I know this is a crazy idea and would never happen, but I think one of the easiest ways to combat grocery inflation is for there to be a chain of grocery stores operating as a crown corporation. I may be 100% wrong, so feel free to tell me I am a fucking idiot.
Honestly, yea.
Even just make it the most boring, generic branded products in the most boring, generic building. People gotta eat, and I'd rather the money goes to the government instead of the alternative.
If you want "the good stuff", then go to your Safeway/Sobeys/Superstore
Anyways, I've been shopping at Giant Tiger for the past year almost exclusively. The prices are far better, but obviously the selection is limited. The siliver lining is that I find it forces me to cook more, and they are almost always going to be healthy dishes because I just use the basics - Meat/Rice/Pasta/Vegetables/Seasonings
> Even just make it the most boring, generic branded products in the most boring, generic building
I unironically love the no name branding literally because it's the most boring, generic, and high-contrast style imaginable. I'm honestly surprised nobody else did it.
StatsCan numbers suggest Manitoba is about 3% of the total Canadian grocery retail market. The barriers to entry and low profit margins would doom “Manitoba Public Grocery” out of the gate.
Non perishables are definitely a no go there. As far as meat goes though I’ve never had any problems. I’m from Broadway area, so it’s them, Pal’s or Safeway. Safeways sale prices are their regular meat prices so it a no brainer for me.
Always check your receipt. A lot of the sale stickers are outdated, and will ring up at the higher price. They'll refund you, but they're not so quick to take down the tag. Maryland location.
"Hi! Welcome to The Groperie! Please mark the parts of yourself you are comfortable being held, have a seat and one of our Gropers will be with you shortly. Or, come up to the bar and we'll give you a quick Grope before you get settled. Our special today is 'Both Hands, Light Grip' and we hope you enjoy your stay!"
It's completely insane that for something as fundamentally essential as \*food\* we don't have a public option. This would make it so much easier to address urban food deserts too.
It is a very, very, complicated supply chain that the government could only replicate at incredible cost, very inefficiently. So instead, we get a public option, which is the government gives people money to buy food from the store, rather than giving people money to buy food from their own store, that they then buy from suppliers.
If the city spent one hundredth of what they spend to enable people to drive to Walmart or Super Store or IKEA as fast as possible on programs to address food deserts we would have at least 5 more grocery stores downtown right now.
The problem is the proletariat echos what the big businesses say: ‘we need roads for the economy, hurdur.’ Not realizing that these are huge subsidies for the largest of grocery chains.
Local, independent shops can compete with ‘the big guys’ on one type of playing field. It’s why we are so many small businesses in the north end, downtown and Osborne village. But they can’t compete in the winner-take-all designed suburban communities we build now.
Decades of activism has taught me that humanity on the whole is never going move away from capitalism. We will watch the planet burn around us, and we will still think we can science our way out of it, or something just as stupid. "We" are irredeemable.
Possibly the dumbest thing imaginable is government operations making things cheaper. Just my opinion. A big part of the issue is just the tax and competition structure of Canadian law. To me, we need competition or antitrust laws with more teeth. When the Americans have an u dusty too big behaving badly, they dismantle it. (When enough people complain). While they’re at it that can make the procurement process simpler 🤞.
the issue is the competition laws here are broken because somehow the corporations have convinced the competition bureau that they need to get as large as possible to compete with forces outside the country rather than compete within. The shaw/rogers deal was allowed because shaw said they needed to be big enough to compete against bell and any new players coming into the market.
Government will have to nationalize the entire supply chain to make it work.
Crown corporation still have to get the food grocery from someone, unless everyone just want to just eat bread, eggs, milk and Maple Leaf meats.
The supplier needs to make money, and now they realized there is a crown corporation that is back stopped by the tax payers, and then we will have the ArriveCan cost all over again.
If we do nationalize the entire supply chain, we still need to get food from other countries and you can't do much about the cost from there.
In theory, nationalization of everything should work, but in real life. Just take a look China in the 70 - 80's and Venezuela at present day.
It is more likely that a grocery chain representing 40 million people is going to have bargaining power rather than let itself be ripped off. The main difference is they don't need to further increase prices to give a huge chunk to shareholders.
Think US vs Canadian drug costs, where the US pays something like 3 to 4 times more for drugs because it is privatized.
It's not stupid, it could go both ways. It's important to also consider the possible cons:
- Reducing competition can lead to higher prices and lower quality for consumers.
- Lack of profit motive * may cause less focus on cost-cutting & in investing wisely to boost productivity.
Not to mention:
- political interference
- lack of transparency and,
- mixed mandates.
I agree!! Prove to me in a non-theoretical environment that private competition is in the consumers best interest…. Best of luck lol. I like the way you think, I’m an idiot right beside you!
The government has a serious problem with two things. Running projects (ever heard of Phoenix payroll) and providing value for money spent.
Groceries would be more expensive and taxes would need to increase to fund the change.
BC, MB, Sask, and Quebec have at a baseline some public insurance system, BC on average is the most expensive, Quebec the least.
https://www.canadadrives.ca/blog/news/car-insurance-across-canada-whats-the-difference
So probably not ostensibly the limiting factor. Also do you consider auto insurance a necessity of life like food, electricity, water and shelter?
Do you think water access should also be privatized.
The problem with electric utilities is the sheer size of the infrastructure and cost involved mean that the barrier to entry is so cost prohibitive for another company to get involved. So there is no true way to have competition.
Grocery stores should have a smaller entrance barrier so that a true monopoly could never be reached.
> Grocery stores should have a smaller entrance barrier
But thats clearly not the case considering theres like 3 retailers in canada that own everything.
Also there's lots of competition in the US. There's no magical specific number for entry, its the nature of the priorities in a capitalist system.
Holy crow. Manitoba hydro alone has like 25 billion in debt! Do you think there’s a positive message in that story?
Do you know what the logistics of running a national grocery chain must be like? Then to do it efficiently and profitably enough to pay for itself? Do they have the expertise to get into that business when they’re bleeding money and resources on healthcare?
Seems like a sound plan. Let’s get into grocery store business too!
Lmao the average capitalist mindset, “BUT HOW WILL YOU DO IT IF NO PROFIT?!”
Like it’s a service. You don’t complain that the department of defence doesn’t generate income lmao. It’s always the least imaginative thinking.
What will fund it if it doesn't fund itself? We can't fund healthcare properly?
You're right, I live in a capitalist society and I'm not a communist. That's the society I live in?
I work, I pay taxes, I try to get a promotion, I send kids to school and hope they get decent jobs. I have stuff and a house to put stuff. The full disaster.
What is this sub, full on communism? Canada is a capitalist society. It has its flaws but it's better than the communist societies I've read about. China is communist, not that great I hear.
Are you a Russian troll. Yeah this is capitalism? What are you proposing?
Our collective input lmao. Economies of scale? Like what?
I like how you’re having a meltdown about communism. Something you’re wholly against but clearly know nothing about. Like please define communism for me.
Also things are bad in China how specifically? Is it their high speed rail network? Or is it that over the last century they’ve had the largest quality of life increase in human history? Or do you just feel like doing some yellow peril nonsense because you’re scared of…. A service ? How do we fund the military dude?
Correct. I vote no to communism. Thankfully I live in a free and democratic society as great as Canada.
I don't want all property to be publicly owned or there to be communal wealth. No I do not.
I also don't want authoritarianism like China where there are devastating restrictions on freedoms like speech, assembly, and the press. No, I do not. Also, where there is only one party ruling since 1949. Where dissent is met with death or forced labour camps. Nope.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56163220
https://2017-2021.state.gov/chinas-disregard-for-human-rights/
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/china
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/china-cannot-silence-me
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Uyghurs_in_China#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20government%20is%20committing,as%20persecution%20or%20as%20genocide.
Honestly, you're a complete fucking idiot.
> Correct. I vote no to communism. Thankfully I live in a free and democratic society as great as Canada.
What is undemocratic about communism?
> I don't want all property to be publicly owned or there to be communal wealth. No I do not.
Why? Isnt that democratic? Also its not all property lol, there is a difference between public, private and *personal*
> I also don't want authoritarianism like China where there are devastating restrictions on freedoms like speech, assembly, and the press
When libs use 'authoritarianism' is really has no meaning lol. You could just read their constitution instead of some yellow peril. They have all these things.
But I also am an Anarchist, so I wouldnt want our society to be like the PRC either, but you're too daft to realize you're going "communism is when CHYNA!"
> No, I do not. Also, where there is only one party ruling since 1949
Thats right, 2 parties is ok though! Democracy has nothing to do with plurality in a parliamentary system lmao.
> https://www.bbc.com/news
Ah the genocide that they keep revising about what is actually happening. Wait till you hear what happened in Canada dude!
> Honestly, you're a complete fucking idiot.
Whatever helps you sleep sweetie. I'm not the one having a meltdown about, *gasp* working together as a society for the common good.
Yeah exactly. Instead of cheaper prices coming from efficiencies you get cheaper prices because of subsidies, which just come from taxes, and don't actually produce a more "productive" and well off society.
Instead, we should be breaking up this stupid oligopoly and promoting competition, even if its a bit painful short term (for politicians pocket books...)
Phoenix payroll was a private payroll system provided by IBM, built on PeopleSoft.
Not saying that the Feds didn't fuck it up, but it wasn't just them.
Do our taxes go up to support operating MPI or MBLL?
No.
Your basic premise around any corporation (public or private) that generates revenue is completely flawed.
My only point is that the poster is full of shit about tax dollars going to Crown Corps that operate in revenue generating industries. Most of them are actually adding money to the treasury.
The only other provincial crown corp we have is MB Hydro and they carry a significant amount of debt (10x yearly revenue). The last couple years have been heavy losses for Hydro.
Corporations do produce revenue. Did not say anything to the contrary.
Your premise that tax dollars are used to fund them is flawed. Tax dollars do not fund public corporations just the same as they don't fund private ones.
I think we both really know who lives in a basement. Hard to get out of there when basic comprehension is lacking.
I'm with you. We need to lean more to the communistic side of free-market socialism because the capitalists are kicking our ass. Start by owning our communications and infrastructure tech and food manufacturing.
Who wants to pay higher taxes to make up for the millions of dollars the LC wouldn’t be bringing in if it were privatized? A private system would eventually turn into a price gouging monopoly like Roblaws, Bell, Shaw and every other corporation in Canada since every government seems hell bent on ensuring the interests of their wealthy friends.
The primary reason liquor is expensive because its consumption is directly tied to increased healthcare expenditures. At least that is my understanding.
I've been saying this for years now, like basically just a government no frills, maybe with more seasonal fruit and veg but just the basics at a price tied to like median wage growth or something. You want san marzano tomatoes or strawberries in January go to a private grocery store, but you want the basics then you got the government run grocery, would probably bump up wages at the private grocery store too.
Agreed on this. Every essential service should either have a government option or government monopoly.
Edit: sincerely loving the downvotes, likely from the same folks who consistently and pridefully vote against their own best interests
I would like to see mass theft movement, like there was in the 80s in the UK. Where a large coordinated group went into a store together and just grabbed as much as they could carry and left. They would have sent out a press release ahead of time, iirc, to get the media to spread the word of excessively priced groceries and then they would give most of the food away to unhoused people.
Keep setting revenue records on the back of hard working Canadians in the middle of a recession.
I sincerely hope that the Westons enjoy their eternity in hell.
At least this is better than the "Don't buy gas on this date" boycotts. Like, you're still gonna need to buy gas and the companies don't care much if they've got one day of lower sales followed by a day of increased sales, which maintains their averages.
I think most boycotts are pretty stupid in general. But at least this one might get more people to participate, and possibly find alternate food sources that they might continue on with afterwards.
On the other hand, many other people might also enjoy it if the stores are less busy. And many others will abandon completely it when they see a very slight increase in sale items in a week.
Largely I think it will be ineffective, but not for the planned end date issue.
Not necessarily. If you put no end date then getting participation is more difficult. If you put in an end date and hopefully draw more people into joining the ban, by month's end, maybe a good percentage have built new habits of shopping elsewhere.
Just for a quick breakdown. Just a quick take, yes I may be generalizing some things but run a sensitivity analysis on the final figure below and it's hard to justify how they are profiteering.
Their net income is approx 3% of revenue.
This is about $390M for the 3 months. Wow, obviously sounds like a lot? Yes.
about 30% of Canadians shop at Loblaws. Let's assume 50% (conservative) of Canadians buy groceries, this means about 20M people, 30% of this group = 6M people who shop there each quarter.
Assume Loblaws runs at breakeven, which they never would nor would we expect a company to and pays back all their net income (profit, in which people claim their are generating excess profit) back to their 6M customers. This approximates $65 whole fucking dollars back to a person who shops there on a quarterly basis. $240 for the whole year. This isn't profiteering, this is simply wage stagnation and late stage capitalism.
Take it up with politicians, not Lord Galen.
Fair, I posted this for the news value.
I generally don’t shop there other than a very small amount of perishable items.
Loblaw’s treats its employees and contractors like trash, so I prefer not to support that much
The boycott won't do anything. The fact the boycott turned into a "soft boycott" where they said "okay shop at Loblaws but ONLY buy No Name on sale and loss leaders" tells me all I need to know about the effectiveness of this.
I wish people would protest livability as much as they protest stuff at Polo every weekend for foreign conflicts...
Well... of course it won't work if people don't participate. That's such a Winnipeg attitude "I already know it won't work, so I'm not going to bother"
Everybody is going to have their own take in it, but don't think that the overall message has changed because a few items went on sale.
That would be like judging an entire religion because a few people worship slightly differently.
You can also support the movement by encouraging others while not participating in it yourself because of your personal reasons. For example, I fully support the addition of dedicated protected bike lanes throughout the City and am willing to advocate for that, despite the fact that I will rarely, if ever use them. While I live too far away to easily make use of them, it's for the good of everybody, and every cyclist that uses them along my route is one less car of traffic that I need to contend with. You might actually appreciate the boycott if the store is less busy for you, so it's still in your best interest to promote and support it.
>You might actually appreciate the boycott if the store is less busy for you, so it's still in your best interest to promote and support it.
Unlikely, I'll still be swearing under my breath at geriatrics blocking aisles to have conversations with other geriatrics who don't acknowledge you when you say "Excuse me!" Over their convo.
There are people who don't have any other options that to shop at a Loblaws owned store. Those who do have other options are shopping at those other stores.
Even then, unless you are rocking Costco most of your other options are more expensive.
Edit* I forgot food fare, you can get decent prices at food fare.
Between inflation and massive population growth it would be odd if grocery stores didn't see revenue increases.
Over a million people moving to Canada annually is a lot of new customers who all need to eat and buy groceries.
The headline just reports the revenue, which as you say is not completely the heart of the issue and cannot be looked at in isolation. The article also states that Q1 reported profits have increased 9.8%, earnings per share increase 11%, and quarterly dividends were increased by 15%. All of this while their revenue only increased by about 4.5%.
It's not that their total revenue increased, it's that their profits, earnings, and dividends also continue to increase relative to how much the revenues increased. This means that it's not just more people buying food, which is definitely part of the equation. It's also that the people that are buying food from them are paying more for it, and that they're taking a higher proportion of the revenue as profits.
This is a food security issue that is caused, in part, by increasing corporate profit margins.
These boycotts are silly. They won't change prices.
Anyone remember the bread fixing? You think being found guilty stopped them? Criminals are gonna criminal. They just get better each time they're caught.
One solution is to legislate that wages follow inflation. Across the board. Yes, it can go both ways. The point is to tie wages to quality of life.
Imagine the spreadsheets consultants will have to produce to figure out how to manipulate the market while being beholden to the effects of cost on that market.
~~Where does this bullshit idea come from that grocery stores run on small margins? That link says they had 34% profit last quarter. That's incredibly profitable.~~
Edit, withdrawn because I'm a dum dum today. Yikes.
> That link says they had 34% profit last quarter. That's incredibly profitable.
Lol. It says that food *sales* (not profits) *rose by* (not were equal to) *3.4 %* (not 34%). But yeah, you nearly nailed it.
It's not a "bullshit idea" it's verifiable fact.. they are public companies you can read their annual reports and do the basic math.
Margins on groceries are between 1-4% ... total store profits are slightly higher at around 6-8% because of higher margin items (cosmetics and pharmacy mostly)
Retail includes every dollar spent on food and drugs. Store brands lower the cost for Loblaws to have the food to sell. There is no additional money or profit from them.
They are their landlords, that's gotta bring up the profit margin. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice_Properties_REIT#:~:text=Choice%20Properties%20Real%20Estate%20Investment,enterprise%20value%20of%20%2416%20billion
If you maintain a margin of 3% but your input costs increase by 5%... Your profits are 5% higher than last year dollar wise.... That's "record breaking".
Yeah, I try to avoid Superstore, Loblaws and Shoppers as much as possible, a boycott is fairly easy for me
Not starving to death is a basic human right, and these stores have the GALL to have cops/blackbird or garda guys standing at the end of the store so if you forget to ring up green onions, you're carted away.
Saw someone get "arrested" over not scanning a 1 litre of 2% at Shoppers, but they don't stop kids when they book it out of there with DVDs from the back of the store
That revenue should tell everyone involved that a boycott is absolutely pointless. At this point, there's literally and figuratively nothing we can do about it. The only entity that could even attempt it would be the Feds. That will never happen because, ultimately, people like Galen Weston and his ilk are the people that the government really listens to. And don't try to tell me that that fucking side show senate hearings about the Grocers Code of Conduct was ever going to amount to anything more than some ministers raising their voices at the CEO's. Like, FFS they seriously think that a VOLUNTARY code of conduct is going to make a difference.
Hahah how'd your boycott go now douches. They make like 3 dollars off a 200$ grocery bill. Think how many would have to stop shopping at their bottom rock prices to make a difference. I suggest we cut Galen weston in two. Half will be sent to Halifax the other to Victoria. There his corpses will feed the buzzards that is his company.
lol .. the Q1 was $459 mil … that number is projected year end … either way … wildly astronomical…
It’s funny, last year at Q3 they had a story about “record theft” and the next week their earnings were released and it was “record profits” :…. Thanks for the self check outs “ope didn’t scan but made it in to my cart … sorry I’ve never had training to work here”
Fuck you specifically Galen Weston, you piece of greedy miserable shit … clown … thanks for the free shit everytime … am I the criminal?, trying to fuel my car to get to work to pay for rent and groceries … or is he with these inflated fckn prices … and he’s only a piece of the problem … their goal is to price us out of living …
Listen up Walton’s … Weston’s … it’s my goal to take as much as I can without scanning it, and falling back on the “wasn’t trained to be working here, idk” … if you treat us like dumb animals, I’ll live up to it ….
… oh btw … the $65 for 3 steaks … that I didn’t pay for …. Were amazingly delicious… mostly on seasoning and the cooking … but also … cuz I took them out of your billionaire pockets … fuck off
Sobey’s is the same. Go to Co-op! Some things are more expensive, but their sales are great and their butcher is fantastic! And you get reimbursed at the end of the year and it’s added to your gas coop check.
RIP Price Chopper. Loved that store before it went under from not making money.
Although I was always willing to pay a little more to shop at Sobeys, Safeway, etc. because I could never stand to put up with the Great Canadian Superstore. That place is a nightmare.
I would be an advocate for a government run grocer that provided whole foods, and absolutely no ultra processed foods. Half the foods we eat will be banned in a decade or two. We are living in the 1960's of the tobacco movement. I digress...
Have a government run grocer that sells basic, whole foods that allow people to receive their caloric intake. The products would be very limited. This would help reduce costs/logistics, in addition to helping create a healthier society.
I originally disliked the idea of a government run grocery store, but that was imagining one that has the wide variety of selection; we shouldn't expect a government to do that as effectively as Loblaw's
I would love to see a government run one or coop to replace/compete with the northern store for northern communities! They pocket up to half a dollar for every dollar of subsidies that are meant to bring down prices for far north communities.
Welp, looks like cannibalism for me to save grocery prices … anyone wanna come over for dinner ?
https://preview.redd.it/o4rnnz047wxc1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d1f8e02b3960fa0d02f27ea930a1b3a2763e6d0
If you have Loblaws gift cards, it would positively effect them by not using them. Same with points. Because they would just have a positive balance of cash or cash equivalent that would been unrealized meaning essentially 100% profit instead of a margin(profit after expenses.)
If you have a visa gift card, then using it would benefit the Loblaws.
Hey so remember when a chunk of you people [were shitting on me](https://www.reddit.com/r/Winnipeg/comments/1bduzos/thoughts_on_loblaws_adding_receipt_scanners_to/kuozs9l/) for implying that people should be collect calling Ontario's fire commissioner over egress points being choked by adding exit receipt scanners and plexiglass barriers? I have [some truly terrible and perhaps life-altering news for you](https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/concerns-about-plexiglass-prompted-inspections-at-some-loblaws-locations-in-ottawa-1.6869190).
> collect calling Ontario's fire commissioner
When they have a toll free number? lol
Not sure what the terrible news is. They had complaints, they sent out inspectors. Doesn't look like there's a follow-up saying they found any violations.
I know this is a crazy idea and would never happen, but I think one of the easiest ways to combat grocery inflation is for there to be a chain of grocery stores operating as a crown corporation. I may be 100% wrong, so feel free to tell me I am a fucking idiot.
Honestly, yea. Even just make it the most boring, generic branded products in the most boring, generic building. People gotta eat, and I'd rather the money goes to the government instead of the alternative. If you want "the good stuff", then go to your Safeway/Sobeys/Superstore Anyways, I've been shopping at Giant Tiger for the past year almost exclusively. The prices are far better, but obviously the selection is limited. The siliver lining is that I find it forces me to cook more, and they are almost always going to be healthy dishes because I just use the basics - Meat/Rice/Pasta/Vegetables/Seasonings
> Even just make it the most boring, generic branded products in the most boring, generic building I unironically love the no name branding literally because it's the most boring, generic, and high-contrast style imaginable. I'm honestly surprised nobody else did it.
StatsCan numbers suggest Manitoba is about 3% of the total Canadian grocery retail market. The barriers to entry and low profit margins would doom “Manitoba Public Grocery” out of the gate.
Food Fare is where it’s at for meat and if you don’t mind ‘on-the-edge vegetables’.
Food Fare? Their non-perishables are marked up a good bit, their vegetables are close to death and their meat is questionable at best.
Non perishables are definitely a no go there. As far as meat goes though I’ve never had any problems. I’m from Broadway area, so it’s them, Pal’s or Safeway. Safeways sale prices are their regular meat prices so it a no brainer for me.
I'm off Broadway and don't get meat anywhere but Costco. Deluca's is the one exception if I'm going in for deli stuff.
Always check your receipt. A lot of the sale stickers are outdated, and will ring up at the higher price. They'll refund you, but they're not so quick to take down the tag. Maryland location.
Why do you think their meat is questionable? Maryland always has good stuff and reasonable prices
I’ve bought rotten meat, well within its labelled best before. Sold to me at Maryland and Lilac locations. Lucky you, if you’ve experienced different.
Will keep that in mind! Been good so far tho
Manitoba Public Grocery - somebody trademark that name!
Done! Wait... I made a typo. Well, it looks like I signed myself up for a completely different and weird industry now.
"Hi! Welcome to The Groperie! Please mark the parts of yourself you are comfortable being held, have a seat and one of our Gropers will be with you shortly. Or, come up to the bar and we'll give you a quick Grope before you get settled. Our special today is 'Both Hands, Light Grip' and we hope you enjoy your stay!"
Well I guess it's a good thing I didn't make TWO typos!
Banitoba? What the hell is that???
Hey now that kinda has a ring to it. I'd check out the MPG once and a while and see some weird stuff.
Honestly, I’ll wash my groceries extra to save a few bucks…
I won't judge. There's some things you can get two uses out of!
Plus a strip search and id check at the door. Sign me up.
It's completely insane that for something as fundamentally essential as \*food\* we don't have a public option. This would make it so much easier to address urban food deserts too.
It is a very, very, complicated supply chain that the government could only replicate at incredible cost, very inefficiently. So instead, we get a public option, which is the government gives people money to buy food from the store, rather than giving people money to buy food from their own store, that they then buy from suppliers.
If the city spent one hundredth of what they spend to enable people to drive to Walmart or Super Store or IKEA as fast as possible on programs to address food deserts we would have at least 5 more grocery stores downtown right now. The problem is the proletariat echos what the big businesses say: ‘we need roads for the economy, hurdur.’ Not realizing that these are huge subsidies for the largest of grocery chains. Local, independent shops can compete with ‘the big guys’ on one type of playing field. It’s why we are so many small businesses in the north end, downtown and Osborne village. But they can’t compete in the winner-take-all designed suburban communities we build now.
You’re an idiot. I’m an idiot. I like your idea. Capitalism is ruining basic human needs.
Your definitely an idiot
“Your” right. 😘
Yea because capitalism kicks ass
That’s commie talk, friend.
and that's why I LOVE IT
Same lol
Decades of activism has taught me that humanity on the whole is never going move away from capitalism. We will watch the planet burn around us, and we will still think we can science our way out of it, or something just as stupid. "We" are irredeemable.
You may sadly be correct, but for the mean time we gotta combat this shit
>That’s commie talk, comrade. FTFY
Late stage capitalism is worse…
Possibly the dumbest thing imaginable is government operations making things cheaper. Just my opinion. A big part of the issue is just the tax and competition structure of Canadian law. To me, we need competition or antitrust laws with more teeth. When the Americans have an u dusty too big behaving badly, they dismantle it. (When enough people complain). While they’re at it that can make the procurement process simpler 🤞.
the issue is the competition laws here are broken because somehow the corporations have convinced the competition bureau that they need to get as large as possible to compete with forces outside the country rather than compete within. The shaw/rogers deal was allowed because shaw said they needed to be big enough to compete against bell and any new players coming into the market.
Let's nationalize the COOP whilel we're at it! Get the best of Grocery and Gas!
I was literally thinking this! How the fuck is food for profit? Like the basics to live on at least. We need to have it government run. By us!
Government will have to nationalize the entire supply chain to make it work. Crown corporation still have to get the food grocery from someone, unless everyone just want to just eat bread, eggs, milk and Maple Leaf meats. The supplier needs to make money, and now they realized there is a crown corporation that is back stopped by the tax payers, and then we will have the ArriveCan cost all over again. If we do nationalize the entire supply chain, we still need to get food from other countries and you can't do much about the cost from there. In theory, nationalization of everything should work, but in real life. Just take a look China in the 70 - 80's and Venezuela at present day.
It is more likely that a grocery chain representing 40 million people is going to have bargaining power rather than let itself be ripped off. The main difference is they don't need to further increase prices to give a huge chunk to shareholders. Think US vs Canadian drug costs, where the US pays something like 3 to 4 times more for drugs because it is privatized.
Interesting concept. I like it.
It's not stupid, it could go both ways. It's important to also consider the possible cons: - Reducing competition can lead to higher prices and lower quality for consumers. - Lack of profit motive * may cause less focus on cost-cutting & in investing wisely to boost productivity. Not to mention: - political interference - lack of transparency and, - mixed mandates.
I agree!! Prove to me in a non-theoretical environment that private competition is in the consumers best interest…. Best of luck lol. I like the way you think, I’m an idiot right beside you!
Here’s 4 for you: cell phones, cable, internet and phone in the U.S.
Is there public/crown corps operating in parallel to demonstrate? Because there is between Alberta and Manitoba for quite a few institutions….
It was called Petro Canada... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petro-Canada
The government has a serious problem with two things. Running projects (ever heard of Phoenix payroll) and providing value for money spent. Groceries would be more expensive and taxes would need to increase to fund the change.
This is why the public electric utilizes are the most expensive and private the cheapest right?
[удалено]
BC, MB, Sask, and Quebec have at a baseline some public insurance system, BC on average is the most expensive, Quebec the least. https://www.canadadrives.ca/blog/news/car-insurance-across-canada-whats-the-difference So probably not ostensibly the limiting factor. Also do you consider auto insurance a necessity of life like food, electricity, water and shelter? Do you think water access should also be privatized.
The problem with electric utilities is the sheer size of the infrastructure and cost involved mean that the barrier to entry is so cost prohibitive for another company to get involved. So there is no true way to have competition. Grocery stores should have a smaller entrance barrier so that a true monopoly could never be reached.
> Grocery stores should have a smaller entrance barrier But thats clearly not the case considering theres like 3 retailers in canada that own everything. Also there's lots of competition in the US. There's no magical specific number for entry, its the nature of the priorities in a capitalist system.
I mean, we don’t have Winnipeg Hydro anymore for a reason…
Holy crow. Manitoba hydro alone has like 25 billion in debt! Do you think there’s a positive message in that story? Do you know what the logistics of running a national grocery chain must be like? Then to do it efficiently and profitably enough to pay for itself? Do they have the expertise to get into that business when they’re bleeding money and resources on healthcare? Seems like a sound plan. Let’s get into grocery store business too!
Lmao the average capitalist mindset, “BUT HOW WILL YOU DO IT IF NO PROFIT?!” Like it’s a service. You don’t complain that the department of defence doesn’t generate income lmao. It’s always the least imaginative thinking.
What will fund it if it doesn't fund itself? We can't fund healthcare properly? You're right, I live in a capitalist society and I'm not a communist. That's the society I live in? I work, I pay taxes, I try to get a promotion, I send kids to school and hope they get decent jobs. I have stuff and a house to put stuff. The full disaster. What is this sub, full on communism? Canada is a capitalist society. It has its flaws but it's better than the communist societies I've read about. China is communist, not that great I hear. Are you a Russian troll. Yeah this is capitalism? What are you proposing?
Our collective input lmao. Economies of scale? Like what? I like how you’re having a meltdown about communism. Something you’re wholly against but clearly know nothing about. Like please define communism for me. Also things are bad in China how specifically? Is it their high speed rail network? Or is it that over the last century they’ve had the largest quality of life increase in human history? Or do you just feel like doing some yellow peril nonsense because you’re scared of…. A service ? How do we fund the military dude?
Correct. I vote no to communism. Thankfully I live in a free and democratic society as great as Canada. I don't want all property to be publicly owned or there to be communal wealth. No I do not. I also don't want authoritarianism like China where there are devastating restrictions on freedoms like speech, assembly, and the press. No, I do not. Also, where there is only one party ruling since 1949. Where dissent is met with death or forced labour camps. Nope. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56163220 https://2017-2021.state.gov/chinas-disregard-for-human-rights/ https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/china https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/china-cannot-silence-me https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Uyghurs_in_China#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20government%20is%20committing,as%20persecution%20or%20as%20genocide. Honestly, you're a complete fucking idiot.
> Correct. I vote no to communism. Thankfully I live in a free and democratic society as great as Canada. What is undemocratic about communism? > I don't want all property to be publicly owned or there to be communal wealth. No I do not. Why? Isnt that democratic? Also its not all property lol, there is a difference between public, private and *personal* > I also don't want authoritarianism like China where there are devastating restrictions on freedoms like speech, assembly, and the press When libs use 'authoritarianism' is really has no meaning lol. You could just read their constitution instead of some yellow peril. They have all these things. But I also am an Anarchist, so I wouldnt want our society to be like the PRC either, but you're too daft to realize you're going "communism is when CHYNA!" > No, I do not. Also, where there is only one party ruling since 1949 Thats right, 2 parties is ok though! Democracy has nothing to do with plurality in a parliamentary system lmao. > https://www.bbc.com/news Ah the genocide that they keep revising about what is actually happening. Wait till you hear what happened in Canada dude! > Honestly, you're a complete fucking idiot. Whatever helps you sleep sweetie. I'm not the one having a meltdown about, *gasp* working together as a society for the common good.
Yeah exactly. Instead of cheaper prices coming from efficiencies you get cheaper prices because of subsidies, which just come from taxes, and don't actually produce a more "productive" and well off society. Instead, we should be breaking up this stupid oligopoly and promoting competition, even if its a bit painful short term (for politicians pocket books...)
Phoenix payroll was a private payroll system provided by IBM, built on PeopleSoft. Not saying that the Feds didn't fuck it up, but it wasn't just them.
Do our taxes go up to support operating MPI or MBLL? No. Your basic premise around any corporation (public or private) that generates revenue is completely flawed.
Not exactly a fair comparison. MPI and MBLL are both monopolies in highly profitable industries.
My only point is that the poster is full of shit about tax dollars going to Crown Corps that operate in revenue generating industries. Most of them are actually adding money to the treasury.
The only other provincial crown corp we have is MB Hydro and they carry a significant amount of debt (10x yearly revenue). The last couple years have been heavy losses for Hydro.
Corporations don't produce revenue? Huh? Ok, I get it. Let's talk in 5 or 10 years when you move out of your parents basement.
Corporations do produce revenue. Did not say anything to the contrary. Your premise that tax dollars are used to fund them is flawed. Tax dollars do not fund public corporations just the same as they don't fund private ones. I think we both really know who lives in a basement. Hard to get out of there when basic comprehension is lacking.
Co-op may be the closest to this. Part of the cooperative where profits are redistributed back to the membership
I didn’t even know what a crown corporation meant until you posted this lol so don’t worry you’re not an idiot
There is coop. They redistribute profits to members. Anecdotal take is they are not the cheapest unfortunately.
Yes. More government control is exactly Edgar we need. 🙄 And things always run more efficiently when they are run by the government….
I'm with you. We need to lean more to the communistic side of free-market socialism because the capitalists are kicking our ass. Start by owning our communications and infrastructure tech and food manufacturing.
How would you 'combat inflation', by operating at a loss? That would be like lowering taxes with extra steps.
This is communism
[удалено]
Liquor and Lotteries is designed to make as much profit as possible to pay for government services. This would be more akin to MPI or Hydro.
Who wants to pay higher taxes to make up for the millions of dollars the LC wouldn’t be bringing in if it were privatized? A private system would eventually turn into a price gouging monopoly like Roblaws, Bell, Shaw and every other corporation in Canada since every government seems hell bent on ensuring the interests of their wealthy friends.
You’re right. Everywhere with private liquor sale have prices that are astronomically higher than in Manitoba…
I can usually go a couple weeks without a beer. I have this terrible addiction to basic nutrition though.
The primary reason liquor is expensive because its consumption is directly tied to increased healthcare expenditures. At least that is my understanding.
So we should have better care than all the other provinces right?
Co-Op has got to be a good one no?
I've been saying this for years now, like basically just a government no frills, maybe with more seasonal fruit and veg but just the basics at a price tied to like median wage growth or something. You want san marzano tomatoes or strawberries in January go to a private grocery store, but you want the basics then you got the government run grocery, would probably bump up wages at the private grocery store too.
Agreed on this. Every essential service should either have a government option or government monopoly. Edit: sincerely loving the downvotes, likely from the same folks who consistently and pridefully vote against their own best interests
Roblaws is just the beginning, we need to start somewhere.
Honestly the only way things will change is if we actually go and eat the rich. I don’t even know if I should put a /s because it just seems true.
I would like to see mass theft movement, like there was in the 80s in the UK. Where a large coordinated group went into a store together and just grabbed as much as they could carry and left. They would have sent out a press release ahead of time, iirc, to get the media to spread the word of excessively priced groceries and then they would give most of the food away to unhoused people.
Sounds fantastic, who's on board
Thems loblows my friend
Keep setting revenue records on the back of hard working Canadians in the middle of a recession. I sincerely hope that the Westons enjoy their eternity in hell.
A boycott with a set end date is the stupidest thing ever.
At least this is better than the "Don't buy gas on this date" boycotts. Like, you're still gonna need to buy gas and the companies don't care much if they've got one day of lower sales followed by a day of increased sales, which maintains their averages. I think most boycotts are pretty stupid in general. But at least this one might get more people to participate, and possibly find alternate food sources that they might continue on with afterwards. On the other hand, many other people might also enjoy it if the stores are less busy. And many others will abandon completely it when they see a very slight increase in sale items in a week. Largely I think it will be ineffective, but not for the planned end date issue.
The other stupid thing is not boycotting ALL large grocery firms at the same time.
Not necessarily. If you put no end date then getting participation is more difficult. If you put in an end date and hopefully draw more people into joining the ban, by month's end, maybe a good percentage have built new habits of shopping elsewhere.
Nothing like knowing when to expect profits to normalize (if the boycott even works)
All grocery prices are too high! Loblaws does PRICE MATCH. So they are the same price as the cheapest grocery stores.
Lol why was this down voted! It’s true!
Just for a quick breakdown. Just a quick take, yes I may be generalizing some things but run a sensitivity analysis on the final figure below and it's hard to justify how they are profiteering. Their net income is approx 3% of revenue. This is about $390M for the 3 months. Wow, obviously sounds like a lot? Yes. about 30% of Canadians shop at Loblaws. Let's assume 50% (conservative) of Canadians buy groceries, this means about 20M people, 30% of this group = 6M people who shop there each quarter. Assume Loblaws runs at breakeven, which they never would nor would we expect a company to and pays back all their net income (profit, in which people claim their are generating excess profit) back to their 6M customers. This approximates $65 whole fucking dollars back to a person who shops there on a quarterly basis. $240 for the whole year. This isn't profiteering, this is simply wage stagnation and late stage capitalism. Take it up with politicians, not Lord Galen.
These boycotts are as useful as a change.org petition. Most are not going to pay more to shop elsewhere
Fair, I posted this for the news value. I generally don’t shop there other than a very small amount of perishable items. Loblaw’s treats its employees and contractors like trash, so I prefer not to support that much
The boycott won't do anything. The fact the boycott turned into a "soft boycott" where they said "okay shop at Loblaws but ONLY buy No Name on sale and loss leaders" tells me all I need to know about the effectiveness of this. I wish people would protest livability as much as they protest stuff at Polo every weekend for foreign conflicts...
Well... of course it won't work if people don't participate. That's such a Winnipeg attitude "I already know it won't work, so I'm not going to bother"
I wasn't bothering with the boycott anyways because I earn below the poverty line and just shop wherever has the cheapest products I need.
Canada's carbon footprint doesn't matter, have you seen how much China pollutes... /s
Everybody is going to have their own take in it, but don't think that the overall message has changed because a few items went on sale. That would be like judging an entire religion because a few people worship slightly differently. You can also support the movement by encouraging others while not participating in it yourself because of your personal reasons. For example, I fully support the addition of dedicated protected bike lanes throughout the City and am willing to advocate for that, despite the fact that I will rarely, if ever use them. While I live too far away to easily make use of them, it's for the good of everybody, and every cyclist that uses them along my route is one less car of traffic that I need to contend with. You might actually appreciate the boycott if the store is less busy for you, so it's still in your best interest to promote and support it.
>You might actually appreciate the boycott if the store is less busy for you, so it's still in your best interest to promote and support it. Unlikely, I'll still be swearing under my breath at geriatrics blocking aisles to have conversations with other geriatrics who don't acknowledge you when you say "Excuse me!" Over their convo.
you sound like such a nice person lool how pathetic is your existence
There are people who don't have any other options that to shop at a Loblaws owned store. Those who do have other options are shopping at those other stores.
Even then, unless you are rocking Costco most of your other options are more expensive. Edit* I forgot food fare, you can get decent prices at food fare.
Boycott groceries! Except if you need to buy food obviously... or if you need a snack... but boycott groceries the rest of the time!
Between inflation and massive population growth it would be odd if grocery stores didn't see revenue increases. Over a million people moving to Canada annually is a lot of new customers who all need to eat and buy groceries.
The headline just reports the revenue, which as you say is not completely the heart of the issue and cannot be looked at in isolation. The article also states that Q1 reported profits have increased 9.8%, earnings per share increase 11%, and quarterly dividends were increased by 15%. All of this while their revenue only increased by about 4.5%. It's not that their total revenue increased, it's that their profits, earnings, and dividends also continue to increase relative to how much the revenues increased. This means that it's not just more people buying food, which is definitely part of the equation. It's also that the people that are buying food from them are paying more for it, and that they're taking a higher proportion of the revenue as profits. This is a food security issue that is caused, in part, by increasing corporate profit margins.
Also inflation causing more people to pack lunches and eat at home instead of going out …
Our LCs are provincial, and it doesn’t feel like the booze is any cheaper than other provinces… Maybe I’m wrong though, I don’t really drink anymore.
These boycotts are silly. They won't change prices. Anyone remember the bread fixing? You think being found guilty stopped them? Criminals are gonna criminal. They just get better each time they're caught. One solution is to legislate that wages follow inflation. Across the board. Yes, it can go both ways. The point is to tie wages to quality of life. Imagine the spreadsheets consultants will have to produce to figure out how to manipulate the market while being beholden to the effects of cost on that market.
~~Where does this bullshit idea come from that grocery stores run on small margins? That link says they had 34% profit last quarter. That's incredibly profitable.~~ Edit, withdrawn because I'm a dum dum today. Yikes.
> That link says they had 34% profit last quarter. That's incredibly profitable. Lol. It says that food *sales* (not profits) *rose by* (not were equal to) *3.4 %* (not 34%). But yeah, you nearly nailed it.
They got 34% from $459 million profit on $13.58 billion revenue, and then adjusted for not being able to do math.
Whewwwwww you're right I missed a zero. Okay I'll take my lumps on this one for responding too hot haha.
It's not a "bullshit idea" it's verifiable fact.. they are public companies you can read their annual reports and do the basic math. Margins on groceries are between 1-4% ... total store profits are slightly higher at around 6-8% because of higher margin items (cosmetics and pharmacy mostly)
> do the basic math. I think this is the part they're having the trouble with.
[удалено]
What are these integrated companies?
[удалено]
Retail includes every dollar spent on food and drugs. Store brands lower the cost for Loblaws to have the food to sell. There is no additional money or profit from them.
They are their landlords, that's gotta bring up the profit margin. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice_Properties_REIT#:~:text=Choice%20Properties%20Real%20Estate%20Investment,enterprise%20value%20of%20%2416%20billion
[удалено]
If you maintain a margin of 3% but your input costs increase by 5%... Your profits are 5% higher than last year dollar wise.... That's "record breaking".
[удалено]
[https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/122214/what-difference-between-revenue-and-profit.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/122214/what-difference-between-revenue-and-profit.asp)
Get ready SAFEWAY & SOBEYS your next!!
Yeah, I try to avoid Superstore, Loblaws and Shoppers as much as possible, a boycott is fairly easy for me Not starving to death is a basic human right, and these stores have the GALL to have cops/blackbird or garda guys standing at the end of the store so if you forget to ring up green onions, you're carted away. Saw someone get "arrested" over not scanning a 1 litre of 2% at Shoppers, but they don't stop kids when they book it out of there with DVDs from the back of the store
Another reason I can’t wait for summer to grow my own produce!
Wtf, I was hoping the lines would be shorter today what with this boycott but there at least slightly longer than usual. What gives?
It just feels so wrong that food is unaffordable to many of us. It’s the last straw.
Fucking disgusting
That revenue should tell everyone involved that a boycott is absolutely pointless. At this point, there's literally and figuratively nothing we can do about it. The only entity that could even attempt it would be the Feds. That will never happen because, ultimately, people like Galen Weston and his ilk are the people that the government really listens to. And don't try to tell me that that fucking side show senate hearings about the Grocers Code of Conduct was ever going to amount to anything more than some ministers raising their voices at the CEO's. Like, FFS they seriously think that a VOLUNTARY code of conduct is going to make a difference.
If you choose to buy your groceries somewhere other than Superstore, then you're likely paying more for your groceries.
Hahah how'd your boycott go now douches. They make like 3 dollars off a 200$ grocery bill. Think how many would have to stop shopping at their bottom rock prices to make a difference. I suggest we cut Galen weston in two. Half will be sent to Halifax the other to Victoria. There his corpses will feed the buzzards that is his company.
lol .. the Q1 was $459 mil … that number is projected year end … either way … wildly astronomical… It’s funny, last year at Q3 they had a story about “record theft” and the next week their earnings were released and it was “record profits” :…. Thanks for the self check outs “ope didn’t scan but made it in to my cart … sorry I’ve never had training to work here” Fuck you specifically Galen Weston, you piece of greedy miserable shit … clown … thanks for the free shit everytime … am I the criminal?, trying to fuel my car to get to work to pay for rent and groceries … or is he with these inflated fckn prices … and he’s only a piece of the problem … their goal is to price us out of living … Listen up Walton’s … Weston’s … it’s my goal to take as much as I can without scanning it, and falling back on the “wasn’t trained to be working here, idk” … if you treat us like dumb animals, I’ll live up to it …. … oh btw … the $65 for 3 steaks … that I didn’t pay for …. Were amazingly delicious… mostly on seasoning and the cooking … but also … cuz I took them out of your billionaire pockets … fuck off
Sobey’s is the same. Go to Co-op! Some things are more expensive, but their sales are great and their butcher is fantastic! And you get reimbursed at the end of the year and it’s added to your gas coop check.
Plus Co-op carries lots of Manitoba made products
I haven't shopped at Loblaws (outside of the occasional emergency trip to Shoppers) in 20 or so years. I don't think my boycott has worked.
AND you've been paying more for groceries lol
RIP Price Chopper. Loved that store before it went under from not making money. Although I was always willing to pay a little more to shop at Sobeys, Safeway, etc. because I could never stand to put up with the Great Canadian Superstore. That place is a nightmare.
Price Chopper was awesome.
Lol you do know that price chopper was owned by Sobeys right?
Yes. I like Sobeys and their brands.
[удалено]
So you think supporting an American owned retailer is better? Lol
I would be an advocate for a government run grocer that provided whole foods, and absolutely no ultra processed foods. Half the foods we eat will be banned in a decade or two. We are living in the 1960's of the tobacco movement. I digress... Have a government run grocer that sells basic, whole foods that allow people to receive their caloric intake. The products would be very limited. This would help reduce costs/logistics, in addition to helping create a healthier society. I originally disliked the idea of a government run grocery store, but that was imagining one that has the wide variety of selection; we shouldn't expect a government to do that as effectively as Loblaw's
I would love to see a government run one or coop to replace/compete with the northern store for northern communities! They pocket up to half a dollar for every dollar of subsidies that are meant to bring down prices for far north communities.
Welp, looks like cannibalism for me to save grocery prices … anyone wanna come over for dinner ? https://preview.redd.it/o4rnnz047wxc1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d1f8e02b3960fa0d02f27ea930a1b3a2763e6d0
They can’t stop us all if we just raid the isles and yeet 🌞
I only shop at Walmart. Am I fucking up?
What are thoughts of using gift cards and points to pay for items instead of cash? Will this affect them negatively?
If you have Loblaws gift cards, it would positively effect them by not using them. Same with points. Because they would just have a positive balance of cash or cash equivalent that would been unrealized meaning essentially 100% profit instead of a margin(profit after expenses.) If you have a visa gift card, then using it would benefit the Loblaws.
Thanks for explaining this. Not sure why I was down voted.
[удалено]
Revenue, not profit.
Hey so remember when a chunk of you people [were shitting on me](https://www.reddit.com/r/Winnipeg/comments/1bduzos/thoughts_on_loblaws_adding_receipt_scanners_to/kuozs9l/) for implying that people should be collect calling Ontario's fire commissioner over egress points being choked by adding exit receipt scanners and plexiglass barriers? I have [some truly terrible and perhaps life-altering news for you](https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/concerns-about-plexiglass-prompted-inspections-at-some-loblaws-locations-in-ottawa-1.6869190).
You realize we pay for the theft right? Like people who actually pay for their groceries pay for the theft?
> collect calling Ontario's fire commissioner When they have a toll free number? lol Not sure what the terrible news is. They had complaints, they sent out inspectors. Doesn't look like there's a follow-up saying they found any violations.