Loblaw Companies Ltd. has reversed previous intentions to end a 50% discount on food products nearing their expiry dates.Loblaw had recently revised its discount policy for soon-to-expire food items to just 30% on items such as meat, fruit and vegetables. The change would have affected Loblaw, Frills, Valu-Mart, Your Independent Grocer, and Zehrs stores. Loblaw said the move would align itself with market competitors and create a more uniform and predictable pricing strategy.The proposed change was criticized by Canadian politicians such as NDP MP Alistair MacGregor, who demanded Canada’s Competition Bureau look into the matter.Loblaw announced it had changed its mind in a January 19 statement to CBC News.“We’ve listened to the feedback from our customers and colleagues and are reverting where it existed before to the 50 percent off discounts,” said the company.“In the Atlantic, we had not implemented the change and will not. In the rest of the country, customers can expect to see 50 percent stickers returning in the next few weeks.”Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, welcomed the move and hoped other stores would follow."Compassion and responsiveness to public sentiment can transform a misguided decision into a powerful testament of corporate responsibility. Loblaw's timely reversal of its discounting policy on expiring food reflects the enduring value of doing what's right, especially when it matters most," Charlebois said."It's never too late to do the right thing, and Loblaw eventually showed its compassion by reversing its initial decision. Most Canadians can appreciate that retailers have the flexibility to adjust their discounting policies to stay competitive. However, this decision had the potential to generate a significant public relations crisis, as it touched upon issues of food affordability, food waste and Loblaw's reputation. And it did. The initial decision itself was flawed and the timing couldn't have been worse. Thankfully, the company ultimately made the right choice for all of us."In a commentary, Charlebois said the recent turnaround had a precedent. In 2016, Loblaw reversed its decision to stop carrying French’s products after public backlash. Loblaw saw its sales plummet within days.
Loblaw Companies Ltd. has reversed previous intentions to end a 50% discount on food products nearing their expiry dates.Loblaw had recently revised its discount policy for soon-to-expire food items to just 30% on items such as meat, fruit and vegetables. The change would have affected Loblaw, Frills, Valu-Mart, Your Independent Grocer, and Zehrs stores. Loblaw said the move would align itself with market competitors and create a more uniform and predictable pricing strategy.The proposed change was criticized by Canadian politicians such as NDP MP Alistair MacGregor, who demanded Canada’s Competition Bureau look into the matter.Loblaw announced it had changed its mind in a January 19 statement to CBC News.“We’ve listened to the feedback from our customers and colleagues and are reverting where it existed before to the 50 percent off discounts,” said the company.“In the Atlantic, we had not implemented the change and will not. In the rest of the country, customers can expect to see 50 percent stickers returning in the next few weeks.”Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, welcomed the move and hoped other stores would follow."Compassion and responsiveness to public sentiment can transform a misguided decision into a powerful testament of corporate responsibility. Loblaw's timely reversal of its discounting policy on expiring food reflects the enduring value of doing what's right, especially when it matters most," Charlebois said."It's never too late to do the right thing, and Loblaw eventually showed its compassion by reversing its initial decision. Most Canadians can appreciate that retailers have the flexibility to adjust their discounting policies to stay competitive. However, this decision had the potential to generate a significant public relations crisis, as it touched upon issues of food affordability, food waste and Loblaw's reputation. And it did. The initial decision itself was flawed and the timing couldn't have been worse. Thankfully, the company ultimately made the right choice for all of us."In a commentary, Charlebois said the recent turnaround had a precedent. In 2016, Loblaw reversed its decision to stop carrying French’s products after public backlash. Loblaw saw its sales plummet within days.
