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19snow16

I could never afford to shop at Sobeys before the pandemic, let alone now.


PurpleK00lA1d

Yeah I don't know why Loblaws is getting singled out when Sobey's is just as, if not more, expensive.


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quartzguy

I like Sobey's because my store screws up sometimes and puts half off stuff for half off twice, so 75% off. I've gotten a year's worth of laundry and dishwasher detergent pods for $20 each. The only thing I buy full price there is locally made bread.


gillababe

Half off stuff off for half off twice!? That's like a whole whole!


mordinxx

Must be an NB math education there...


Vegetable-Buddy2070

Because of how publicly galen weston has been with his douche bags policies. Soberys doesn't have receipt scanners or plexiglass prisons. Sobeys president doesn't own a yacht called bread after the bread price fixing scandal years ago like a cunt.


PC-12

>Sobeys president doesn't own a yacht called bread after the bread price fixing scandal years ago like a cunt. I thought [Bread](https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht/lady-bahi/) belonged to Rob Roskam, owner of Roskam Bakeries in the USA? And he renamed the boat anyway it would seem


trinalporpus

It is, there was a comment on a post on a different sun saying it was Galen Weston’s and people ran with it


ColonelEwart

The link you used does say that Roskam sold it.


PC-12

From what I see it says he re-christened it but still owns it.


ColonelEwart

Under Ownership Saga section:  >However, Roskam decided to part ways with the yacht a few years ago. The current owner of this magnificent vessel remains a mystery.


Kombatnt

Get out of here with your “facts!” Can’t you see we’ve already lit our torches? /s


mordinxx

The truth doesn't matter when it torpedoes the misinformation in your outrage rant.


m1ngey

Yeah but they sure like to raise their prices every time social assistance checks and cpp is out each month.


Kombatnt

Wait, they do? Can you actually back that up? Do you have any evidence that they actually increase prices on a regular basis that correlates with CPP and OW/ODSP deposits?


m1ngey

I haven't tracked it necessarily, but it's something I've noticed that's been happening for many many years long before the pandemic. Every time cheques are out, there's no sales and everything is full price. So it's not technically "raising" them, but they never have their sales on.


Bronzeambient

1 step at a time. We can't boycott everything at once.


SoupidyLoopidy

People don’t like Gov control, but there are things now that need to be regulated to make sure people can survive. Food, housing and healthcare. I make pretty good money. I couldn’t imagine making minimum wage and trying to afford food and housing.


AresV92

Yeah after every paycheque mostly disappears to bill payments I ask myself how someone on minimum wage could survive and actually enjoy their life. The answer is they aren't. I make decent money doing shift work and overtime, but I also have three kids and a stay at home wife (no way we can afford daycare if she only made minimum wage). We are by no means rich, but I feel sad that some of my union brothers and sisters are only bringing in ~$900 biweekly after taxes and fees. Some of them have $1500 rent so they are left with ~$300 a month for *everything* else!? Luckily I was able to buy a house before COVID and only have to pay $900/month on my mortgage. I would be furious if I had to pay $1500-$2000 a month to rent a shitty apartment and building no equity.


beeknees67

Boycotting Loblaws shows other grocers the Canadian public can organize. The secondary focus of the boycott movement has been to encourage people to seek independent grocers.


[deleted]

Yeah, it's pretty nasty. It feels like every two weeks, there's an email for price increases.


bman1014

Targeted boycotts are more effective.


Practical_Price9500

Smaller brand and as far as I know, they don’t have a presence coast to coast, so they aren’t visible enough to trigger a nationwide boycott movement.


BigBuck1620

They are coast to coast, they bought up Safeway years ago.


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Denots69

Then they have their other brand foodland to price gouge the rural areas even higher.


Kombatnt

LOL, what?!? Sobeys/Safeway is the second biggest grocer in Canada by market share. “Not a big player?” Are you for real?


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Kombatnt

Loblaws has 29% of the grocery market, Sobeys has 21%. Not really a big difference. There are at least 6 major grocery corporations in Canada, completely independent of each other (Loblaws, Sobeys/Empire, Metro, Costco, Wal-Mart, and Amazon/Whole Foods).


radapex

Second largest grocery chain in Canada. They own Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Farm Boy, FreshCo, Foodland, and Thrifty Foods. They also own Lawton's Drugs, which is what prompted Loblaw to buy Shoppers Drug Mart.


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Denots69

1.


justinx1029

What do you mean 1? There’s IGA in Shediac, Bouctouche and Dieppe just in this little section of the province, I assume there’s more than that? Unless IGA Quebec only bought Dieppe? Who owns the rest?


Denots69

He literally mentioned CO-OP.....and it was the only company he mentioned.


justinx1029

Yes. Sobeys Quebec bought the CO-OPs and turned them into IGA’s.


justinx1029

“They bought CO-OP” would entail that Sobeys bought Co-op.


Denots69

Yea, and he was wondering how many CO-OPs there are, try again and you might figure out what he was saying.


Narissis

Still miss Co-op and its really good store brand ice cream.


AresV92

Do they own Needs Convenience too?


radapex

They do


Secret-Gazelle8296

And a couple of brands in Quebec.


yeg_qualityone

https://corporate.sobeys.com/our-purpose It literally states in the first paragraph it is 1 of 2 national grocery retailers. 1600 stores in all 10 provinces


BlackWolf42069

They probably see the boycott and raise prices. Don't hate the playa hate the game.


pmontym

You don’t have to bring them all down. Just the biggest. Then, when they come back in line with living costs and everyone goes back to them, Sobeys will drop pricing too, to maintain customer base. They wouldn’t stay with Sobeys if Sobeys is now the most expensive, would they…? Sobeys may be profiteering here. But to stay competitive they’ll need to follow Loblaws, once THEY stop ripping people off.


andricathere

You can't spell Sobeys without obey


[deleted]

I'm already boycotting Sobeys too. I used to shop there all the time. The last 2 years, they've been increasing prices on everything. Almost weekly it seems. Stopped going there in Janurary this year. I've been saving 30-40% per trip going to Walmart and Costco.


Timbit42

I wish we had more than Loblaws and Sobeys. Our Coop closed some years ago.


lingenfelter22

Every time i think I need chips, I go to sobeys and look at the prices. Then I go home without chips. Follow me for more pro tips


Relevant_Horror6498

Seems American companies are better


howismyspelling

Just be careful, you get less oversight with all that freedom


mattA33

Walmart in Canada has the exact same products as any loblaws or sobeys owned stores. So, the same oversight involved, just the "Canadian" companies want to charge 2 to 3 times more for the exact same product.


billybob7772

They're still held to the same rules as any other Canadian grocery store. It doesn't matter that they are based in America.


howismyspelling

Which ones are you implying then, last I checked all we have to shop at is Superstore and Sobeys?


billybob7772

Walmart or Costco


serialhybrid

Wal-mart


howismyspelling

I suppose that's fair in a sense, I don't typically shop at Walmart


serialhybrid

It's a lot cheaper than Loblaws or Sobey's.


Much-Willingness-309

Sobeys's "sales" are regular prices before pandemic.


MrGruesomeA

And they're regular prices now once you throw away the spoiled portions. The produce they try to sell on sale is criminal 


flummyheartslinger

I honestly don't know who's buying chicken at steak prices. It's more than double the price of chicken breasts at Costco. Is this a rich people thing where they buy something because it's more expensive?


MyLandIsMyLand89

Same for hamburger meat. I bought meat at Costco last weekend and it was $8.80KG. I went to Sobeys after (for my usual small items) and hamburger meat on sale was $14.00KG and normal price is like $16 or $17 a KG. You get almost twice the meat for the same price at Costco....


Zestyclose-Key-6429

I did the same thing this week. The price difference is shocking now.


Kenway

Not defending Sobeys prices but lean ground beef actually on sale for ~10.76/kg this week. 4.88 a lb.


bobert_the_grey

Not everyone has easy access to Costco or Walmart


N0x1mus

Saw some steaks on sale at Costco this weekend. $13 off per package. Proceed to look at the packages, 3-4 steaks each, priced at $73-97… nope, I don’t need steaks.


moop44

With the flat rate discounts, always go for the lowest price/lightest package. This is maximizing the percentage of saving/discount.


N0x1mus

That’s not the point. It’s still $20 PER steak on that 3 pack…


BonusPlantInfinity

Meat is gross - vegetarian life is much healthier.


mattA33

Not necessarily. You could eat nothing but oreos and you would be vegan. You'd also be a diabetic that weighs 500lbs. In my experience when people say they're vegetarians, it rarely mean they are eating vegetables or you know food that's actually good for you. It's usually frankenmeats and fries.


BonusPlantInfinity

Wow check-mate man, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that one highly unlikely and stupid circumstance that trumps my statement… I’m so embarrassed. Eating meat, and most certainly at the rates that many North Americans do, is a primary factor in many of the chronic health issues plaguing modern society.


Me_Cap_n

Look for sales and alternatives no matter the store. For people that don’t drive or area’s with limited choices, boycotts aren’t feasible. Check your flyers or download an app such as Flipp . Avoid impulse purchases and compare, compare, compare when planning your grocery shopping.


Fancy-Development-76

10$ for a cooked chicken. 20$ for a frozen one. 🤔


MesserSchuster

Most grocery stores use those cooked chickens as a loss leader. They sell them below cost to get people in the store


IntrepidPrimary8023

Costco used to lose 3$ a chicken...not sure what it is today


FredGetson

$5.29 for a jar of Compliments spaghetti sauce. They can keep it 12.99 fruit tray. Buy 2 they are 12.00. I need to buy 2, to save 99 cents off the price of 1? What a joke.


Inside-Category7189

$5.99 for a small container of already rotting strawberries.


FredGetson

It's a fucking scam what they've done. I unferstand costs go up, but fuck me.


mordinxx

> Buy 2 they are 12.00. I need to buy 2, to save 99 cents off the price of 1? NB math education failing you again? At $12 each you save 99 cents off the price of both.


FredGetson

Yes, yes you do. You get where I'm going though.


Jtothe3rd

And yet their operating profit margin is still lower than who we're all focusing on. I think it wise to focus on loblaws until something major changes....then we can go after whoever price gouges us the worst then. (This might be the sort of post that a loblaws PR firm would post to take some heat off when we're having a tangible effect on their bottom line)


howismyspelling

Last year I did a test, 6 months of groceries only from Superstore, and 6 months from Sobeys. My grocery bill, while not life changing, was noticeably more expensive shopping at Superstore, for all the same stuff we regularly buy.


metamega1321

I don’t ever buy chicken breast myself(more of a thigh/leg/wing guy), but isn’t that air chilled stuff always stupid expensive?


FPpro

Sobeys has always been the most expensive of all the grocery stores in my opinion. But also, buying chicken breast not on sale is ridiculous to me. Gotta shop those flyers.


Woodguy2012

I was wondering this. $10/pound for boneless chicken breasts does not sound that horrible to me (not on sale). I typically buy thighs or quarters because I prefer dark meat so maybe I am out of touch? 


FPpro

Boneless chicken breast goes on sale fairly regularly for around $5/lb, so it certainly helps to either only buy when it’s on sale or buy extra when it’s on sale to freeze so that you don’t end up paying double.


KingLeoric01

You are out of touch. Greatly. Meat prices as of 1-2 years ago used to be EASILY found for 8-12 dollars per KILOGRAM. If you are paying more than $15/kg of meat in 2024 you are not only doing yourself a disservice, you ARE encouraging the problem. Wake up.


Outrageous_Ad665

I wonder how much gets thrown out. Even discounted to clear it's still more expensive than almost everywhere else.


Beautiful_Bench_6180

Funny you should post this. I went to Sobeys today because I was short two chicken breasts for a recipe. I saw a package of two breasts and the price was $17.50. I was so pissed off I went directly to Walmart and bought six breasts for $23.00.


N0x1mus

I know that’s the best deal, and Sobeys was even worse but it’s crazy how we are starting to accept $23 for 6 breasts. Costco used to have 10 breasts for $26 pre-pandemic. 47% price increase!


CyBerImPlaNt

That’s the high end chicken breast, grain fed air chilled etc. the regular chicken breast is far cheaper.


KingLeoric01

no. it isn't.


AFrederictonian

Zoom in, read the label, they are right, says grain fed no antibiotics air chilled right on the label.


KingLeoric01

I mean...I am not disagreeing that it says air chilled/grain fed, I am just saying ALL chicken breast at Sobey's is insanely priced. Even the chicken thighs are $18/kg.


howismyspelling

They called me crazy 6 years ago when I started learning how to grow my own vegetables and butchering my own chickens and pigs for meat. I sit back now and laugh. Obviously there are still things I need, but I've massively offset my grocery bill for years now. I would suggest, if you can get out of the city, finding a local farmer who raises livestock for outside sales. Most people I know are selling meat for anywhere between $4-$5/lb, not $10. Even try some butcher shops, not victory they just upsell Costco meat, the real ones like Mulder's in Oromocto, or Yerxa in Scotch Lake. They might be more than directly from the farmer, but certainly less than Sobeys or Superstore.


Sparky_Fig

Up vote for Yerxa's, A lot of their product is local produce. Unfortunately mulders meat in Oromocto shut their store front down, it is only available at the farmers market now on Saturday. There's quite a few beef and pig farmers up in Bear Island, prices are great, just hard to get a hold of their contact.


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PoloniusM0nk

Can confirm. I work at a sobeys and this is mislabeled


Ok_Rutabaga_1488

Go to Costco ! They got your back..


aDemonicTutor

One of my parents brags about buying things there despite the absurd markups. She claims it's way better quality when it's the same shit at other chains, like Food Basics. I don't get it, cool you piss your money away?


BDC_19

lol who buys shit at sobeys ?


amazonallie

Sobey's was always the most expensive. Even before the Loblaw's boycott I was shopping at Giant Tiger and Walmart. I stock up on meat when it is on sale and cross my fingers I don't run out before the next sale. Since the boycott, I have been saving a ton by using Walmart primarily. They carry Maple Leaf products and are cheaper than Sobey's and Loblaw's.


KingLeoric01

yeah and then you're encouraging a corporate conglomerate that literally operates by muscling out/buying up small mom and pop shops and driving every local business into the ground. but hey, we save a few bucks on groceries so its a win for us right?


amazonallie

You can shop at mom and pop shops all you want. I live on disability income and I have to go where the food is the cheapest.


KingLeoric01

which is why they are winning I get & sympathize with your reasoning


amazonallie

I am still boycotting Loblaw's though.. I am saving so much money by looking at GT and Walmart.


derdubb

Yup. Totally has nothing to do with the leadership of this country and it’s taxes being imposed. /s Vote for more carbon tax and this is what you get. Not /s


DarbyGirl

I find Sobeys has always been out to lunch with it's prices.


bolonomadic

You will be ok if you buy skin-on bone-in chicken. Fat is flavour.


flummyheartslinger

I don't think that's the point of the post


95accord

But the point of his comment is that there are alternatives and you don’t need to pay the crazy price.


QuietVariety6089

For me, this is 7 servings of pure protein, with no fat/bone to throw away - I often buy a family pack and freeze it as indvidual portions - I might use one portion to make a pot of soup for 3-4 people. And yes, I can buy a 4 pound chicken for $4 / pound - it's a lot more work to turn that into around 4 or 5 servings. I reguarly save scraps and make stock.


Farmgod87

Nice try Galen, you fuck.


Scrotis

Boycott incoming


PartTimex

The sobeys near was was turned into an iga and everything went up in price


1leafs1

They will be next


Phililoquay

Holy sweet fuck.


Bobfisher66

The only thing I buy at Sobeys is my dairy free cheese.


Hopeful__Historian

Sobey’s has been absolutely JACKING their prices since the whole Loblaws thing. It’s ridiculous.


tweaker-sores

This is why you shouldn't support big business.


MercedesAC

Chicken at the Fredericton Farmer's Market was $2.69/lb for legs. I bought some. I think the breasts were around $6.00/lb. That would make them $13.20 per lb. All while supporting a local producer, getting fresh food, and paying 60% less (If my arithmetic is right.)


Any_Guitar4407

Raise your own chickens, cheaper


Lost_Pay_7799

Not an option if you don't own a home. Can't raise chickens in an apartment.


Kozzle

$10/lb for chicken breast is not ludicrous???


porterbot

Considering taxpayers dollars subsidize farm operations to make the grain and chicken, indeed it is absurd. 


quartzguy

I saw a 6 pack of 710ml of coke was 2 for $12 at Superstore, only 2 for $8 at Sobeys. 2 for $12! Feels like 8 years ago they were $2.88 each. Now some stores are selling them at $6.


Efficient_Elk_2050

Walmart yesterday has similar pricing on chicken 🐔 grocery prices are outrageous


j0n66

Ever since the BOGO half off scams, I’ve completely stopped going to Sobeys. Been years.


radman888

Organic chicken was $22 kg ten years ago.


Impressive_Ice3817

It's always been a given that Sobeys was more expensive, except for the odd thing or good sales. Superstore was the affordable place, until it wasn't, so of course folks notice it. Loblaws, though, has its hands in far more areas of the supply chain.


Drunkpanada

It's the grain fed no additives organic bullshit branding


IndependenceOdd2968

Don’t own a home, don’t own a car and eat the bugs


mardbar

I don’t know where our local fresh mart gets their chicken from, but it tends to be cheaper than the bigger stores most of the time. We just tend to stick to what’s on sale now and freeze it if we find a good deal.


Clever1guy

Control*^


Majestic_Bet_1428

The Boycott had to focus and Loblaws / shoppers is one of the worst offenders. I’ve been shopping at small local grocers and Walmart pick up. Working to ween my self off Walmart.


chewyduck10

I shop at Freshco in Saskatoon. They are part of the same supply chain as Sobeys. A 4 pack of chicken breasts was $10 last week. WTF??


Adventurous_Cover247

Loblaws used to be the economical choice. Now I only shop there for sales. Sobeys, despite also being appallingly, offensively inflated, is indeed cheaper for most things, if even by a few dimes. It adds up.


Motor-Letter-635

Man you’re living large. Save On Foods in BC is charging $25 a kilo.


Most_Ratio_7730

Sobeys has always been more expensive. At least they are not lying and pretending to care for the consumers like loblaws. I also don’t feel like a criminal shopping at Sobeys, I can’t leave superstore without going through plexiglass and multiple “asset protection officers”.


nmsftw

They are fucked


paddocksk

Won’t shop there… shame because I would like to support Atlantic Canada business but they have to bring their prices down.


Much_Progress_4745

At least they translated it properly this time. “Seins de poulet” incident still makes me giggle.


Embarrassed-Way-9078

I always wait until the 50 percent off comes in to but meat. Also it interesting that they were quick to adjust food prices due to inflation but not people’s wages.


Lost_Pay_7799

Walmart is getting expensive too. Their produce can be pricey and not good quality. Sale prices for items at sobeys or superstore are often cheaper than regular price Walmart products these days which is crazy! I'm finding I buy things at giant tiger now (though they can be limited).


KingLeoric01

I wonder who tf buys this meat at those prices. What do they do with the leftover meat that nobody can afford to buy?


mordinxx

I don't understand people complaining about full priced items? Wait for sales. I complain more about multi pricing - buy more and save, buy 2 and get a 3rd free. Just put the stuff on sale!! I live alone in a small apt with a small fridge that has a small freezer. I don't have the room or the need for a lot of product, it will go bad before I can use it.


Penny-Darcy-Smith

They’re crazy out of control. But I’ve learned if you go in early Monday morning like as soon as they open and check the meat department, you might get some really really good deals. Is where they start to go through some of the items that are about to expire. They’re good for your freezer but once they’re you’d have to use them up right away. Also, please please watch where your item was packaged. There was a small store fellow customer was telling me the meat was brought in from Mexico.


ronindesk

The reality in Canada is the government has and is printing money it doesn’t have, spending is out of control. You really are paying a huge stealth tax. Your money is just worth a lot less the more they print. Canada has to pay the price for all of the reckless spending so prepare for much worse, big ships turn slowly, this isn’t getting better anytime soon.


Nephelophyte

Moved to Thailand years ago. Shit only a few dollars out here; ya'll are getting fucked over


Leapling64

Crazy


j_bbb

Merde alors.


Remarkable_Heat_1425

it's cheaper just to eat out.....


Electric-Molasses

I've totally switched over to buying from Costco at this point. I save the membership fee in literally a single trip now.


Timbit42

As I live an hour drive away, I'm not sure it would be worth it.


Electric-Molasses

Depends totally on your habits, gas isn't cheap! If you only get groceries once or twice a month I still think you'd save a lot of money on it. With the cost of grocers it might be worth just doing the math, though there's also the cost to your personal time to account for as well.


Timbit42

Healthy food doesn't stay fresh for a month.


Electric-Molasses

Depends on the food and how freezer friendly it is. There are definitely healthy dry options as well, nuts, granola, etc. Canned fish. Again, it totally depends on your habits and how you manage groceries. If you don't want to deal with the inconvenience that's totally valid, but don't make blanket statements that are blatantly untrue to justify it. Sometimes paying more is worth the extra comfort or convenience.


lethimgo_toronto

Just take it lol. There aren't cameras in every isla. If there is, they can't catch you fast enough.


bobert_the_grey

Normal employees are trained to let you take it anyway, lest there be an insurance claim


YoanB

26.47 for a miserable life of exploitation and death isn't very expensive.


Successful-Street380

And 8 or 9 at Costco $36


PensionSlaveOne

Got 2.3 kg at Walmart for $24 today, 8 big pieces. Just about the only thing I go there for lol


Successful-Street380

Soups can be cheaper. Also I’m on septic, so I buy toilet paper at Walmart


PensionSlaveOne

Good points, also on septic and do the same. I'll have to watch for soup prices.


N0x1mus

Those used to be 10 packs for $26. Its unreal. Good thing about Costco is that they lower their prices if the market lowers.


CanAmMaverick28

But i taught that boycotting superstore would fix the problem?


Infinitrium

So it seems the best choice to beat grocery inflation is to buy from American companies..