mcewan grocery

You can now walk the aisles of a Toronto grocery store from your computer or phone

As Ontario continues to see upwards of 1,000 new COVID-19 cases each day, it's understandable why some residents — especially in urban hotspots like Toronto — might feel wary about trips outside of the house, even to the grocery store.

Though there are many options for grocery delivery, one gourmet supermarket chain in the city is taking things to a whole new level of online shopping by letting customers "walk" through the store's aisles from the comfort of their home.

McEwan Fine Foods has partnered with Canadian grocery delivery company Inabuggy to launch the new method of online purchasing, which includes a 3D virtual walkthrough of the entire Don Mills store from which users can click on food items on the shelves to buy.

The experience is quite unlike any other, and is the closest thing to actually physically being at the store for those who may feel a little too worried about the health and safety risks at such public indoor places these days or are otherwise unable to go.

It is an innovative and interesting alternative to in-person shopping, especially from McEwan proprietor Mark McEwan, the Toronto celebrity chef and restaurateur who has been quite outspoken about his opposition to the severity of pandemic lockdown restrictions.

"I'm a big supporter of Premier Doug Ford and understand the pressure he bears each day, but there are many medical professionals who have a different view of where we are and what a go forward looks like," McEwan told blogTO at the end of October.

"I believe we have to build a path forward and open our economy carefully with best protocol and strict compliance. We cannot stay locked down without suffering unacceptable economic consequences."

Regardless of McEwan's feelings about the lockdown, with more stringent measures on the way for Toronto, the new virtual grocery shopping option is definitely a cool and desirable concept for many right now.

Lead photo by

Inabuggy


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