Let's address the real issue at hand instead of making baseless and irrelevant criticisms about Loblaws affordability. The profit margins are already so slim that even if they switched to a non-profit model you would not see much of a difference at the checkout. How about we focus on something real like government overspending, inefficiency and the total disrespect for our money.
Tony Chapman
5mo
Financial literacy is the most significant impediment to our future. Until we have that, we will be played like pawns by the government, who want to divide and deflect. Once we have it, voters will have a greater propensity to vote for our future, versus feast on the handouts paid for by borrowed dollars on the backs of future generations.
I agree with your last paragraph stating that governments have been over-spending and growing the civil service at too high a rate. But I wouldn’t let Loblaws, or Sobey’s or Empire off the hook so easily. Why don’t they stand up more to increasing prices from major suppliers? Maybe reduce their purchasing or drop a few brands? Why? They want the sales and know they can mark up their prices. What about overheads? Just like governments, big corporations get fat and lazy. We can also look at our banks, telecoms, airlines and ask similar questions. Yes, public companies are ultimately accountable to their shareholders but shareholders don’t organize very often, except when private equity firms takeover. So a boycott is a good tactic. If people are hungry or tired of a meatless diet, then they will vote for progressive parties who will spend more and tax more. Let’s strike a balance for everyone’s good.
Les Herr
5mo
It’s so much easier to blame the for profit private sector for the current affordability problem than look at the root cause. Lose fiscal and monetary policy for the last decade.
Kevin Guyan
5mo
Until the expected ROI changes, in the eyes of the 1%, the future trajectory of sustainability is clearly ominous. Stop subsidizing the global supplychain, attach all GHG's associated to manufacturing and shipping, to the importing countries; which will help make localization more realistic in the future.
Doug Newstead
5mo
Not worth reading this. No depth nor relevance. Nor context for commerce economics marketing or any other businesss discipline. Of course free speech, and entitled to an opinion. I read it, and my thought was “So what?” Just my take!
John R. Bell
5mo
Agree with you, Patrick on our government’s disrespect for taxpayers’ money, but tire of Loblaws whining about profit margins. Low margins are inherent in the Canadian grocery business dominated by a handful of retailers. It’s a business where small margins deliver big profits for Loblaws that continue to grow.
Paul Brunskill
5mo
You are exactly right Patrick, but this whole fiasco is the classic political red herring to deflect the issue of why are the prices where they are
Keith McLaughlin
5mo
Consider the source. The Red Star strikes another blow for freedom through communism
Ron McClenaghan
5mo
Agreed 👍
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5moLet's start with government backed supply monopolies.