Pay-what-you-can grocery opens in Toronto, but experts say model can be hit-or-miss
TORONTO — There’s a reason you don’t often see a pay-what-you-can grocery store, say marketing experts intrigued by a Toronto venture billed as the first of its kind.
But chef Jagger Gordon says it’s an experiment he’s eager to try with his Pay It Forward Grocery Store, which opened Saturday with many of the typical staples you might find in a conventional supermarket.
The difference is that visitors are encouraged to take just what they need, and only pay what they can, even if that’s no money at all.
Gordon doesn’t expect to make a profit from this project, which includes a bakery and cafe and is the latest endeavour from his zero-waste and food security campaign, dubbed Feed It Forward.