Loblaw is the target of a nationwide boycott to try and force grocery prices down. (Kevin Kyle/CHAT News)

By Jesse Gill

Boycott of Loblaw-owned stores for the month of May gets underway

May 1, 2024 | 8:30 AM

Thousands of Canadians will take their business elsewhere in May as a nationwide month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores kicks off on Wednesday.

A group on the Reddit social media platform called Loblaws is Out of Control has over 60,000 members as a driving force behind the boycott.

Marla Howard, owner of Heart & Soul Fitness, Nutrition and Private Chef Services in Medicine Hat, has become a supporter of the boycott as it gained momentum across social media.

“In grocery stores since this has started I’ve seen a steady incline of the price increases, which don’t match inflation,” Howard said.

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“Inflation is supposed to be seven per cent to nine per cent, and you see things that are increased by 50 per cent to 300 per cent, which I have seen.”

“There’s something wrong with that, and that has really got the attention of the people, and now it is time for us to come together and really do something about it,” she added.

“The reason why we’ve targeted them is because they were bragging about their profits.”

The goal of the boycott is to get people to take their money elsewhere because of the mounting frustration over grocery prices.

In Medicine Hat, Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart are both owned by Loblaw.

There is a number of locals who have commented about their frustrations with grocery costs and are planning to support the boycott online.

Trista Hindes found out about the boycott through TikTok and said she isn’t impressed with the CEO of Loblaws taking home bonuses while everyday people struggle to pay for groceries.

“At the end of the day, he’s taking home massive amounts of money. It just doesn’t seem right when people like me, I’m a single person, I live on my own and I’m struggling to feed myself,” Hindes said.

“I don’t have kids. I don’t know how people with kids are doing it right now. Single moms, I have mad respect for because they have extra mouths to feed that I don’t and I’m struggling.”

Hindes is planning on utilizing greenhouses and butcher shops around the city for her food needs.

This is also something Howard has been doing and plans to continue.

“I prefer to source out to smaller, to my friends that own farms and the greenhouses that are here in town. We have amazing local fresh produce all the time at our disposal everywhere you go, everywhere you turn,” Howard said.

“I do hope that, it does become something bigger with these big box stores because they deserve to suffer a little bit,” she added.

“They have huge profits and us, the little guys, are suffering and so I vote we hit them where it hurts and that’s in the money, in the wallets. So boycott, I think it’s great.”