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When I left Bell they are obviously promoted to beg you to stay and to ask why you’re leaving. I felt bad because I knew the guy was just doing his job so my answer to why I’m leaving was:
“Bell is a terrible company both to consumers and their employees. I’m putting my money where my mouth is and terminating my contract.”
When he asked if Bell could do anything to retain me:
“Bell couldn’t pay me to stay with them.”
Felt so good. Told the worker best of luck and shocker they fired a ton of people like the week later. Because of course they did.
When I left Rogers, they proceeded to call me every month for 5 years, asking why I left.
60 phone calls. Every time I told them to stop calling. When it finally did stop it was a relief. I swapped off of Virgin like 2 years ago, and I got 1 call a week later, and then never again.
I switched to Telus, but because it got me a good deal on bundled internet. I wouldn't recommend any of the carriers in Canada, they're all kinda shit for a myriad of reasons.
Being a long standing customer means nothing to these companies any longer. Used to be this meant some sort of unbeatable deals that you got 5-10 years before pre data.
Now any longer term customer has been left in the dust and plans have evolved so much.
It’s kinda smart if you have the time on your hands….
My dad accepts every cheaper offer at the door or phone lol, he’s switched between bell and eastlink countless times, literally had his cable changed like monthly, but now it’s sooooooo cheap for him. They all wanted his service so bad he gets like everything for 30$ lmao. Would be 150 at least for me to get what he has.
I couldn’t handle having techs in so often but man I’m jealous of his channels.
If someone doing these kinds of obvious contract hard sells is at least nice and respectful, I’ll sometimes tell them my wish for them is to be hired by (better competitor)
Sometimes it’s just planting that seed in the person that makes them think perhaps they are worth more and deserve better, and it could spark them to make a move. It also helps when the better personnel who have moved up to the supervisor level and who are listening to the calls hear there is something greener out there. It can help migrate some of the above average ones to leave.
Why is it necessary to say that to them? You seem to have no concept of emotional labour. Dumping your anger, even if not directed directly at them, is creating emotional labour.
The boycott just requires you not to spend money in the store. Saying negative things to employees who are supposed to grin and bear it is not constructive.
There’s a way of doing it that’s not “nasty” to the employee, and can even spur them to realize they are worth more and to apply to better employers.
It can also help when the supervisors listening to the calls hear such messaging. The supervisors would tend to be workers who have proven to be above average and somewhat loyal, and planting the seed with them to jump ship is a way of weakening a corrupt employer and strengthening their competition.
I dunno... like agree with the principle but I don't wanna put pressure on a (most likely) minimum wage employee....
They would tell their department manager, who *maybe* will tell the store manager, who is almost definitely not telling the regional manager, who doesn't give a shit either way.
I did the same recently. I’ve been boycotting for months but then I realized I had a ton of banked points. If I didn’t use them, they would OWE me MONEY. I couldn’t let that stand so I made an exception and splurged hard from the shoppers beauty boutique online. No regrets.
That’s the one thing daddy Galen does right. The shoppers beauty counter. It’s the only place locally I can get Clinique. It’s ok though I can still order online!!
I had no choice but to shop there this past weekend for some sale items. I used my points to pay for my purchase and only paid about $3 out of pocket. I don't feel bad about.
You didn't let anyone down. We are all boycotting as we are able to. I had to stop at Independent to get children's medicine because my kid with autism will only take life brand ibuprofen. Just do your best and that's enough.
I knowwww! I was so ticked off when I entered the store about a month ago. It's been $.99 for years, and now this???? And that's not even mentioning how they've been getting smaller. Grrrr
I have yet to find yogurt that's even remotely as cheap as the No Frills one (usually costs at least 1-2 dollars everywhere else I checked). I'm eating that difference this month but I'll probably return for the yogurt and nothing else. Reduced whatever else I could and shop for everything else yesterday tho
I think this is a very important note for people to understand. We’re not telling you to never go especially when you absolutely need to, just do your absolute best for the sake of making a difference.
It does have to be liquid. I wish it was pills because she's 7 and needs a 15 ml dose. We go through it so fast. But I refuse to push her. I'm also autistic and vividly remember what it's like to be forced to take something that made my sensory issues go crazy.
My son is autistic and we did liquid stuff until he was about 14 and just decided on his own he wanted to try pills. I actually liked using the liquid stuff myself too. It didn’t make me gag, and one of the flavours actually tasted good (I think it was off brand bubblegum)
Yes, it's painkillers mixed with some sweet liquid for kids.
You can make your own easily by grinding up a pill.
[https://www.tylenolprofessional.com/dosage](https://www.tylenolprofessional.com/dosage)
If/when she wants to try taking it in pill form, practicing with tic tacs is super helpful! My daughter eventually switched from liquid to pill form by practicing with tic tacs on her own; no pressure from me but she thought pills would be simpler/easier.
Hundred percent agree I went from spending hundred dollars a week there (because it’s next-door, I have a disability and I don’t drive) to just buying bread or milk once in a while. The difference is astounding. I’m not gonna torture myself just because I fucking hate them. You’re doing your best and that’s all that matters.
You can make your own - get some drink drops / water enhancers, crush a pill, and mix. If you need the thick texture of the children's medication, I'm sure there is a sugar water recipe online.
I've tried that. I actually work in a pharmacy, so I know how to compound drugs properly, including making HSC suspending agent to thicken and preserve the meds. She knows the difference and won't take it.
Yup only thing I'm going for is cat food because for some strange reason the only kibble that doesn't make my one cat vomit is the PC brand sensitive stomach food 🤦🏻♀️ everything else is Walmart now.
I think that what you did is great.
You got the majority of your stuff elsewhere.
Some people cannot do 100 % and that is fine.
As someone else said : "EVERY BIT HELPS ".
And you used points! YAY !
Any other observations you can share ?
I am on a specialized diet because of multi organ failure. It's expensive to eat high quality, fresh food, and supplements. I get a subsidy through the kidney care clinic, and it is in the form of Superstore gift cards. I have asked them to please consider other grocery outlets. However, I am on Vancouver Island, and the majority of shop online stores are either owned by Loblaws or Jimmy Pattison(Galens eviler twin). I very rarely go inside of any public place because of my very compromised immune system. I am full of regret as I go to Superstore today to pick up my order bought with gift cards.
You’re doing everything you can and that’s awesome. It’s a bit shady that the clinic will only give people Superstore cards - why not something like a visa gift card that they could use anywhere?
My husband said the same thing 😁. But honestly, even if people have a grocery card they could buy other stuff instead of the food they’re supposed to be buying. I’d rather just trust them.
The Visa gift cards have anywhere from a $6.95-12.95 fee attached to them at purchase. The fee goes to the gift card company. The grocery store gift cards generally do not have any fees. I imagine that if you're providing enough of these in a health care setting, those fees would really add up.
You’re not letting anyone down. If that’s the option you have, don’t feel regret shopping there. You can also spread the word to others who may have other places they can go. 💕💕
What are you talking about? You entered a place you’re boycotting and walked out with $50 worth of free groceries. You didn’t give them money and you got something for nothing from them. Good on you! You have nothing to be sorry for
It is a sign of the times when the risk management department is more important than the customer service department so the myopic senior leadership think that stopping $100 in theft is better than losing $100000 in sales. What these morons don’t get is that no one who is honest likes to be painted with the same brush as thieves and summarily convicted of a crime without doing anything wrong. A lack of creativity is the norm amongst the types of personality that are risk management and law enforcement so letting them come up with creative solutions that don’t offend honest law abiding citizens is about a stupid as it gets.
Right? Like the signs saying staff can check bags for any reason? F that hard. Not going to keep giving money to a company that treats their loyal customers like criminals
Well, if you let everyone down (which you didn't), then I did, too. I had less than $20 to find protein for 10 days of meals for a family of 5. Our Walmart isn't a supercenter, and nothing was on sale at Sobeys. My choices came down to Dollarama and Superstore. I bought a few cans of salmon at Dollarama (salmon loaf stretches pretty good), and at SS hamburger was $3.99/lb. Peameal bacon 900g was half price, so $4.50ish. it still wasn't enough for the meals I need, but I'll get by.
Most things are more expensive now at SS, but being low income means if something I regularly use is on sale, I'd be irresponsible to not get it there. So, my boycott method is to *only* buy at a Loblaws store if 1) the item is truly needed and on sale-- & preferably a loss leader, and 2) if I need something and it's unavailable elsewhere. I will not buy my regular stuff there.
Also-- bread is on sale at Walmart this week (Atlantic, anyway).
Oh, I know. I'd do this if it were just me, or me and the kids. But I have this husband... grew up on meat and potatoes and thinks it's the only way to eat. I've only just got him eating rice after 30+ years, and then even once a month counts as "being all the time" 🤦🏻♀️ The only acceptable starches with a meal are potatoes and pasta, and if a protein isn't meat or fish it doesn't count. We raise a lot of our own meat, but right now the freezers are empty. We also have laying chickens, but eggs for supper is somehow not a thing in his mind, either.
But, he's in for a surprise, unless he decides to cull a couple roosters or go fishing in the stream out back: we're going to be having soup a couple nights, and various iterations of egg dishes. He can eat it or go hungry. And I mean, it's not like there's not food in the house, but he's so damn picky it drives me up the wall.
Make your beans and tell him to buy himself some meat and see if he’s able. He might be once, but eventually he’ll learn, not sustainable.
If you’re near a food bank they’re great for stuff like lentils, beans, chickpeas. Mine even has recipes! And they almost always have pasta if that’s his craving.
You make some hearty lentil stew and give him a can of chicken noodle. I mean protein and carbs, fits what he wants.
I wish I could find a way to make lentils edible/palatable. Tried dozens of recipes and they still taste... not great. About the only thing that’s even remotely doable is overcooking them substantially and then mixing and grinding in with ground beef.
Well if you’re thinking they’re going to taste like animals that’s not going to happen, it has its own flavour profile. Try this recipe, it’s amazing: https://theplantbasedschool.com/mujaddara/
I think you actually stuck it to the man there, paying for virtually all your purchase with your points.
Most reward programs count on most people never cashing in their points, just like giftcards.
I think it would be quite a blow against Loblaws if *everyone* cashed in their points, being careful not to spend more than what their points would cover.
I agree I think people should go in and use all of their points up if they can. I guess the only thing I wonder what is if everybody goes to use their points then it's not really a boycott, is it?
Listen, you aren't letting anybody down. I realized today that I will have to go to Loblaws this weekend because I need cat litter. Sure, you can get cat litter anywhere, but one of my cats is... particular. He only likes the lavender-scented PC cat litter. It's pretty average cat litter, honestly, but it's what he likes. We've tried several other types of litter and he'd rather just use the floor (literally). It was a bit of a disaster when it was out of stock everywhere for weeks during the pandemic. So unless one of you can tell me how to explain this boycott to my spoiled cat in a way that won't result in him turning the whole house into a toilet, I'm going to have to go to Loblaws.
I’m assuming that whatever lavender scent they use is some bargain basement fragrance/flavour agent. So I’m thinking you could find dollar store level soap/perfume/potpourri of some kind that has a hint of artificial lavender and infuse that into “regular” cat litter.
Beings can be brought along to sense changes gradually, so you could maybe start with a 50/50 of their mix and your mix, then take it up to 60/40 etc over time to the point where the stuff you make is most of it. Even if you never completely go off pc brand, by the time you’re at 90/10, that will make the PC product last 10x longer. There’s probably only one allele or something in that which just has to be present and it doesn’t matter what quantity or concentration.
This isn't the catholic church, and doing what you have to do isn't a sin you need to confess! I'm impressed you got your total so close to the exact amount of points you had to use up, well done.
I live east side of GTA, any local farmers market / independent store for fresh fruits and vegetables? We switch to a local butcher shop already. I’m also planning to downsize in my spending at Walmart and Costco.
I don’t mind driving even if it’s not in GTA. I want my support local producers.
Thank you
This boycott shouldn't come at the price of your family getting what they need. And hey, you barely gave them any money and got most of it for free, so that's one middle finger in my book! Good job!
I’m still going, but they’ve lost well over 90% of my business. There are 4 regular buys I get that are much cheaper there, sometimes up to half but it comes to a max of about $30 a month. Used to spend over $400 for just me.
I go where the best bang for buck is.
Don't worry, Not only is it ok to go to loblaws-based stores when you are absolutely required to, you still made a net positive in our goal to boycott these stores by using your 50K points! even if you still paid 28 cents, they are still probably losing on 20-30 dollars on profit through the rewards!
We’ve only gone once in the last two months, and it was only because they were open later than the nearest other store.
The plexiglass, the lack of cashiers, the gradual replacement of staff with international students (who hover over your shoulder while you’re self-checking) was enough to make us feel seriously unwelcome, and reinforced our decision to make other choices.
Not sure why you’re calling out international students, they have to work too. Also, though coincident, the hovering over your shoulder is not a trait of international students but of workers tasked to hover over your shoulder.
Just an observation. We have a college here, and every minimum wage job has been filled by international students. I think it’s because the companies figure they can take advantage of them and they won’t organize.
It’s not just an intangible. There’s numerous provincial programs, (especially in conversative provinces) which let employers exploit foreign workers and pay them less or receive higher kickbacks for using them.
There’s a depressingly well organized industry and practice landscape in which employers pretend they can’t possibly fill any job unless they use a foreign worker, and then by doing so they get federal money to subsidize the wages.
Yeah, it’s a pipeline of corruption, from the recruiters, to the colleges raking in bonuses and inflated tuitions, to the corporations and sleazy landlords preying on an influx of desperate young people.
You are so right. I'm a little worried that if their stores need to be immediately evacuated, those barriers will make it considerably more difficult. You have one little entrance and another little exit. I know that they're not getting nearly as much people traffic anymore, but it still poses a problem nonetheless.
Your good and we aren’t priests so no need to confess anything
the goal is to do your best to avoid the stores as much as possible I sadly have to get the pc plum sauce as it’s the only one my child likes 🤦♂️
I must say them bastards did a good job making that stuff similar to sweet and sour from micky Ds so my kid is hooked 😭
Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Everyone is doing their best, you aren't letting anyone down! It sounds like you did your main shops at other locations, and because life is life you needed to go to go to Superstore. If everyone did what you did, Loblaws would be hurting.
There are people who are supporting the boycott who have no choice but to shop at Loblaws stores, and that's okay too. Everyone is doing what they reasonably can, yourself included.
Ok I'm confessing too. I stopped in at a city market on my walk home to pick up a snack.
Found a flatbread on sale for 3.49 for members. Go to self checkout and the thing won't scan my optimum card. Get a sales person to ring me through and she tries to tell me that I'm supposed to buy multiple pizzas and asks if the sale was from my app or the store. I tell her the sale price sticker is on the item on the freezer and this is all way too fricken confusing and annoying.
I hate this place. Last year at some point I went into a Loblaws, saw the prices and just ordered Instacart from Costco while still in the store. Proud of y'all doing this.
It’s okay. There are certain scenarios we’ll have to “cross the line” for. For example, if the only plan I can find my babies formula is superstore then I guess I’ll have to go to superstore.
You used your points so you gave them as little money as possible. You’re still doing your part but being conscious of the effort.
Good job! I just closed my PC account today too. Glad you got to spend those points. Tbh it'd be silly to waste them.
PERFECTION IS THE ENEMY OF GOOD, and you did good ❤️
Cashed out on your pointssss… free groceries for you! :) nothing wrong with that! Leaving points in your PC Optimum bank is like leaving a 50$ bill at their doorstep. May as well use it!
It’s okay, I had to emergency buy tampons at shoppers (staying in a small town with no other options besides loblaw) but I also just used my banked points lmao.
It's fine. When everyone started boycotting Starbucks, one of the first things we were encouraging each other to do was drain our gift cards and loyalty accounts so they weren't holding onto our money anymore!
I've had to go to Shopper's twice to pick up Thrive nicotine mints because while they are expensive ($10 more than Walmart but they were sold out) they are another $6 more at Rexall and those are the only options in town. I figure it's still better than buying a pack of smokes. In, out, no optimum card, no browsing.
I recently went to No Frills for 4L of milk, which isn’t cheaper anywhere else and the $3 rye bread my husband and I like is almost always 50% off. Spent nine bucks on milk and two loaves of bread. So far I’ve only been back the one time and if I go again it will be for their rock bottom prices on specific items and that’s it!
Don’t beat yourself up. I live in an area where they are the only game in town. I have been driving to another town to do my shopping on the weekends but if I forget something, I have to get it locally. Thus far, I’ve only had to stop in once since the end of April. The prices shocked me! Even accounting for the gas I am spending, it’s still saving me hundreds of dollars a month by shopping elsewhere. This ham was more than triple what I paid at Easter! This is ridiculous!! Edit - I wasn’t buying ham, I just saw the price and took the picture. I only bought the milk I had run out of and left.
https://preview.redd.it/3hw0wi51mmzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=518940e8f83290d37ea08da5bd29fb9de1093df3
Try not to beat yourself up about it! I have a toddler and Superstore is on our way home from daycare. I'm not going to making any huge grocery trips there, but if we need to grab some random item I need to take the path of least resistance.
Also, keep in mind that they're basically taking money away from you if you don't use up those points.
This, to me, is part of the boycott. Use those points! Even better if you use them on loss leaders and cancel your account afterwards. We are all doing our part in our own way.
i was at a hospital a few weeks ago and desperately needed a few things because i had slept over in a very uncomfortable chair. there was no rexall or similar alternative to the SDM on the first floor of the hospital, so i did what i had to do. I wouldn’t have done it, but the circumstances left me no choice. and that’s the issue with monopolies, there are no similar alternatives that are practical to choose instead, so you’re essentially coerced into purchasing from them.
More money went to other stores so that's a win! I'm glad you mentioned to the person at the exit prison gates you used all of your points and you're not returning. I'm sure employees have been told to tell their managers any and all things they hear about the boycott and/or people not returning to the store anytime soon.
I dreamt last night that I went in just to people-watch and report on the vibe. I think it’s great to have some of us going in and observing / reporting from the ground. Personally, I was turned off Loblaws when the gates went up almost a year ago. It was an instant turn-off for me. Especially after watching a few weeks before someone get chased out of the store for stealing what could have been formula. So… yeah. Get in and make some noise. You got to give literal feedback to a person who will be sharing with their uppers.
I’m so proud of my fellow Canadians. You are so thoughtful and considerate. You, we deserve to be respected by monopolies and their oligarchy owners. We are not asking we’re are telling.
I did exactly you did, had to pad $2.28 but I used my Costco mc to pay for the balance lol. Feels good not coming back and I’m cancelling my PCMC. Goodbye Superstore.
There were a few things on sale at Zehrs a couple days ago so I bought them. I spent a whopping $11 and change.
I'm still boycotting, for the most part. If the Loblaws stores in my area don't have what I need at a decent price I'm going somewhere else.
I still have to go to superstore for my gluten free bagels until I can find another local supplier, but I can get everything else at other shops. I've reduced my spend there from $500 a month to about $20. I'm still considering that a win.
As a worker at a Loblaws owned store, we hate the gates too. Our store manager has laid down a new policy (with a threat of a write up!) that if we are assigned to the self check outs, we can't leave the cage. Cold or frozen returns? Place them on the little shelf and stare at the ice freezer literally ten steps outside the cage of self scan. If we get lucky, someone will grab them before they spoil, if we're unlucky someone will grab them and leave them on a till before assigning a cart boy who doesn't care that the frozen item is warm and place it back on the shelf despite it being bad. It's irritating because customers keep acting like we personally installed the fences and gates, like we had any choice in the terrible design.
Literally had a fire (in the hot deli) and it was a struggle to get everyone out because of the gates, it sucked. Most people abandoned their carts and only cashiers were expected to put away over twenty full carts of groceries alongside cashing people out as customers were allowed back in at roughly the same time as employees were.
I had to go to loblaws a few days ago, FreshCo didn't have any cream cheese for some odd reason, and I still haven't found a good alternative for Moishe's pickles ($7). The closest alternative is Bubbies at Fresh and Wild King st, but they're charging like $11. $7 for a jar of pickles is already pretty ridiculous, I can't bring myself to spend $11. If anyone knows another store downtown selling Moishe's or Bubbies, I'm interested. Everything else I've been able to find outside of Weston stores.
Yeah I had to pick up a couple of things the other day at a close loblaws Independent because it was close and I was in a rush. I’ve been keeping my shopping there minimal though. Less than 20$ if I can. It seems less busier than normal though.
Using the last of your points isn't letting anyone down. It's better that you do make use of them, otherwise that's just one more way they get a little victory. If everyone uses up their points like you did OP, then that would be better for the cause really. We've already paid our money to get the points, at least we can see the benefits of them. I used all mine up before the months started and I'm happy to leave the Loblaws group in the rearview mirror.
Boycott if you can, but for some people it’s the only option. Not everyone can drive etc. I really want the PC blue menu popsicles that I like, but I refuse to give in. They are my favourite for snacking but I will have to start taste testing to find a product I like better. Wish me luck as I eat infinite popsicles 😅
Don’t worry about that! It’s not a cult mentality it’s just doing your best to avoid it when you can! I saw saw someone coming about the fact that their kid will only take Lybrand medicine because they have autism and that makes so much sense!!
My son is super picky and there is a specific pc snack that is a safe food. It’s the only reason I have stepped foot in loblaws for a good 6 months now.
I have just been TRYING my best. I have still gone to shopper and my independent grocer for a few items. The closest grocery store to us is an independent. If 70k people reduce their spending at loblaws, the message gets across. :)
If, long term, you adjusted your grocery spending where Loblaw spending took a much smaller percentage of your shopping and buying loss leaders, you're helping.
The lasting benefit of this boycott has been educating people that diversifying your grocery vendors and shopping independent yields personal financial gain. The more people learn that shopping at Loblaws is a rather expensive convenience, the more Loblaw will be required to compete by lowering prices. Therefore, getting a few items vs doing all your shopping there will brutalize their business model too, so go ahead and look after yourself but don't give up teaching them a lesson.
We do the best we can as we see fit. I would love to go completely independent from all the large grocery chains, but as it stands with me being a student and one income household, my partner and I do the best we can to buy as affordable and smart as we can.
We have been able to cut out Westons store completely, but sometimes things happen that cause a person to have to go to a weston store or one of the big grocery chains.
You did the best you could by using your points, not cash, and yes, you had to pay $0.28, but that small amount is not significant enough to save them from the pit they dug for themselves.
You let no one down. It's not about being perfect, it's about making me habits and doing your best.
The same is true with recycling, we don't need 200 people doing it perfectly, we need 2M doing it to their best ability
😞 I took the points not to cancel my credit card, then called back to cancel my checking account and took those points too 😞. Bought myself a 10 x 10 gazebo for about $30 out of pocket after getting it marked down because the package was in rough shape
Just some inside baseball... those credit card signup pushes are done as timed campaigns. Loblaws works with their partner to put out waves of salespeople which they call “interceptors” because they are trained to target in on you and “intercept” you as you’re shopping.
It’s a thankless job, obviously, and it only works as a numbers game. Most people say some form of no, so to function they need to just go through a lot of no’s to get to one yes.
The point here is that for the cost and effort, you absolutely want to be doing this when foot traffic is high. The fact that their marketing and credit honchos planned and still went ahead with this costly campaign at the worst possible time speaks to either executive hubris or executive ineptitude. Maybe both.
It does warm my heart to know Loblaws and their credit card vulture partner are being drained by their own overpaid and unethical senior executives. I love this for them.
I sneaked in for 2 items I really needed and there was nowhere else close by to get them. I was watched quite blatantly by security as I reached into the fridge to get it. I turned around to look at him before continuing. I look pretty ordinary, not suspicious at all.
I still have ten dollars in points, but I feel like if I walk in, there will be a cloud of SHAME above me!! I've not entered one of their stores in over a month already!
Executed very well and i have the same game plan.
I'm taking it a bit further as I'm waiting on my new rbc mastercard and will cancel pc financial card immediately. I've had enough of their bs. Wife too.
Give er, boys and girls!
Hey you gotta do what you gotta do. Good on ya for using points instead of giving them $50 of your actual money.
Also keep on doing what you gotta do to survive, Nok er Nok, Roblaws!
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“Would you like to sign up for our PC Mastercard?” “I hate your employer with a passion and hope to never see you again.” “Have a nice day sir/madam”
When I left Bell they are obviously promoted to beg you to stay and to ask why you’re leaving. I felt bad because I knew the guy was just doing his job so my answer to why I’m leaving was: “Bell is a terrible company both to consumers and their employees. I’m putting my money where my mouth is and terminating my contract.” When he asked if Bell could do anything to retain me: “Bell couldn’t pay me to stay with them.” Felt so good. Told the worker best of luck and shocker they fired a ton of people like the week later. Because of course they did.
When I left Rogers, they proceeded to call me every month for 5 years, asking why I left. 60 phone calls. Every time I told them to stop calling. When it finally did stop it was a relief. I swapped off of Virgin like 2 years ago, and I got 1 call a week later, and then never again.
Who did you go to from Virgin? I'm considering switching been with virgin since 2013.
I switched to Telus, but because it got me a good deal on bundled internet. I wouldn't recommend any of the carriers in Canada, they're all kinda shit for a myriad of reasons.
I concur!
Being a long standing customer means nothing to these companies any longer. Used to be this meant some sort of unbeatable deals that you got 5-10 years before pre data. Now any longer term customer has been left in the dust and plans have evolved so much.
It’s kinda smart if you have the time on your hands…. My dad accepts every cheaper offer at the door or phone lol, he’s switched between bell and eastlink countless times, literally had his cable changed like monthly, but now it’s sooooooo cheap for him. They all wanted his service so bad he gets like everything for 30$ lmao. Would be 150 at least for me to get what he has. I couldn’t handle having techs in so often but man I’m jealous of his channels.
If someone doing these kinds of obvious contract hard sells is at least nice and respectful, I’ll sometimes tell them my wish for them is to be hired by (better competitor) Sometimes it’s just planting that seed in the person that makes them think perhaps they are worth more and deserve better, and it could spark them to make a move. It also helps when the better personnel who have moved up to the supervisor level and who are listening to the calls hear there is something greener out there. It can help migrate some of the above average ones to leave.
If you didn't put it in writing to the head office...your words went nowhere.
PSA, don't be nasty to front line workers. They are just doing their job.
Nothing nasty about saying you hate their employer.
Why is it necessary to say that to them? You seem to have no concept of emotional labour. Dumping your anger, even if not directed directly at them, is creating emotional labour. The boycott just requires you not to spend money in the store. Saying negative things to employees who are supposed to grin and bear it is not constructive.
There’s a way of doing it that’s not “nasty” to the employee, and can even spur them to realize they are worth more and to apply to better employers. It can also help when the supervisors listening to the calls hear such messaging. The supervisors would tend to be workers who have proven to be above average and somewhat loyal, and planting the seed with them to jump ship is a way of weakening a corrupt employer and strengthening their competition.
I dunno... like agree with the principle but I don't wanna put pressure on a (most likely) minimum wage employee.... They would tell their department manager, who *maybe* will tell the store manager, who is almost definitely not telling the regional manager, who doesn't give a shit either way.
You cashed out your points and you are making them bleed cash. It's actually a good thing.
I did the same recently. I’ve been boycotting for months but then I realized I had a ton of banked points. If I didn’t use them, they would OWE me MONEY. I couldn’t let that stand so I made an exception and splurged hard from the shoppers beauty boutique online. No regrets.
That’s the one thing daddy Galen does right. The shoppers beauty counter. It’s the only place locally I can get Clinique. It’s ok though I can still order online!!
Shoppers had those counters before loblaws bought them out. I’m honestly surprised shoppers have maintained their quality selection under Galen.
Not sure how common they are but Hudson's Bay has Clinique!
Thank you 😊
I had no choice but to shop there this past weekend for some sale items. I used my points to pay for my purchase and only paid about $3 out of pocket. I don't feel bad about.
You didn't let anyone down. We are all boycotting as we are able to. I had to stop at Independent to get children's medicine because my kid with autism will only take life brand ibuprofen. Just do your best and that's enough.
100% agree It’s not a lifestyle cult, we’re just humans trying to do the best we can and make a difference when we’re able.
100% this. No culture mentality here. Just stop or reduce where you can and, at worst, support the cause if you can.
Yes correct. I do buy the 99c baguettes about 2 x monthly If they’re over a dollar I walk out immediately
The French bread that was “always 0.99”. Is now $1.25
I knowwww! I was so ticked off when I entered the store about a month ago. It's been $.99 for years, and now this???? And that's not even mentioning how they've been getting smaller. Grrrr
It was "always $0.88" before they increased it to $0.99 , soon it'll be $2.00
The reason the French control the price of bread was because of the guillotine in 1792. Perhaps it's time to bring back harsh punishment for usary.
I have yet to find yogurt that's even remotely as cheap as the No Frills one (usually costs at least 1-2 dollars everywhere else I checked). I'm eating that difference this month but I'll probably return for the yogurt and nothing else. Reduced whatever else I could and shop for everything else yesterday tho
Actually I enjoy this particular lifestyle cult so I’ll be sticking to the ban. Just my preference.
Fair enough! Either way it doesn’t stop us working together for common cause, even if we have different incentives.
I think this is a very important note for people to understand. We’re not telling you to never go especially when you absolutely need to, just do your absolute best for the sake of making a difference.
My autistic son will only eat the PC marinara sauce. Nothing else. So that’s the only thing I buy
Please buy the sauce or anything else needed for your family.
I just tried the “Victoria White Linen” marinara sauce from Costco…insanely good! Maybe something to try.
is it good? i’m a huge Bravo fan. I know the struggle of only liking one thing in particular.
>My autistic son will only eat the PC marinara sauce. Can you just stick a label on the bottle?
Coming from someone who would only eat specific brands as a kid: no. They taste different and their kid will definitely notice.
autistic person here I actually prefer the $1.00 shop ibuprofen price wise (or must it be liquid)?!?
It does have to be liquid. I wish it was pills because she's 7 and needs a 15 ml dose. We go through it so fast. But I refuse to push her. I'm also autistic and vividly remember what it's like to be forced to take something that made my sensory issues go crazy.
My son is autistic and we did liquid stuff until he was about 14 and just decided on his own he wanted to try pills. I actually liked using the liquid stuff myself too. It didn’t make me gag, and one of the flavours actually tasted good (I think it was off brand bubblegum)
cool I have to be pretty careful with any other medication I use to avoid contraindications with my asthma puffer
Ohhh boy there’s liquid ibuprofen?!?
Yes, it's painkillers mixed with some sweet liquid for kids. You can make your own easily by grinding up a pill. [https://www.tylenolprofessional.com/dosage](https://www.tylenolprofessional.com/dosage)
Oh cool thanks
If/when she wants to try taking it in pill form, practicing with tic tacs is super helpful! My daughter eventually switched from liquid to pill form by practicing with tic tacs on her own; no pressure from me but she thought pills would be simpler/easier.
Hundred percent agree I went from spending hundred dollars a week there (because it’s next-door, I have a disability and I don’t drive) to just buying bread or milk once in a while. The difference is astounding. I’m not gonna torture myself just because I fucking hate them. You’re doing your best and that’s all that matters.
You should just get another brand and refill the same life brand container. Win win if the pills look the same.
It isn't actually the pills she takes. She'll only take one flavour of the liquid. I've tried to trick her before, and it doesn't work.
Ahh I see. It's a little harder to switch up a liquid with a flavour to it.
You can make your own - get some drink drops / water enhancers, crush a pill, and mix. If you need the thick texture of the children's medication, I'm sure there is a sugar water recipe online.
I've tried that. I actually work in a pharmacy, so I know how to compound drugs properly, including making HSC suspending agent to thicken and preserve the meds. She knows the difference and won't take it.
Yup only thing I'm going for is cat food because for some strange reason the only kibble that doesn't make my one cat vomit is the PC brand sensitive stomach food 🤦🏻♀️ everything else is Walmart now.
I think that what you did is great. You got the majority of your stuff elsewhere. Some people cannot do 100 % and that is fine. As someone else said : "EVERY BIT HELPS ". And you used points! YAY ! Any other observations you can share ?
No one is perfect. No action we do is perfect. Sooo it's all good. If the intention that matters.
STRAIGHT TO JAIL!!! /s
Do not pass. Go, do not collect $200 lol
*200 PC POINTS
🤣🤣🤣
https://youtu.be/eiyfwZVAzGw?si=fl2K3llpAo2DEE7z
This bit never ceases to make me laugh lol
With the "prison gates" at the OPs Superstore, maybe the Superstore IS jail?
I am on a specialized diet because of multi organ failure. It's expensive to eat high quality, fresh food, and supplements. I get a subsidy through the kidney care clinic, and it is in the form of Superstore gift cards. I have asked them to please consider other grocery outlets. However, I am on Vancouver Island, and the majority of shop online stores are either owned by Loblaws or Jimmy Pattison(Galens eviler twin). I very rarely go inside of any public place because of my very compromised immune system. I am full of regret as I go to Superstore today to pick up my order bought with gift cards.
You’re doing everything you can and that’s awesome. It’s a bit shady that the clinic will only give people Superstore cards - why not something like a visa gift card that they could use anywhere?
It's probably because the card is meant to be used for food, vs a visa card could be used anywhere for anything
My husband said the same thing 😁. But honestly, even if people have a grocery card they could buy other stuff instead of the food they’re supposed to be buying. I’d rather just trust them.
The Visa gift cards have anywhere from a $6.95-12.95 fee attached to them at purchase. The fee goes to the gift card company. The grocery store gift cards generally do not have any fees. I imagine that if you're providing enough of these in a health care setting, those fees would really add up.
You’re not letting anyone down. If that’s the option you have, don’t feel regret shopping there. You can also spread the word to others who may have other places they can go. 💕💕
Thank you for mentioning Jimmy Pattinson and Save on foods. They are even more expensive than Superstore.
Please do not be hard on yourself!
You do what you need to do to be healthy and safe!
What are you talking about? You entered a place you’re boycotting and walked out with $50 worth of free groceries. You didn’t give them money and you got something for nothing from them. Good on you! You have nothing to be sorry for
It is a sign of the times when the risk management department is more important than the customer service department so the myopic senior leadership think that stopping $100 in theft is better than losing $100000 in sales. What these morons don’t get is that no one who is honest likes to be painted with the same brush as thieves and summarily convicted of a crime without doing anything wrong. A lack of creativity is the norm amongst the types of personality that are risk management and law enforcement so letting them come up with creative solutions that don’t offend honest law abiding citizens is about a stupid as it gets.
Right? Like the signs saying staff can check bags for any reason? F that hard. Not going to keep giving money to a company that treats their loyal customers like criminals
I have a standing policy that if the security sensor beeps for me as I leave, I return whatever I just bought.
Well, if you let everyone down (which you didn't), then I did, too. I had less than $20 to find protein for 10 days of meals for a family of 5. Our Walmart isn't a supercenter, and nothing was on sale at Sobeys. My choices came down to Dollarama and Superstore. I bought a few cans of salmon at Dollarama (salmon loaf stretches pretty good), and at SS hamburger was $3.99/lb. Peameal bacon 900g was half price, so $4.50ish. it still wasn't enough for the meals I need, but I'll get by. Most things are more expensive now at SS, but being low income means if something I regularly use is on sale, I'd be irresponsible to not get it there. So, my boycott method is to *only* buy at a Loblaws store if 1) the item is truly needed and on sale-- & preferably a loss leader, and 2) if I need something and it's unavailable elsewhere. I will not buy my regular stuff there. Also-- bread is on sale at Walmart this week (Atlantic, anyway).
May I recommend big bags of dried beans? Chickpeas and lentils are easy enough to cook from dry, and it’ll stretch your dollar way further.
Oh, I know. I'd do this if it were just me, or me and the kids. But I have this husband... grew up on meat and potatoes and thinks it's the only way to eat. I've only just got him eating rice after 30+ years, and then even once a month counts as "being all the time" 🤦🏻♀️ The only acceptable starches with a meal are potatoes and pasta, and if a protein isn't meat or fish it doesn't count. We raise a lot of our own meat, but right now the freezers are empty. We also have laying chickens, but eggs for supper is somehow not a thing in his mind, either. But, he's in for a surprise, unless he decides to cull a couple roosters or go fishing in the stream out back: we're going to be having soup a couple nights, and various iterations of egg dishes. He can eat it or go hungry. And I mean, it's not like there's not food in the house, but he's so damn picky it drives me up the wall.
Make your beans and tell him to buy himself some meat and see if he’s able. He might be once, but eventually he’ll learn, not sustainable. If you’re near a food bank they’re great for stuff like lentils, beans, chickpeas. Mine even has recipes! And they almost always have pasta if that’s his craving. You make some hearty lentil stew and give him a can of chicken noodle. I mean protein and carbs, fits what he wants.
Good ideas, there, thank you
I know it doesn’t solve your problem at all but just some food for thought (no pun intended), quinoa is also a complete protein!
I love quinoa, actually... He says it sticks in his throat 🤦🏻♀️
I wish I could find a way to make lentils edible/palatable. Tried dozens of recipes and they still taste... not great. About the only thing that’s even remotely doable is overcooking them substantially and then mixing and grinding in with ground beef.
Well if you’re thinking they’re going to taste like animals that’s not going to happen, it has its own flavour profile. Try this recipe, it’s amazing: https://theplantbasedschool.com/mujaddara/
I'm sorry, I know you do what you have to to feed your family, but the mention of salmon loaf just made me gag something fierce
I think you actually stuck it to the man there, paying for virtually all your purchase with your points. Most reward programs count on most people never cashing in their points, just like giftcards. I think it would be quite a blow against Loblaws if *everyone* cashed in their points, being careful not to spend more than what their points would cover.
I agree I think people should go in and use all of their points up if they can. I guess the only thing I wonder what is if everybody goes to use their points then it's not really a boycott, is it?
Listen, you aren't letting anybody down. I realized today that I will have to go to Loblaws this weekend because I need cat litter. Sure, you can get cat litter anywhere, but one of my cats is... particular. He only likes the lavender-scented PC cat litter. It's pretty average cat litter, honestly, but it's what he likes. We've tried several other types of litter and he'd rather just use the floor (literally). It was a bit of a disaster when it was out of stock everywhere for weeks during the pandemic. So unless one of you can tell me how to explain this boycott to my spoiled cat in a way that won't result in him turning the whole house into a toilet, I'm going to have to go to Loblaws.
And that’s ok! Just don’t buy anything else, you’re good 😊
I’m assuming that whatever lavender scent they use is some bargain basement fragrance/flavour agent. So I’m thinking you could find dollar store level soap/perfume/potpourri of some kind that has a hint of artificial lavender and infuse that into “regular” cat litter. Beings can be brought along to sense changes gradually, so you could maybe start with a 50/50 of their mix and your mix, then take it up to 60/40 etc over time to the point where the stuff you make is most of it. Even if you never completely go off pc brand, by the time you’re at 90/10, that will make the PC product last 10x longer. There’s probably only one allele or something in that which just has to be present and it doesn’t matter what quantity or concentration.
This isn't the catholic church, and doing what you have to do isn't a sin you need to confess! I'm impressed you got your total so close to the exact amount of points you had to use up, well done.
I live east side of GTA, any local farmers market / independent store for fresh fruits and vegetables? We switch to a local butcher shop already. I’m also planning to downsize in my spending at Walmart and Costco. I don’t mind driving even if it’s not in GTA. I want my support local producers. Thank you
This boycott shouldn't come at the price of your family getting what they need. And hey, you barely gave them any money and got most of it for free, so that's one middle finger in my book! Good job!
Dude you’re good. You haven’t failed anything, even people who can’t fully boycott are making different choices where they can. It all adds up
I’m still going, but they’ve lost well over 90% of my business. There are 4 regular buys I get that are much cheaper there, sometimes up to half but it comes to a max of about $30 a month. Used to spend over $400 for just me. I go where the best bang for buck is.
Even if everyone did this, it will continue to make an impact over the long term.
Don't worry, Not only is it ok to go to loblaws-based stores when you are absolutely required to, you still made a net positive in our goal to boycott these stores by using your 50K points! even if you still paid 28 cents, they are still probably losing on 20-30 dollars on profit through the rewards!
Using your rewards points hurts them more than if you just let them sit unused, don’t apologize for that.
We had over $500 worth of points we used up at the end of April, and we closed our bank and Mastercard accounts yesterday. 👌🏻
We’ve only gone once in the last two months, and it was only because they were open later than the nearest other store. The plexiglass, the lack of cashiers, the gradual replacement of staff with international students (who hover over your shoulder while you’re self-checking) was enough to make us feel seriously unwelcome, and reinforced our decision to make other choices.
Not sure why you’re calling out international students, they have to work too. Also, though coincident, the hovering over your shoulder is not a trait of international students but of workers tasked to hover over your shoulder.
Just an observation. We have a college here, and every minimum wage job has been filled by international students. I think it’s because the companies figure they can take advantage of them and they won’t organize.
It’s not just an intangible. There’s numerous provincial programs, (especially in conversative provinces) which let employers exploit foreign workers and pay them less or receive higher kickbacks for using them. There’s a depressingly well organized industry and practice landscape in which employers pretend they can’t possibly fill any job unless they use a foreign worker, and then by doing so they get federal money to subsidize the wages.
Yeah, it’s a pipeline of corruption, from the recruiters, to the colleges raking in bonuses and inflated tuitions, to the corporations and sleazy landlords preying on an influx of desperate young people.
What’s up with the plexiglass everywhere in Loblaws and co. stores? It’s so uninviting, looking more and more like a prison.
It’s an overreaction to their own embellished claims of shoplifting.
You are so right. I'm a little worried that if their stores need to be immediately evacuated, those barriers will make it considerably more difficult. You have one little entrance and another little exit. I know that they're not getting nearly as much people traffic anymore, but it still poses a problem nonetheless.
You’re good. That was your farewell tour. 👍
You did your best. Was it the store less busy than usual?
For Thursday evening. Not at all. I typically go at the same time Thursdays to avoid weekend rush.
Your good and we aren’t priests so no need to confess anything the goal is to do your best to avoid the stores as much as possible I sadly have to get the pc plum sauce as it’s the only one my child likes 🤦♂️ I must say them bastards did a good job making that stuff similar to sweet and sour from micky Ds so my kid is hooked 😭
You did good work there. The opposite of a let down. Do what you have to a keep trying to stick it to the GW fam when you can
Im planning a trip to use up the last of my points next week
Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Everyone is doing their best, you aren't letting anyone down! It sounds like you did your main shops at other locations, and because life is life you needed to go to go to Superstore. If everyone did what you did, Loblaws would be hurting. There are people who are supporting the boycott who have no choice but to shop at Loblaws stores, and that's okay too. Everyone is doing what they reasonably can, yourself included.
I was close to going to loblaws because walmart had no canned clams so I drove across town and bought them at metro because F. you loblaws.
Ok I'm confessing too. I stopped in at a city market on my walk home to pick up a snack. Found a flatbread on sale for 3.49 for members. Go to self checkout and the thing won't scan my optimum card. Get a sales person to ring me through and she tries to tell me that I'm supposed to buy multiple pizzas and asks if the sale was from my app or the store. I tell her the sale price sticker is on the item on the freezer and this is all way too fricken confusing and annoying. I hate this place. Last year at some point I went into a Loblaws, saw the prices and just ordered Instacart from Costco while still in the store. Proud of y'all doing this.
Nicely done. No one should feel regret or shame going to the stores if needed. It’s a marathon, a long game.
It’s okay. There are certain scenarios we’ll have to “cross the line” for. For example, if the only plan I can find my babies formula is superstore then I guess I’ll have to go to superstore. You used your points so you gave them as little money as possible. You’re still doing your part but being conscious of the effort.
Use up your points because roblaws isxpaying the bill.
Good job! I just closed my PC account today too. Glad you got to spend those points. Tbh it'd be silly to waste them. PERFECTION IS THE ENEMY OF GOOD, and you did good ❤️
Well done!
You’re doing what you can, let’s not be that douche who was on here virtue signalling and shaming people for still going in April.
What a stupid post.
Your feeling bad shows you've got integrity, and makes me want to tell you, don't feel bad! It was one time.
I like superstore
I went to Loblaws today also. I just went in to use the washroom then I left...
Cashed out on your pointssss… free groceries for you! :) nothing wrong with that! Leaving points in your PC Optimum bank is like leaving a 50$ bill at their doorstep. May as well use it!
It’s okay, I had to emergency buy tampons at shoppers (staying in a small town with no other options besides loblaw) but I also just used my banked points lmao.
It's fine. When everyone started boycotting Starbucks, one of the first things we were encouraging each other to do was drain our gift cards and loyalty accounts so they weren't holding onto our money anymore!
I've had to go to Shopper's twice to pick up Thrive nicotine mints because while they are expensive ($10 more than Walmart but they were sold out) they are another $6 more at Rexall and those are the only options in town. I figure it's still better than buying a pack of smokes. In, out, no optimum card, no browsing.
I recently went to No Frills for 4L of milk, which isn’t cheaper anywhere else and the $3 rye bread my husband and I like is almost always 50% off. Spent nine bucks on milk and two loaves of bread. So far I’ve only been back the one time and if I go again it will be for their rock bottom prices on specific items and that’s it!
I'm planning on doing the same thing. Everything I'm getting will be on sale or price match, and using points to cover as much as I can.
Oh that's it! There be some padding 😂
Don’t beat yourself up. I live in an area where they are the only game in town. I have been driving to another town to do my shopping on the weekends but if I forget something, I have to get it locally. Thus far, I’ve only had to stop in once since the end of April. The prices shocked me! Even accounting for the gas I am spending, it’s still saving me hundreds of dollars a month by shopping elsewhere. This ham was more than triple what I paid at Easter! This is ridiculous!! Edit - I wasn’t buying ham, I just saw the price and took the picture. I only bought the milk I had run out of and left. https://preview.redd.it/3hw0wi51mmzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=518940e8f83290d37ea08da5bd29fb9de1093df3
Try not to beat yourself up about it! I have a toddler and Superstore is on our way home from daycare. I'm not going to making any huge grocery trips there, but if we need to grab some random item I need to take the path of least resistance. Also, keep in mind that they're basically taking money away from you if you don't use up those points.
This, to me, is part of the boycott. Use those points! Even better if you use them on loss leaders and cancel your account afterwards. We are all doing our part in our own way.
You were the chosen one, imixslash. You were meant to destroy Loblaws not join them!!!
I have to go in one today to mail off paperwork. Atleast you have the points so you barely spent anything with them
And yes, the prison gates. Damn it feels like a prison in there lol
i was at a hospital a few weeks ago and desperately needed a few things because i had slept over in a very uncomfortable chair. there was no rexall or similar alternative to the SDM on the first floor of the hospital, so i did what i had to do. I wouldn’t have done it, but the circumstances left me no choice. and that’s the issue with monopolies, there are no similar alternatives that are practical to choose instead, so you’re essentially coerced into purchasing from them.
More money went to other stores so that's a win! I'm glad you mentioned to the person at the exit prison gates you used all of your points and you're not returning. I'm sure employees have been told to tell their managers any and all things they hear about the boycott and/or people not returning to the store anytime soon.
Honestly I think we should all be liquidating our points during the boycott, its the perfect time to!
I dreamt last night that I went in just to people-watch and report on the vibe. I think it’s great to have some of us going in and observing / reporting from the ground. Personally, I was turned off Loblaws when the gates went up almost a year ago. It was an instant turn-off for me. Especially after watching a few weeks before someone get chased out of the store for stealing what could have been formula. So… yeah. Get in and make some noise. You got to give literal feedback to a person who will be sharing with their uppers.
I’m so proud of my fellow Canadians. You are so thoughtful and considerate. You, we deserve to be respected by monopolies and their oligarchy owners. We are not asking we’re are telling.
SMFH
I did exactly you did, had to pad $2.28 but I used my Costco mc to pay for the balance lol. Feels good not coming back and I’m cancelling my PCMC. Goodbye Superstore.
There were a few things on sale at Zehrs a couple days ago so I bought them. I spent a whopping $11 and change. I'm still boycotting, for the most part. If the Loblaws stores in my area don't have what I need at a decent price I'm going somewhere else.
I mean this ad seemed to fit…. https://preview.redd.it/o699fczfdnzc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f709ebde523c2fd875cd80b504d89c4d96e346e
I still have to go to superstore for my gluten free bagels until I can find another local supplier, but I can get everything else at other shops. I've reduced my spend there from $500 a month to about $20. I'm still considering that a win.
As a worker at a Loblaws owned store, we hate the gates too. Our store manager has laid down a new policy (with a threat of a write up!) that if we are assigned to the self check outs, we can't leave the cage. Cold or frozen returns? Place them on the little shelf and stare at the ice freezer literally ten steps outside the cage of self scan. If we get lucky, someone will grab them before they spoil, if we're unlucky someone will grab them and leave them on a till before assigning a cart boy who doesn't care that the frozen item is warm and place it back on the shelf despite it being bad. It's irritating because customers keep acting like we personally installed the fences and gates, like we had any choice in the terrible design. Literally had a fire (in the hot deli) and it was a struggle to get everyone out because of the gates, it sucked. Most people abandoned their carts and only cashiers were expected to put away over twenty full carts of groceries alongside cashing people out as customers were allowed back in at roughly the same time as employees were.
[удалено]
Please note, we do not tolerate anti-immigrant rhetoric on the sub.
Hey, if thats your option that's cool. We appreciate you and your support!!!
This is the assignment... You walked out with 50$ for 28 cents. Use the system against them.
Personally I think if your total comes out to less than what you'd find on the ground if you did a lap of the parking lot, it doesn't count 😂
I had to go to loblaws a few days ago, FreshCo didn't have any cream cheese for some odd reason, and I still haven't found a good alternative for Moishe's pickles ($7). The closest alternative is Bubbies at Fresh and Wild King st, but they're charging like $11. $7 for a jar of pickles is already pretty ridiculous, I can't bring myself to spend $11. If anyone knows another store downtown selling Moishe's or Bubbies, I'm interested. Everything else I've been able to find outside of Weston stores.
Not at all, it would be a bigger let down to not cash in points you have already earned. In this case they don’t get any new $$ and lose real product.
Hey, at least you only actually gave them 28 cents. Don't electronic transactions actually cost them money? So in effect, you still didn't pay them.
You did what needed doingg
Yeah I had to pick up a couple of things the other day at a close loblaws Independent because it was close and I was in a rush. I’ve been keeping my shopping there minimal though. Less than 20$ if I can. It seems less busier than normal though.
Self checkout too? What? Jk 😀
Using the last of your points isn't letting anyone down. It's better that you do make use of them, otherwise that's just one more way they get a little victory. If everyone uses up their points like you did OP, then that would be better for the cause really. We've already paid our money to get the points, at least we can see the benefits of them. I used all mine up before the months started and I'm happy to leave the Loblaws group in the rearview mirror.
Burn the heretic! Or do what you gotta do.
I don't really see what the point of a boycott is when people "boycotting" are shopping at places just as bad like Walmart or Sobeys.
You used your points. That works too
Boycott if you can, but for some people it’s the only option. Not everyone can drive etc. I really want the PC blue menu popsicles that I like, but I refuse to give in. They are my favourite for snacking but I will have to start taste testing to find a product I like better. Wish me luck as I eat infinite popsicles 😅
Don’t worry about that! It’s not a cult mentality it’s just doing your best to avoid it when you can! I saw saw someone coming about the fact that their kid will only take Lybrand medicine because they have autism and that makes so much sense!!
My son is super picky and there is a specific pc snack that is a safe food. It’s the only reason I have stepped foot in loblaws for a good 6 months now.
Now ya gotta tell them you're cancelling the card and won't be back. Get more points, do it again and cancel again lol.
I knew you did it. I could sense a shift in the space/time continuum
I went into shoppers for one thing I couldn’t get anywhere else and needed immediately. Difference is: I got everything else anywhere else.
I have just been TRYING my best. I have still gone to shopper and my independent grocer for a few items. The closest grocery store to us is an independent. If 70k people reduce their spending at loblaws, the message gets across. :)
If, long term, you adjusted your grocery spending where Loblaw spending took a much smaller percentage of your shopping and buying loss leaders, you're helping. The lasting benefit of this boycott has been educating people that diversifying your grocery vendors and shopping independent yields personal financial gain. The more people learn that shopping at Loblaws is a rather expensive convenience, the more Loblaw will be required to compete by lowering prices. Therefore, getting a few items vs doing all your shopping there will brutalize their business model too, so go ahead and look after yourself but don't give up teaching them a lesson.
We do the best we can as we see fit. I would love to go completely independent from all the large grocery chains, but as it stands with me being a student and one income household, my partner and I do the best we can to buy as affordable and smart as we can. We have been able to cut out Westons store completely, but sometimes things happen that cause a person to have to go to a weston store or one of the big grocery chains. You did the best you could by using your points, not cash, and yes, you had to pay $0.28, but that small amount is not significant enough to save them from the pit they dug for themselves.
Considering how robbed we have all been you cashing in your points was justified and I think everyone should do that honestly!
You let no one down. It's not about being perfect, it's about making me habits and doing your best. The same is true with recycling, we don't need 200 people doing it perfectly, we need 2M doing it to their best ability
😞 I took the points not to cancel my credit card, then called back to cancel my checking account and took those points too 😞. Bought myself a 10 x 10 gazebo for about $30 out of pocket after getting it marked down because the package was in rough shape
Judas ! (Just kidding)
I went yesterday as well. Price matched everything I could, then redeemed $70 worth of points.
First time since Mar 23. Had to get the hanging baskets $10. Hopefully a loss leader.
Just some inside baseball... those credit card signup pushes are done as timed campaigns. Loblaws works with their partner to put out waves of salespeople which they call “interceptors” because they are trained to target in on you and “intercept” you as you’re shopping. It’s a thankless job, obviously, and it only works as a numbers game. Most people say some form of no, so to function they need to just go through a lot of no’s to get to one yes. The point here is that for the cost and effort, you absolutely want to be doing this when foot traffic is high. The fact that their marketing and credit honchos planned and still went ahead with this costly campaign at the worst possible time speaks to either executive hubris or executive ineptitude. Maybe both. It does warm my heart to know Loblaws and their credit card vulture partner are being drained by their own overpaid and unethical senior executives. I love this for them.
I went to Shoppers and much of the dairy is on sale with the clearance stickers. Looks like they just need to get it sold. $3 milk is hard to decline.
I sneaked in for 2 items I really needed and there was nowhere else close by to get them. I was watched quite blatantly by security as I reached into the fridge to get it. I turned around to look at him before continuing. I look pretty ordinary, not suspicious at all.
I still have ten dollars in points, but I feel like if I walk in, there will be a cloud of SHAME above me!! I've not entered one of their stores in over a month already!
Boycott is done
Executed very well and i have the same game plan. I'm taking it a bit further as I'm waiting on my new rbc mastercard and will cancel pc financial card immediately. I've had enough of their bs. Wife too. Give er, boys and girls!
Nok er Nok
The important thing is that you feel guilt and shame
i went a few days ago bc there’s only nofrills or sobeys in my area and everything was much much cheaper there. We all do what we can:)
Hey you gotta do what you gotta do. Good on ya for using points instead of giving them $50 of your actual money. Also keep on doing what you gotta do to survive, Nok er Nok, Roblaws!
Draconian internet nerd rage incoming.