Loblaws in Ontario blasted for selling single sticks for an outrageous price

We're still a few weeks out from the holiday season, but Loblaws shoppers in Ontario are already feeling a little Scrooged thanks to the supermarket chain's relentlessly high prices not just for food, but seasonal items, too.

Last month, one resident's tip to their local outpost of the retailer left them raging over a winter arrangement of pinecones, greenery, baubles, and bows that had a sticker price of a whopping $85, which many on social media agreed was laughable (if not surprising from the brand).

And this week brought another festive find that is much cheaper, but somehow far more ridiculous: birch poles — which are just small sections of tree branches — sold for $10 each.

Sharing a photo to Reddit on Monday, incredulous at the price, one customer joked about former Loblaws CEO Galen Weston saying that the company's profit margins are low.

Meanwhile, Loblaw Companies Ltd. reported $621 million in earnings last quarter, marking a growth of 12 per cent year-over-year.

"Profit margins are about 4%" - Galen Weston
byu/Atieshbtw inontario

Of course, many hopped into the comments section of the post to roast Loblaws and its executives, bemoan the prices they've seen for all sorts of items on the store's shelves as of late, and complain about the terrible lack of competition in Canada's grocery industry that has led us to this point.

Some also joked about the profit they could have made if they had saved tree trimmings they disposed of earlier this season, unaware that random sticks could be worth so much.

The Loblaws website does indeed list President's Choice brand "natural birch poles" for the price listed, the image of the singular, skinny chunk of overpriced wood looking quite hilarious.

Just one more item to add to your list of "things to buy anywhere but Loblaws" — or, in this case, to find in your own backyard.