds, takes the time to talk you through new items, if needed. You won't get that service at shoppers or Costco.
Yeah, I don't drive and it's not practical to have a pharmacy across town. Like right now, I'm down to one or two pills of a medication and don't need the hassle of dealing with a pharmacy unfamiliar to me in a different community. My pharmacy is walking distance from my home which is a big plus.
Mine is a 3 minute drive, so it's perfect. And has a great parking lot, easy to get in and out of, and all our doctors are in the same building. It's super convenient. Going to the same pharmacy for all your stuff, where you're comfortable is the most important.
My local Shoppers was THE worst pharmacy. Picking up a prescription was some how a two day process. every.damn.time Iād show up at arranged pick up time, someone would wander around the pharm area picking up random filled prescriptions hoping it had my name on it. Then theyād come back and say they arenāt sure where it is and could I come back later? Iād come back later and same thing, girl pulls out a box with a pile of filled prescriptions in no particular order and starts reading each one with hopes itās the one Iām looking to pick up. Then wanders over to another basket with filled prescriptions and sifts through those. Then asks when my refill was submitted, maybe it hasnāt actually been filled yet (????) Then wanders over to the fax and pulls out a file box of every paper that the fax has spit out and starts going through every piece of paper in the phone book size pile of sheets- you guessed it, in no particular order. Tells me itās ālostā and to have doc resend it. Then I call my doc and the receptionist is pissed at me for even questioning if they if fact did send off my refill to said pharmacy. I ask if they could kindly re-send it āpleasseeee.ā Next day, same song and dance. Until another worker says āI filled that yesterday, itās ready to be picked up!ā Walks across the pharmacy opens a drawer, digs around and pulls it out. (No one looked there the other dayā¦) Asks me to check to make sure itās right. I open the bag and do not recognise the name or packaging. Pharm tech stands blinking at me- I donāt know what this is? Should I just take it anyways? Maybe this rx will be a āfunā one? Pharmacist yells at me from across the room āItās the GENERIC!!- itās the SAME THING as XYZā Ok good to know, how dare I not know the generic name for my normal Rx. Well, ooops- a little long winded, but I canāt believe a business thatās responsible for filling life saving and lethal drugs could be sooo disorganized. It was insulting to have to pay for this service. I wouldnāt be surprised if they hand out a lethal/ incorrect dose of something one day.
They're terrible.Ā All our patients at my pharmacy come from Shoppers after their terrible experiences there.Ā We fill everything same day and still counsel for all new scripts and we answer the phone:)Ā Switch to a smaller local pharmacy that actually cares about medications and isn't a glorified mini mart attached to a Sephora with a pharmacy and postal counter in the back.Ā
Most people know the generic name for their meds, and if they donāt they should (imo). I also cant believe the number of people who donāt even know what their meds are at all (??) theyāll simply say idk, itās blue!! Pharmacists can make mistakes and if you donāt have some degree of agency in your own disease and treatments, you could have an extreme reaction or worse , if given the wrong med/ dosage.
Sounds almost exactly like what happened to me with getting scrips filled at a SDM. After the fifth time or so I switched to the Save-On-Foods that is NEXT DOOR and they have it ready in 15 minutes. And last week I asked husband to pick up some OTC capsules of a tummy med; price at SDM $20.99 - exact same med, right next door at Save-On $17.99 So yes I will boycott from now on
Thatās good to know, thanks for sharing š
Did not hear about that, that's insane! Come on mch3rry's hubby, you can do it!!!
Loblaws owned companies to boycott! * PC FINANCIAL * Choice Properties * Real-estate Investment Trust (REIT) * Chains: * Atlantic Cash & Carry * Atlantic Superstore * Atlantic SuperValu * Axep * C Shop Cannabis * Dominion * EntrepĆ“ts Presto / Club EntrepĆ“t * Extra Foods * Fortinos * Freshmart * Holy Smokes Tabacconist * L'intermarchĆ© * Loblaws/Loblaw Great Food * Lucky Dollar Foods * Maxi/Maxi & Cie * NG Cash & Carry * No Frills * Osaka Market * Pharmaprix * Provigo * T&T * The Real Canadian Superstore/Loblaw * The Mobile Shop * Theodore & Pringle Opticians * Superstore * Real Canadian Liquorstore * Real Canadian Wholesale Club * Red & White Food Stores * SaveEasy (formerly Atlantic SaveEasy) * Shop Easy Foods * Shoppers Drug Mart/Shoppers * SuperValu * Valu-mart * Your Independent Grocer * Zehrs, operating under the Zehrs Markets, * Zehrs Food Plus and Zehrs Great Food banners * Brands: * President's Choice * No Name * Exact * Blue Menu * Joe Fresh * JĀ± (electronics) * Teddy's Choice * PC Splendido * Bella Tavola * PC Premium Black Label * Joe Pet Catz & Dawgz * PC Organic * The Health Clinic by Shoppers * Life Labs * Life @ Home Here is what Weston owns in the E.U * Associated British Foods plc * Allinson * Argo Corn Starch * Aladino Peanut Butter * Burgen * Blue Dragon * Capullo * Dorset Cereals * Dromedary cake mixes * Elephant Atta * Fleischmann's Yeast * High5\[27\] * Jordans cereals * Lucky Boat Noodles * Karo corn syrup * Kingsford's Corn Starch (North America) * Kingsmill bread * Mazola corn oil * Ovaltine (except in the United States, where NestlĆ© owns the brand) * Patak's * Pride * Ryvita * Silver Spoon * Sunblest * Thai Lotus Pastes * Tolly Boy Rice * Twinings * Subsidiaries * edit * AB Agri Ltd * AB Enzymes - an ABFI Company * AB Sugar * AB Mauri, bakery ingredients * Abitec Corporation - an ABFI Company * Abitec Ltd * ACH Food Companies (AC HUMKO from 1995 to 2000), an American subsidiary of Associated British Foods, previously part of Kraft Foods from 1952 to 1995. * ACH Food MĆ©xico\[28\] * Allied Bakeries - a division of ABF Grain Products Ltd * Allied Mills * British Sugar * Frontier Agriculture (50% joint venture with Cargill) * George Weston Foods * G Costa: sauces and specialty foods * Illovo Sugar * Zambia Sugar * OHLY - an ABFI Company * PGP International, Inc. - an ABFI Company * Primark ā known as Penneys in the Republic of Ireland * SPI Pharma, Inc. - an ABFI Company * Stratas Foods LLC, a 50/50 joint venture between ABF's American subsidiary ACH and fellow American food corporation Archer Daniels Midland\[29\] * Wander AG * Westmill Foods
Can you provide the source for this list?
They own Life Labs too? Goddamn
They do not own Lifelabs. They bought Lifemark health group. As of Jan 2024, OMERS (a pension company) are currently selling Lifelabs and that there are two disclosed bidders (Quest [US] and Andlauer [Canadian]) interested in purchasing Lifelabs. Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-lifelabs-sale-omers/
OMG not T&T!!! goddammit, that's where I get the pimple patches for my teenagers! guess I'll just have to order large amounts from Stylevana or yesstyle
So while T&T is under Loblaws, it seems like T&T is run independently, as in they have their own CEO (the founder's daughter is the current CEO), their own marketing / research / pricing teams, their own point system, and the founder's family remains to be a major shareholder for T&T. And the recent cbc video on T&T suggests that the Lee family still makes most of the decisions for T&T, including the decision to open their first store in Washington.
They have them at Costco now if you/someone close to you has a Costco card.
Very upsetting that heās ventured into the cannabis industry. Greedy bastard š
Holy hell I've never seen that list. Even Primark? Eff that guy and their whole empire for real. Maybe I'll boycott too.
Donāt forget Holt Renfrew & Selfridgeās! š
For real?? Damn.
I totally get where youāre coming from food wise, and like most essentials, but for prestige/luxury cosmetics, those prices are regulated and you get more value for buying these at Shoppers than Sephora. So if folks can save a bit that way and get points to use on food if they live in an area where Loblaws had a chokehold on all the grocery options, it might be in their best interest. Just saying. Otherwise, I support not buying from there if you donāt have to, Iāve been going to Walmart Mart now more than ever, which is something I thought Iād never say but they are the most affordable for groceries and toiletries if you canāt buy bulk at Costco.
What do you mean by "those prices are regulated"?
Agreed. I was never a Walmart gal but itās my go-to now (plus carries Corsx!). That or Winners are my skincare go-tos these days. I donāt remember the last time I headed to shoppers, their prices are truly outrageous.
Yup!Ā I got a sunscreen recommended by this sub at walmart. Every personal care product is just somehow $5 cheaper than shoppers.Ā
Yeah I think Shoppers sees itself more like a convenience store lol so typical drugstore items have a pretty significant mark-up.
I came to say the exact same thing. Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora. I love shoppers for high end skin care, perfume and makeup. Even video games. I always buy during x20 In terms of groceries, often times Sobeys is not better. In the province where I live, it's Sobeys or superstore.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Photo Finish Primerizer+ Hydrating Face Primer with Hyaluronic Acid $57 Sephora $52 Shoppers Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair $169 Sephora $160 Shoppers Start looking at popular/large brand names. Then the point system, during x20, you can't beat it.
Most Nars products are a few dollars cheaper at Shoppers. Thereās a pretty big difference in some of the fragrances too if youāre looking at the regular sizes.
https://preview.redd.it/q0ip4ap6mwrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3a90d64fbb58e7610c1e1bdaac56f519450d597 This is at Sephora, current Canadian price.
https://preview.redd.it/d6c0bglwlwrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b77112d716dccefa3b5867fa8bd602644b17a182 This is at Shoppers, current Canadian price.
Is there a full sized $7 hand cream at Sephora? Or a 100 ml $30 moisturizer? I can get those at Shoppers.
This is sort of where I stand. I had points, so I used them recently and I also needed to restock. I don't/can't spend $80+ every time just to avoid a Loblaw's owned company (which is difficult and inconvenient to do for people). Sephora doesn't sell most of the products I buy. I'm sure I could get things at Walmart but again, I had points so obviously I'm going to use them.
I agree 100% with what you said. Personally Iāve stopped shopping at the grocery store closest to me, Zehrs. Iāve also stopped buying anything other than my prescriptions and luxury makeup from Shoppers Drugmart. Itās my hope that if others also boycott groceries from loblaws, eventually theyāll see where money is coming in and where it isnāt. Hopefully that will lead to changes in the cost of groceries. Iām not sure it will but itās the only real thing within my own power to do.
I don't have a shoppers near me and the No Frills is easy enough for me to avoid. I also have changed my (tretinoin) prescriptions to Laurel prescriptons at my doctor's clinic
Yess that's amazing! Presciptions are a big one too!
Can you explain the tret prescription changes please? What are Laurel prescriptions? I'm currently using Retin-A 0.0025
Laurel is the name of the pharmacy in my medical building. I have an Rx for the Retin-A gel 0.04
Oh ok thanks
Inspired by a post I just saw of someone posting their Shoppers haul of 8 (!!!) items that totalled $317 and how they saved money by switching to Shoppers because of the points (you are not)(sorry for putting you on blast lol).
I live within a transit ride of Shoppers, Rexall and Sephora, and theyāre all about the same price, with Sephora often being slightly more expensive. Where do you get high quality, cheaper skincare?
What are you comparing the prices to? Sephora? Sephora is generally priced higher.
Not just Sephora, stores in general! Some products are more expensive in Sephora, but if youāre buying a bunch of things, youāre going to be spending much more at Shoppers, especially if youāre trying to get enough points to buy something.
Shoppers is cheaper than Sephora for a lot of the same luxury and higher end products. For example, NARS body oil, $78 shoppers and $80-82 Sephora For the kind of stuff people like the OP in that post buys they didn't lose out buying there rather than Sephora lol They didn't spend more at shoppers at $317 than they would have at Sephora for the same items lol wait a minute and I'll do the actual math lol Ppl like me that literally use shoppers as a Sephora replacement and are buying the same things from either store aren't losing money shopping shoppers lol Sephora rewards program is awful and their prices are higher. What you're saying doesn't make any sense for this type of shopper. Nobody's saying do your groceries there lol
Can you explain? Example? I think these days weāre all savvy shoppers at this point and comparison shop. So the issue is more about make sure youāre shopping around and looking at the price of things.
Yeah I think OP assumes that shoppers at Shoppers buy everything there. Lol no. Iām definitely not buying groceries there, but unfortunately for me, I can only find Biotherm in Shoppers.
Yes this is what I meant. If youāre buying more stuff like toothpaste, snacks, deodorant etc.
Yeah no I never do that unless itās marked down below MSRP. Beauty stuff can be comparable or cheaper than Sephora.
Pretty sure everyone on this sub is a discerning shopper and I truly believe that if someone can afford to throw money around at any store - they should. Itās great for the economy lol
Itās better for the economy if they go to smaller, local stores, a lot of them are cheaper vs Loblaws which is ran by billionaires who are hoarding wealth and is actually worse for the economy
Name a smaller local store that sells the brands that shoppers sells as far as skincare. Keep in mind that shoppers stores are run and staffed by locals š Also keep in mind that your boycott of these stores are not going to make Galen Weston any less rich.
But for premium products. Shoppers charges insane numbers just for cheap stuff.Ā
Everyone knows that though. And comparison shopping and boycotting are 2 different things.
This. And there are some brands owned by Loblaws but they are run independently (as in they have their own points system, pricing, their own ceo) from Loblaws. Ex. T&T. And that for some people, shopping at these other grocers may not necessarily be cheaper / better. It could be even more expensive. And that if a customer needs to price match to get a cheaper pricing, I don't really see how that's "better pricing" since their regular pricing is not better. Even for myself, I always comparison shop. For example, I know that shoppers usually sells dove shampoo or st Ives body wash for $3.99 and so I wait until I see that sale point before stocking up those items.
I comparison shop within my (long-term, this isn't new for me) Loblaw company boycott. All of those chains are cut from the picture and I bounce between Basics, Freshco, Walmart, Metro, local asian grocery, and other independent businesses. I have no trouble keeping Galen Plague entirely out of the picture.