blogTO Recent Comments: Why Pay Double at Loblaws?

Meg

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:08:37 PST

There seems to be a lot of complaining going on without much desire for change. If you receive bad service, tell a supervisor; there are steps department managers are given to resolve the issue, so that whatever has put your particular employee in a bad mood can be addressed. Bitching about it on an online forum or leaving the store cannot yield any results, and will not correct the issue for any other customer. And yes, it is all the same stuff at No Frills and Loblaws, as LCL has three main branches, two of which are most common: Hard Discount (No Frills - same products, lower price, less variety) and Great Foods (Loblaws, Zehr's, Fortino's - Variety and superior product at a higher price point.) If Loblaws isn't your cup of tea, don't shop there. It's really as simple as that. If you want more variety and higher quality product, it's your one stop shop; if all you're looking for is a good price and don't care as much about selection or quality, No Frills is the place to be. Research it before you complain about it.

Sarah

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:22:20 PDT

You really have to pay attention with Loblaws especially with their photolab section. Watch out when you order online. Loblaws ends up double charging. Their employee even admitted to me that there's a glitch in their online system because it doesn't flag to the stores if the order has already been paid. So essentially, Loblaws makes you pay when you order online and then make you pay when you pick it up. Buyer beware for sure!

petunia

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:12:14 PDT

hmm, well people certainly have alot of time on your hands to be talking about Loblaws at 11 o'clock at night.. ha ha

Jeffrey

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:29:16 PST

Does anyone here know of any other company that can bring out great {PC} products on a regular basis that aCtually taste grreat and has great value? I think not.. dominion? heck no.. that would be Loblaws!

Jeffrey

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:27:25 PST

I absolutely adore "The Real Canadian Superstore" with LOBLAW being on the cutting edge of retail in health n' beauty, fresh foods, fresh produce, financial products, home and lifestyle products, including clothes "JOE" who wouldn't want to shop at LOBLAW operated stores. Calgary, Alberta

con

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:20:24 PDT

Loblaws owns no frills Dominion owns Food Basics Its simple economics, playing with the consumer suplus. look it up

Lynn

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:20:22 PDT

I for one, don't shop at Loblaws because there is none near me. That said I have stumbled into the odd No Frills or Food Basics if I am driving by and need something basic. Otherwise most of my shopping is done at Asian stores (I am Asian)and ocassionally Pusateri's and Dominion because I am flanked with them. Why do I go to an Asian market that is much further? One because prices are lower than even Food Basics and because my diet is mainly Asian. That said I also love Pusateri's due to their selction of things you just can't find elsewhere. Plus $200 for a turkey that you don't have to make at Christmas is fine by me. They are the only ones I've found who sell aspiration which is a family favourite. The only difference is I don't consider people in No Frills to be riffraff and I absolutely abhore people who unwittingly raise themselves above the crowd.

Susan

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:39:09 PST

Has anyone stopped to think about the amount of research that goes into what store should go where? Loblaw Companies actually ownes many differnt platforms/Banners accross Canada and stratigically chooses what store to put in what neighbourhood, based on developement and what else is in the area. If you want the prices of No Frills and the experience of Loablaws try shopping at the newest of the banners "Real Candadian Superstore", mostly located in destination centers thoughout Ontario, Atlantic and Western Canada. They are all shipped from the same warehouses and like any company that undgoes change, you will see the affects in stock price, i.e. Sobeys computer crash a few years ago. People should be free to shop where they can find what they need without judgement of social status or otherwise. Some choose Loblaws because it is close and some choose No Frills because of price. I choose the location by how much I can accomplish in one stop. I have 4 children and as a family we are very busy, therefore the most important factor that I consider in choosing where to shop is time. Why go to No Frills if I only have to turn around and go to Loblaws and Superstore for the rest of my groceries. With the price of gas, are you really saving anything by going to multiple locations? Remember that No Frills are franchise stores and can be different from one store to the next depending on the ower. I'm sure that Loblaws would love to here about the rude staff you have come across, so that corrective measures can be taken, some of these people in all stores are students with ther first job and they may need to be told to smile!

simon

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:17:06 PDT

Because not everyone shops based on price? Many people also do not want to drive all over the city to save 1.00 on a head of lettuce. Many older people I have come across prefer to stick to the same grocery store. Even though the products are identical, I cannot imagine a senior fighting it out with families at No Frills and asking for a plastic bag. The money and big profits remain with the Baby Boomers and seniors and Loblaws knows that. However, I do agree Loblaws is facing some challenges. It seems most of the traffic is leaning towards No Frills or Whole Foods. Being in the middle can lead to being nowhere. But to answer why people would pay double at Loblaws vs. No Frills... Not everyone shops based on price.

Camille

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 12:59:44 PDT

Well, for starters, I can't believe someone described No Frills shoppers (ie. people with less money) as "riffraff."

Anyway, whether you value saving money vs nicer shopping environment is a personal choice. I much prefer to shop at No Frills, because the money you save really does add up.

However, I'd like to remind people that we live in Toronto - an incredible city for grocery shopping! There's Kensington, Chinatown, St. Lawrence Market, and tons of other neighborhoods that are loaded with fruit and veggie markets (like Bloor West), not to mention many other 'ethnic' markets such as those found in Little Korea and Little Italy. For those who live up north, there's places like T&T, as earlier pointed out, and if you travel into Mississauga, you'll find great clusters of cultural food shops. Sure, proximity and transporation are always issues, but if you're willing to travel a little bit, these places can, at the very least, provide an excellent supplement to your usual No Frills/Loblaws staple.

I personally love the fact that I can save tons of money, and find almost any ingredient that a recipe calls for, because of the awesome shopping possibilities in this city.

If you want more grocery shopping tips, check out my blog post at www.camilledeputter.com.

Elizabeth

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:32:19 PDT

People with snobby attitudes about No Frills can check it -- I've always shopped there, worked there for a year in high school and have never had a problem with bugs, "smelly" people, or peeing children. If you want to pay a 50 per cent mark-up to feel bougie, that's your hang up.

eric delio

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:40:13 PDT

I am an employee at the main distribution center for Loblaws. I for one can tell you that outside of some lesser rapini, broccoli, lettuce, grapes and some oranges, all the products at no frills are identical to the stuff we ship to Zehrs, Loblaws, and Fortinos.I originally worked for Fortinos before we were swallowed up by our parent company and since then the quality of how produce is received and shipped has gone in the toilet. The supply chain problems are hurting Loblaws extremely. This time last year or a little longer ago Loblaws stock was valued at 73 bucks a share. In less than 2 years they have had immense loss in value , down to 53 bucks a share with analysts predicting a bottoming out in the 40's before it rebounds. The problem you guys are seeing as consumers is related to the management decisions made buy the John Lederers of the company who took a goldmine created by Richard Currie and Dave Nicholls, and have run it into the ground.

Kathy Toth

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 17:29:58 PST

Loblaws is just unreal. I live near the one at Bathurst and St.Clair and i have seen items shoot up in price from week to the next with no reason. Take Brovil. This costs $1.99 everywhere else but at Loblaws it was $2.59. Today it was $2.99. I'm not even going to talk about how salad costs 1,99 a head during the summer or $7.00 my hot house tomatos cost last time. I'm not going to go back there because I end up spending $120 on groceries at time which dont even last two weeks, where as when I go to No Frills, I get more then 3 weeks worth of food at a time. I havent gone because I dont have a car, otherwise I would not set my foot in the place again. People are extremely rud eat that store, with old forest hills ladies and soccer moms sideswiping you the isles with no regard for anybody else in the store. If it did not take me 3 hours to make my usual round trip to kensington and no frills at dufferin mall, I'd forget the store altogether.

jackAtM2

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 19:48:17 PST

think of it as a "tax" you pay, so the government can provide social welfare and support to maintain stability, law and order..

Hamish Grant

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:48:14 PST

(disclaimer: I work for one of the big three grocery companies) The strategy behind the grocery chains all having premium and value 'banners' is that the big grocers want to get everyone's grocery dollar, no matter what their budget is. People shop in upscale stores partly because of the selection but also because of the atmosphere and the people they see themselves shopping with. You don't see the Baby Formula cans behind lock and key with the cigarettes at a Loblaws, but you do at a No Frills or Price Chopper. People who shop at value stores do so to stretch their dollar as far as it can go, because many of them can't spare much more. The grocers know they would have no chance getting people like that into a store that gives them a half decent profit margin, so they cut the price - they make take a loss on most sales at the value stores but they make it back at the premium stores. Everyone gets their food in the end. Think of it this way - if you shop at Dominion, Loblaws or Sobeys, you are essentially helping people save money at No Frills, Food Basics or Price Chopper.

jackatM2

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:52:18 PST

Tim, you pay a premium when you don't want smelly people around you when you shop. You pay a premium when you get fancy packaging.. for instance cold cuts are packaged in zip lock bag(resealable) at Loblaws cold cut counter..fruit and produce there are a lot more fresh. For example, compare grapes sold at TT vs. Loblaws, those at Loblaws are usually bigger and cleaner than those at TT.

James

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:35:51 PST

I GOTTA chime in on this. Loblaws is priced about the same as Dominion. But it FAR EXCEEDS DOMINION in terms of quality of produce, freshness, selection, and service! Unfortunately, the closest grocery store to me is Dominion and I complain loudly each time I shop there to whomever is around to listen. They hate me and I hate them.

tim

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 19:45:58 PST

jack and some others seem to be missing the point - or perhaps just don't care. the story here is that loblaws company limited gets the rapini (or beans or whatever the food product is) from the same supplier and at the same cost for both stores. yet it charges shoppers at loblaws up to twice the price. loblaws company limited is blatantly ripping loblaws shoppers off, and likely justifying it based on the difference in the brand promise/positioning for the two chains.

JackAtM2

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:56:04 PST

Loblaws is good when their frozen uncooked lobster tail is on sale(it was a few weeks ago)... I also like the PC specialty salad dressing, my favorite is Grilled Sesame Salad Dressing, small tiny bottle but very yummy... The only Dominion that's worth going in my area is the one at Yonge and finch, right inside a Tridel Condo, it's 24 hrs, and they have nice roast rosemary chicken there, yum.

Jeremy Wilson

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 12:41:54 PST

I live near a No Frills, a Price Chopper *and* a Loblaws. I almost never go to the first two. Why? Loblaws has a distinct lack of smelly people, little boys peeing in corners, wilted and crappy vegatables or bad selections of products. They also have a fish and meat counter, and a good bakery. Yes it costs more, but it's worth it to me to avoid the riffraff and unpleasantness.