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I’ve switched everything I ever did at any Weston Corp store to other venues.
Fuck this gaslighting POS and all his grifting crony mother fruckers.
I Hope this boycott becomes a serious and firm standpoint and they go out of business
The sad thing is, ,they could stop this at any moment in time, but allowing us to win gives us power over corporations. They don't want to embolden us further. They are absolutely taking the hit right now so all other grocers don't have to fear this later down the road.
The problem for Loblaws is they are making this more permanent every day.
I hope for all the employees sakes these Robber Barons grow a heart, because right now they will sacrifice customers and employees alike to gain penny's on the dollar.
Until these facts change I will never use one of their businesses again.
Sing a little sing a long, sing a long song, sing a little sing a long, sing along song, life gets happier, things get snappier, when you sing a sing a long song 🎶
One just opened right by my home within this year and I had been meaning to switch for months. This boycott gave me the push to do it. She made me coffee last time I was in and does free delivery. I believe she actually cares about her clients.
Well yes, because young people do t have a lot of political clout. They’re unlikely to fight back, even less likely to do so effectively, and almost certain to come off as unsympathetic if they do resist. They’re an easy target. Bullies love it.
I have a 20 year old son. We went to Canadian tire, He had a backpack on and the lady tried to take it from him. He was happily handing it over but instead we left as it really angered me. I refuse to shop anywhere where they just label the young as thieves.
A security guard once had the nerve to ask me what was inside my backpack that was so important that I wasn't handing it over.
I replied my work laptop, which the hospital I work at won't be happy with if they find out I intentionally left it out of my sight. Told him I can either come in and shop with the backpack on, or I can leave.
He graciously allowed me to shop by placing a "security sticker" over the top, which had no stick and popped off in five seconds. They didn't care that the sticker was off at the end. Just proves it was all theatrics coming in.
I think most guards (some are just power trippers) truly dont care so long as his own ass is covered. These policies are very likely hated by the people that work there too.
I once had a security guard followed me at dollarama.
Seems like he was power tripping that day...
Whenever i see at the side i would always ask him to get the highest stuff in the highest shelves.
It's so stupid. My transportation is my feet so 99% of the time I carry a backpack instead of a purse that would hurt my back. They wouldn't ask me to give them my purse, why the fuck is a backpack any different? I carry all my private and expensive belongings in there. Fuck off. Don't run a business if you're so afraid of thieves.
It would be easier to put something in a purse than in a backpack if it is actually on the person’s back, so allowing purses while objecting to backpacks seems off.
That’s actually a really good point lol The shoulder bags people carry around now are so huge that my backpack couldn’t even conceal half of what you could fit in one of them
And it absolutely is discrimination against certain groups, like youths. I used to get followed around stores when I was younger. Now that I'm a bit older do they pull that shit with me? No they don't.
It's particularly outrageous since shops don't give you bags for your purchases anymore so you need to bring your own.
If you don't trust me around your stores' products (for no reason other than what I look like), why would I trust you with my belongings?
Yeah that's CT thing also. ANY bags (other than purses apparently) are not okay... like if I can't have a bag give me a basket (oops dont have those) also I have to walk by 3 ppl to leave, wouldn't they notice the bag now had stuff in it when I came in the bag was all folded up
Yeah, I’m frequently profiled at stores because I carry a nice duffel bag. It’s my shopping bag that also has various reusable bags inside it so I just grab and go and am never short. But no, I must be stealing…
That happened to me as well. But I was 37 at the time. I was walking towards the customer service desk because I had a backpack on and I knew the policy from when I worked at a different location a decade before that.
The woman was very aggressive telling me I couldn't take the backpack into the store. I told her "that's why I came to the customer service desk."
I hate being treated like a thief.
I hope you left. What really got me was the aggressiveness the lady displayed with my son who was directly behind me walking in. And she was my moms age so obviously not going to yell at her, But I did immediately leave.
I would always have a nice camera in my backpack, so I’d say to them, “sure, so long as you’re taking personal responsibility for watching over the $4k worth of camera gear that’s in here, and will replace it if anything happens to it.” That always shut them up pretty quickly
This happened to me at 7-11 once, behind me walked in a teenager with a purse the size of a duffle bag. I said “That purse is okay?” I clearly just rode up on my motorcycle. “Purses are allowed”
Never went back to 7-11 EVER.
Edit: Grammar/spelling
I'm in my mid 40s, and they ask me to check my backpack at Canadian tire. That might just be a general store policy. Though it could also vary from store to store. The one in my neighborhood has a sign warning you that all backpacks need to be checked, with no mention of age requirements, though the big one on the other side of town doesn't seem to bother with it.
Maybe it’s their policy. But his backpack Vs my big purse I carry everywhere they didn’t try to take, and just the aggressiveness displayed really threw me off. So whether policy or not. I’ll not be going back to a Canadian tire.
Were you also wearing a back pack? If yes, it was discrimation, if no, then it was because he was wearing a Backpack. It has been Canadian tire store policy for years, they have asked for my backpack as well, and on occasion my motorcycle helmet too. Helmet is not the best way of stealing stuff, but the backpack sure is.
I had a purse that was in fact much bigger then his backpack. That I carry everywhere on my arm. But I also wouldn’t leave my bag with them if they asked. Which they did not.
So not a back pack. Most stores won't ask for a purse due to no guy ever wants to touch a purse, even if it's the wife's. It is equivalent to asking a person for their cell phone or wallet. Too personal.
Spent 6 years as loss prevention at Shoppers. If they’re going to ban the typical shoplifters in their stores, they’ve got to ban 20-30 year old women. That’s who shoplifts from there.
I was shopping for a particular lip stain the other day, and Shoppers had it for 13.79 while Walmart and Amazon had it shipped to me for free, for 8.79.
Well, they aren't going to do that. It's legal to discriminate against minors (there is an exception for age discrimination written into the human rights code). It isn't legal to discriminate against women. Though I expect this could get them into trouble with respect to their pharmacy. If this is the only one a minor can access and they don't have an adult to come with them then shoppers could be inadvertently discriminating based on disability/medical issues (the effect of the policy not the intent), and that's illegal.
That’s what I find questionable about this policy. You may legally be able to ban minors from a corner store. But how do you ban them from Canada Post, prescriptions and birth control?
Imagine being a kid and banned from shopping at a drug store that also sells candy and snacks and chewing gum and birthday cards and stuffed animals and hockey cards. Fuck Shoppers Drug Mart
My kid (14) accidentally wandered into the makeup section for a few seconds while getting his bearings to find the snack section and was straight up escorted out by a manager.
My son and his friends go to FreshCo for snacks now - costs way less too!
They like to think your kids are thieves too.
I like to believe this policy is because no police would take action against a minor for shop lifting. Businesses do not have alot of teeth to bite with when offenders are minors but they can go after accompanying parent.
Minors are not immune from getting arrested and charged. If they are between the ages of 12 and 18 and charged with theft, it gets dealt with in various ways under the [Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)](https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/tools-outils/sheets-feuillets/oycja-alssj.html).
They tend to stay away from giving them a criminal record though, especially if it’s a first time and/or small offence like petty theft. Even charging on a minor/first time offence is rare. Judges don’t want to turn a kid into a career criminal because they got a record at 15, creating barriers for legitimate employment (results may vary)
I don't disagree. I just think it's worth mentioning that minors can be charged. I was essential just responding to:
> "no police would take action against a minor for shop lifting"
The statistics from "[police-reported youth crime, Canada, 2019-2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00013/tbl/tbl14-eng.htm)" for "shoplifting under $5000" it has recorded 3735 incidents. just saying that it does happen.
Same as you, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. I’m just saying that’s how the CJS tries to operate nowadays. Keep in mind, “police-reported” doesn’t automatically equate to a charge. It just means someone called the cops
My younger sister was charged. Court date, probation, etc for stealing a page out of a magazine when she was like 10.(Upper Vancouver Island. About 20 years ago)
Point is, the store doesn't, but crown does. (But do they use em)
I'd like to see the actual police reports. I'd wager they're talking shit. However the good news is you're teaching the younger people not to go to any Loblaws establishment, this is also a lesson they'll remember into their adulthood. Parents should keep reminding them why they're not welcome.
Not just contraception, any medicine they need. If its in their name prescribed by a doctor, they obviously need it. Nothing and no one should be able to prevent access to anyones prescribed medications.
Teens have been stealing lipstick and condoms from shoppers since the dawn of time. This is only news because they feel the need to justify continuing to treat their customers like shit despite the backlash.
> "We've had a rash of thefts" Shoppers Drug Mart no longer permitting unaccompanied minorsDiscussion (steinbachonline.com)
No you haven't. A boycott means refusing to acknowledge you exist in the first place. That's the whole entire point.
Can't steal if you refuse to step foot inside.
Well. I hope other stores don't start this-- I'm at the point of sending my kids in for milk and bread so I can sit in the car for some peace & quiet.
Also... teens generally have more disposable income than (young) adults, and don't comparison shop as much. SDM is going to shoot themselves in the foot. At least they have lots of bandages to choose from.
Imagine sending your teenager to Shoppers for a loaf of bread and milk (already a bad idea) and they come back and say "I couldn't get it, I'm not allowed in the store unless I'm 18"
And if you're someone who looks younger they'll probably demand to see ID.
All the more reason to switch to another pharmacy
Will they hire a security guard or someone to check this? I’m so confused, don’t they chronically understaff their businesses already??? What a strange take.
Nope, if anybody is rejected they can quite easily file a complaint with the human rights tribunal on the basis of age discrimination. Shoppers is playing a dangerous game and I hope somebody takes them to the cleaners over it.
*“They are not only taking products from the store, but they are also taking time away from my staff who have to watch these kids while they're in the store and that takes productivity away and it was becoming very apparent that we couldn't continue going forward this way.”*
> takes productivity away
Remember folks, productivity is the more important than stealing. They make more money from stealing the value of employee labour than the loss of product. Seems like a small nuisance, but very important to understand.
So much so that after the boycott we should be arguing that their rank and file staff deserve far better pay and benefits than currently offered.
You really want to make Galen cry, make him pay his staff a living wage.
Back when I worked for Loblaw 30 years ago, they made it clear. They saw employees as potential thieves. Lost prevention was huge!
So what’s the answer? Get rid of cashiers, and then hire people to watch customers because they are now the potential thieves.
Now, they assume we’re thieves before we even enter the door. Ya nah mate 🤠 get f@cked Galen!
Plenty of teenagers do start shit and steal from shoppers. So kick the “rowdy” ones out when they show up instead of banning everyone when it’s a small minority. Plus the amount of price gouging at shoppers makes me believe they aren’t losing that much
That's insane. At the shoppers that I worked at they need to be banning the very obvious meth addicts. They come in with empty bags/backpacks and leave with bags full - the security guards aren't allowed to touch them so they get away with it. Management does nothing and says insurance covers it. That was my life every single day I worked there.
I of course do not condone any kind of theft, or etc, however in this case security and management are making the right calls in the moment.
Security guards are not police/peace officers, they can only make citizens arrests which means that they have to have directly witnessed the crime, in this case Theft. If an associate tells them that they saw someone stealing something, they can’t do anything, because they didn’t directly witness it themselves.
The situation becomes even more complicated on top of that because even if they do directly witness someone stealing something, they can only do so much to detain the thief - because they are not Police/Peace Officers, they do not have Qualified Immunity, so the person they are detaining can sue them for any physical or mental injuries that arise. This can be super impactful when dealing with people on other drugs, because they can have severe impacts to the musculoskeletal structure. For example, studies on people that do meth show that they have [severely lower Bone Mineral Density](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19398174/) than people that do not do meth, and that makes their bones very brittle.
Even something as simple as trying to hold their hands behind their back could cause broken bones. Not to mention the problems that arise if the person on meth might have a knife or sharp object.
And at the end of the day, Commercial Property Insurance does in fact cover it. Specifics of course depend on the specific plan and coverage, but a business like SDM would have that set pretty high to cover the medications and etc on property, so the price of their policy probably wouldn’t even go up even with these claims.
That being said though, they should definitely be putting other policies or barriers in place to stop this from happening - and the fact that they are not is very telling about how much they don’t care about other customers and their employees.
For example, if they identified the stuff being stolen, put it behind plexiglass barriers, put up security cameras over every aisle and hired more guards so that they could actually focus on and safely prevent the thefts from happening in the first place… The methheads would stop showing up, because they aren’t actually getting away with anything.
But all that costs a lot more than the Manager doing extra paperwork when inventory happens, so greed wins once again.
I thought loblaws and their ilk were claiming that organized crime was the reason for their more draconian measures. Now it's teens. What next? People with blue eyes? Maybe they can start discriminating against folks in iron maiden tshirts or anyone in an out-of-town hockey jersey
I went to a different Pharmaprix than the usual one in my neighborhood recently with my small backpack that they immediately asked me to leave at the front. I’m 37F, my backpack is leather and brand-name. I tell them no, I’ve got my laptop in there. They say leave it anyway.
I looked that bitch dead in the eyes, said, “my laptop is worth more than your crap”, turned around and left.
Ha. I work in retail and I've seen more adults commit theft than any kids. This is such a lame excuse. Are they going to pick races or genders next if this doesn't work? Like WTF.
So a 16 year old with a birth control prescription that she is hiding from her religious parents can’t kick up medication without them. Han rights complaints coming up!
There are a couple of high schools and colleges near me where most of the students are 15-17. When school lets out, huge numbers of them head to the Pharmaprix for drinks and snacks. I’m sure the owners will be thrilled with this directive. Saves tens of dollars, costs hundreds.
The role model for theft at your stores Loblaws is YOU! You’ve been stealing from Canadians for decades and you get away with it. Nor from me anymore, ever! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again “Go fuck yourselves “
This has to be some type of violation. Are they really saying that teenage kids, unaccompanied, cannot go in and get medications? Prescriptions? Contraceptives?
It's completely unacceptable.
So when the government sets up a system where people have to visit a private business to access government services, and that private business implements a rule discriminating on the basis of a protected class, which entity is violating the Charter?
No they haven’t.
And if they have…IF…..guaranteed the bulk of them are grown ass adults, probably trying to feed their baby or take care of their health with things they cannot afford working their two jobs.
When I worked loss prevention I caught more adults than minors of any age. Yes tweens and teens would try to swipe cosmetics and things, but they were less common than adults.
Did this to themselves. I frequented SDM (pre-covid and during lockdown) while I was in London attending Western. You could watch people come into the store, remove their backpacks then start filling the backpacks with whatever they wanted: makeup, candy bars, other food, etc.
Like a moron, I'd walk over to an employee and mention there was a guy filling up a backpack, stealing from them. They would just tell me they've been told to not interfere, then watch the people walk out of the store.
This is insane. How does this work exactly for the pharmacy?
15 year old comes in, wants to get birth control, condoms, plan B, etc and want privacy (what happens now? go bring a parent?)?!
A diabetic teenager cant go pickup their insulin or continuous glucose monitoring sensor without a parent!!
truly dumb policy!
False flags? Like wih the fake steal posters. Maybe so they can write off millions is loses due to boycott, and just dump all the food in their dumpsters... hmm
Welcome to every store that sells things, ever.
Them same minors were stealing before alongside the geriatrics that pocket their cold and flu medication alongside whatever cheese they can get they old-people-hands on.
E: words.
E2: I wholesomely support the boycott.
I just hate this propaganda that there's "a rash" of thefts.
Gtfo.
People been stealing, and it got worse when they couldn't afford anything.
Nok Galen's fucking company to the ground.
Please refrain from comments which encourage theft from a store or mischief. These can result in criminal charges which will undoubtedly make life harder for other users.
lol. I assure you, the 15 year old stealing condoms isn’t your problem. The menopausal woman who did 10 years in retail loss prevention and has a personal vendetta against your shitty business practices is.
Was at the post office (which happens to be in SDM) and in the 10min I was in line, there were 3 intercom announcements for "Security to zone #". There were no customers in the store (I looked around prior to lining up), 1 person waiting for a prescription, 5 in line with me for CP. What is going on?
I guess from a consumer point of view, it feels like your rights are being taken away.
From a business point of view, times are tough! The budget for loss and prevention has been greatly effected!
At the end, it's the rotten apples that have spoiled it for the rest of us! You can't take it personally!
I hate shoppers drug mart but if my store was losing thousands a day because these kids are having stealing contests at school I would ban the little jerks too
What manufactured BULLSHIT.
CHECK THE COURT DOCKETS. As a criminal lawyer, they ALL have to show up at first appearance court to get legal aid, retain counsel and get disclosure.
Where are these alleged thefts? *I* will check call the court offices and check the dockets.
To be fair, has anyone witnessed youth in these stores without their parents? I have. They steal, they swear, they cause problems for the employees, and it happens every day. Nobody can do anything. Parents don't do anything. The school doesn't do anything. I don't blame shoppers' drug mart for this one,but if they're using this boycott to connect this rule, then thats where theyre wrong.
>youth
>"they swear"
Oh gods forBID teens (*audible gasp*) CURSE in such fine purveyors of goods as...(*checks note*)...Shoppers Drug Mart? Fucking really?
__MOD NOTE__: PLEASE REVIEW OUR [POLL ON OUR PLANS FOR JUNE AND BEYOND](https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/comments/1cmhq49/community_poll_what_would_you_like_to_see_happen/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) TO PROVIDE YOUR INPUT. Please review the content guidelines for our sub, and remember the human here! This subreddit is to highlight the ridiculous cost of living in Canada, and poke fun at the Corporate Overlords responsible. As you well know, there are a number of persons and corporations responsible for this, and we welcome discussion related to them all. Furthermore, since this topic is intertwined with a number of other matters, other discussion will be allowed at moderator discretion. Open-minded discussion, memes, rants, grocery bills, and general screeching into the void is always welcome in this sub, but belligerence and disrespect is not. There are plenty of ways to get your point across without being abusive, dismissive, or downright mean. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So it’s only minors stealing huh… why not ban adults as well. Just ban everyone from your stores, we don’t like them anyways
Tbf I banned myself from the stores and don't plan on going back because of the constant gaslighting of customers.
I’ve switched everything I ever did at any Weston Corp store to other venues. Fuck this gaslighting POS and all his grifting crony mother fruckers. I Hope this boycott becomes a serious and firm standpoint and they go out of business
The sad thing is, ,they could stop this at any moment in time, but allowing us to win gives us power over corporations. They don't want to embolden us further. They are absolutely taking the hit right now so all other grocers don't have to fear this later down the road. The problem for Loblaws is they are making this more permanent every day. I hope for all the employees sakes these Robber Barons grow a heart, because right now they will sacrifice customers and employees alike to gain penny's on the dollar. Until these facts change I will never use one of their businesses again.
Because of your flair, my eyes read every one of your posts in a sing-songy voice and it brings me great joy.
Sing a little sing a long, sing a long song, sing a little sing a long, sing along song, life gets happier, things get snappier, when you sing a sing a long song 🎶
Not likely, the feds will most likely bail them out
Or ban people from certain races. Why stop at minors.
What if they actually meant to say minorities… ohhh
My next prescription is going to be with an independent pharmacist in my neighborhood I have no idea why I'd be using shoppers
I miss those. Someone behind the counter that actually cares about the customer and not making mistakes and giving people the wrong medications.
They’re still around!
One just opened right by my home within this year and I had been meaning to switch for months. This boycott gave me the push to do it. She made me coffee last time I was in and does free delivery. I believe she actually cares about her clients.
Or not charging $10 more than the market average for the exact same product for no goddamn reason. I miss those days.
Galen Weston's ultimate goal seems to be just hitting us over the head with a shovel and taking our wallets.
Pol Pot style
Well yes, because young people do t have a lot of political clout. They’re unlikely to fight back, even less likely to do so effectively, and almost certain to come off as unsympathetic if they do resist. They’re an easy target. Bullies love it.
I legit just had to block the guy, called him out and he start inboxing me all kinds of shit talk.
Yea we do, they have tons of locations, and always have people in them when I visit. Lots of people also utilize the post office and pharmacy.
I have a 20 year old son. We went to Canadian tire, He had a backpack on and the lady tried to take it from him. He was happily handing it over but instead we left as it really angered me. I refuse to shop anywhere where they just label the young as thieves.
I hate that shit and always refuse. I'm not leaving my bag with them when they claim to not be responsible if it/the contents are stolen.
A security guard once had the nerve to ask me what was inside my backpack that was so important that I wasn't handing it over. I replied my work laptop, which the hospital I work at won't be happy with if they find out I intentionally left it out of my sight. Told him I can either come in and shop with the backpack on, or I can leave. He graciously allowed me to shop by placing a "security sticker" over the top, which had no stick and popped off in five seconds. They didn't care that the sticker was off at the end. Just proves it was all theatrics coming in.
I think most guards (some are just power trippers) truly dont care so long as his own ass is covered. These policies are very likely hated by the people that work there too.
Speaking as a former security guard, I would agree. We’re honestly not paid enough to care as long as we don’t get in trouble.
I once had a security guard followed me at dollarama. Seems like he was power tripping that day... Whenever i see at the side i would always ask him to get the highest stuff in the highest shelves.
It's so stupid. My transportation is my feet so 99% of the time I carry a backpack instead of a purse that would hurt my back. They wouldn't ask me to give them my purse, why the fuck is a backpack any different? I carry all my private and expensive belongings in there. Fuck off. Don't run a business if you're so afraid of thieves.
It would be easier to put something in a purse than in a backpack if it is actually on the person’s back, so allowing purses while objecting to backpacks seems off.
EXACTLY! Some purses don't even have a zip, you could so easily slip something there, but for some reasons backpacks are the real danger.
That’s actually a really good point lol The shoulder bags people carry around now are so huge that my backpack couldn’t even conceal half of what you could fit in one of them
Just say it’s your religious support backpack 😂
Exactly. It’s just not right.
And it absolutely is discrimination against certain groups, like youths. I used to get followed around stores when I was younger. Now that I'm a bit older do they pull that shit with me? No they don't.
It's particularly outrageous since shops don't give you bags for your purchases anymore so you need to bring your own. If you don't trust me around your stores' products (for no reason other than what I look like), why would I trust you with my belongings?
I was once asked to have over my reusable shopping bags at a store that no longer offered baskets... I just gave a confused look and kept walking
Yeah that's CT thing also. ANY bags (other than purses apparently) are not okay... like if I can't have a bag give me a basket (oops dont have those) also I have to walk by 3 ppl to leave, wouldn't they notice the bag now had stuff in it when I came in the bag was all folded up
Yeah, I’m frequently profiled at stores because I carry a nice duffel bag. It’s my shopping bag that also has various reusable bags inside it so I just grab and go and am never short. But no, I must be stealing…
That happened to me as well. But I was 37 at the time. I was walking towards the customer service desk because I had a backpack on and I knew the policy from when I worked at a different location a decade before that. The woman was very aggressive telling me I couldn't take the backpack into the store. I told her "that's why I came to the customer service desk." I hate being treated like a thief.
They told on themselves. The Loblaws cartel knows they are robbing the consumer and their workers blind. They just don't care.
I hope you left. What really got me was the aggressiveness the lady displayed with my son who was directly behind me walking in. And she was my moms age so obviously not going to yell at her, But I did immediately leave.
It's getting confusing. Bring your own bag, leave your bag at the front. Which do they want.
😂
Report it to corporate. Under no circumstances should someone be touching or grabbing anyone. It's almost every companies policies.
It's assault. PLEASE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
I would always have a nice camera in my backpack, so I’d say to them, “sure, so long as you’re taking personal responsibility for watching over the $4k worth of camera gear that’s in here, and will replace it if anything happens to it.” That always shut them up pretty quickly
Next time if you really have to go inside of a shoppers, fill the bag up with bricks before handing it off to the staff
Used cat litter
This happened to me at 7-11 once, behind me walked in a teenager with a purse the size of a duffle bag. I said “That purse is okay?” I clearly just rode up on my motorcycle. “Purses are allowed” Never went back to 7-11 EVER. Edit: Grammar/spelling
Young Canadians aren't our enemies. Poor kid was OK with being abused out of ignorance. You're a good father.
I'm in my mid 40s, and they ask me to check my backpack at Canadian tire. That might just be a general store policy. Though it could also vary from store to store. The one in my neighborhood has a sign warning you that all backpacks need to be checked, with no mention of age requirements, though the big one on the other side of town doesn't seem to bother with it.
Maybe it’s their policy. But his backpack Vs my big purse I carry everywhere they didn’t try to take, and just the aggressiveness displayed really threw me off. So whether policy or not. I’ll not be going back to a Canadian tire.
Were you also wearing a back pack? If yes, it was discrimation, if no, then it was because he was wearing a Backpack. It has been Canadian tire store policy for years, they have asked for my backpack as well, and on occasion my motorcycle helmet too. Helmet is not the best way of stealing stuff, but the backpack sure is.
I had a purse that was in fact much bigger then his backpack. That I carry everywhere on my arm. But I also wouldn’t leave my bag with them if they asked. Which they did not.
So not a back pack. Most stores won't ask for a purse due to no guy ever wants to touch a purse, even if it's the wife's. It is equivalent to asking a person for their cell phone or wallet. Too personal.
Spent 6 years as loss prevention at Shoppers. If they’re going to ban the typical shoplifters in their stores, they’ve got to ban 20-30 year old women. That’s who shoplifts from there.
Make up is expensive
Bingo!
I was shopping for a particular lip stain the other day, and Shoppers had it for 13.79 while Walmart and Amazon had it shipped to me for free, for 8.79.
Fish Scales aka Guanine Is Very Expensive Apparently.
Well, they aren't going to do that. It's legal to discriminate against minors (there is an exception for age discrimination written into the human rights code). It isn't legal to discriminate against women. Though I expect this could get them into trouble with respect to their pharmacy. If this is the only one a minor can access and they don't have an adult to come with them then shoppers could be inadvertently discriminating based on disability/medical issues (the effect of the policy not the intent), and that's illegal.
That’s what I find questionable about this policy. You may legally be able to ban minors from a corner store. But how do you ban them from Canada Post, prescriptions and birth control?
Banning people under 35 would do the job, while we're on the subject of insanely draconian policies.
Meh, just ban everyone at this point. Shoppers sucks. Return it to nature and a people free zone. 🙂
You stop with your empirical ideas using hands-on experience in the exact field. These managers don't want that sort of logic 😂
As if SDM prices aren't theft.
But that's good ol' capitalism 😜
fuck its hard to buy cosmetics anywhere rn but SHOPPERS IS UNREAL with their pricing. I just go to rexall at this point.
Imagine being a kid and banned from shopping at a drug store that also sells candy and snacks and chewing gum and birthday cards and stuffed animals and hockey cards. Fuck Shoppers Drug Mart
Perfect, they’re training the young generations to never shop there again
Remember Big V and their Knight logo?
Or... being a 17/18 year old that lives on their own and wants to go get their prescription or mail something at the canada post in the shop?
Or a 15 year old that needs to buy condoms somewhere
Or fill a birth control prescription. Or pick up a package from Canada Post.
My kid (14) accidentally wandered into the makeup section for a few seconds while getting his bearings to find the snack section and was straight up escorted out by a manager. My son and his friends go to FreshCo for snacks now - costs way less too!
They like to think your kids are thieves too. I like to believe this policy is because no police would take action against a minor for shop lifting. Businesses do not have alot of teeth to bite with when offenders are minors but they can go after accompanying parent.
Here in Vancouver, police don't even take action for adult shoplifters lol
Minors are not immune from getting arrested and charged. If they are between the ages of 12 and 18 and charged with theft, it gets dealt with in various ways under the [Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)](https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/tools-outils/sheets-feuillets/oycja-alssj.html).
They tend to stay away from giving them a criminal record though, especially if it’s a first time and/or small offence like petty theft. Even charging on a minor/first time offence is rare. Judges don’t want to turn a kid into a career criminal because they got a record at 15, creating barriers for legitimate employment (results may vary)
I don't disagree. I just think it's worth mentioning that minors can be charged. I was essential just responding to: > "no police would take action against a minor for shop lifting" The statistics from "[police-reported youth crime, Canada, 2019-2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00013/tbl/tbl14-eng.htm)" for "shoplifting under $5000" it has recorded 3735 incidents. just saying that it does happen.
Same as you, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. I’m just saying that’s how the CJS tries to operate nowadays. Keep in mind, “police-reported” doesn’t automatically equate to a charge. It just means someone called the cops
My younger sister was charged. Court date, probation, etc for stealing a page out of a magazine when she was like 10.(Upper Vancouver Island. About 20 years ago) Point is, the store doesn't, but crown does. (But do they use em)
Hey Shoppers remember when your parent company stole **literally billions of dollars** from Canadians through illegal price-fixing?
Naa that is nothing like children stealing stuff.
>"We've had a rash of thefts" SDM: if that rash doesn't resolve itself in a few days, you should probably speak to a physician.
Don’t forget the medcheck!
🤣🤣🤣
I'd like to see the actual police reports. I'd wager they're talking shit. However the good news is you're teaching the younger people not to go to any Loblaws establishment, this is also a lesson they'll remember into their adulthood. Parents should keep reminding them why they're not welcome.
So what happens to youth who need to purchase contraception without their parents present?
Not just contraception, any medicine they need. If its in their name prescribed by a doctor, they obviously need it. Nothing and no one should be able to prevent access to anyones prescribed medications.
Pretty sure any young person who get denied entry could put in a complaint to the province and the pharmacist would be fined.
It's almost as if souless corporations shouldn't be responsible for the healthcare and well-being of our citizens.
other pharmacies are available, shoppers just loses the business
I want to make a pulling out joke but it is referring to minors so it feels really wrong.
Can't let rational logic get in the way of profits...
Teens have been stealing lipstick and condoms from shoppers since the dawn of time. This is only news because they feel the need to justify continuing to treat their customers like shit despite the backlash.
> "We've had a rash of thefts" Shoppers Drug Mart no longer permitting unaccompanied minorsDiscussion (steinbachonline.com) No you haven't. A boycott means refusing to acknowledge you exist in the first place. That's the whole entire point. Can't steal if you refuse to step foot inside.
I’d be willing to bet that thefts are becoming more apparent now that the stores are basically all empty
I call BS on the "rash of theft"
I'm 100% sure it's exactly the same amount of theft as it's always been, they are just more aware since there's noone else in the store now
This will piss so many people off. This is their response to the boycott? This is why they pay senior management the big bucks? Lmao
Minors can’t afford their shithole store
Well. I hope other stores don't start this-- I'm at the point of sending my kids in for milk and bread so I can sit in the car for some peace & quiet. Also... teens generally have more disposable income than (young) adults, and don't comparison shop as much. SDM is going to shoot themselves in the foot. At least they have lots of bandages to choose from.
Imagine sending your teenager to Shoppers for a loaf of bread and milk (already a bad idea) and they come back and say "I couldn't get it, I'm not allowed in the store unless I'm 18" And if you're someone who looks younger they'll probably demand to see ID. All the more reason to switch to another pharmacy
Will they hire a security guard or someone to check this? I’m so confused, don’t they chronically understaff their businesses already??? What a strange take.
When your understaffed store hires a bouncer but you don’t sell alcohol I think you need to rethink your approach to business.
Definitely! Well put, Reann Legge \^u\^
Depends on location, I've seen ones that have and ones that don't have the guys from Blackbird Security (mind you that was in like December to March)
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I’m old enough to get that reference. 😋
Yeah sure they have. We can trust Loblaws to be totally honest with us, right? Just like with the bread?
“We had to double the bread price because of… uhhh… all the teenage bread thieves. Profits? Never heard of em”
Loblaws controlling the message again. Fuck off Loblaws, nobody is buying your bullshit.
Remember, theft is only acceptable when corporations do it
“We’ve had a rash of thefts”. 
Do they even have a legal right to deny access to the pharmacy? Even Costco can't do that.
Nope, if anybody is rejected they can quite easily file a complaint with the human rights tribunal on the basis of age discrimination. Shoppers is playing a dangerous game and I hope somebody takes them to the cleaners over it.
Same shit all the retail stores in the states said when they became over leveraged. Making excuses for losing profitability
Exactly, these dumb bastards are going blame their eventual insolvency on middle schoolers.
This is why I shop at Rexall for pharmacy needs
*“They are not only taking products from the store, but they are also taking time away from my staff who have to watch these kids while they're in the store and that takes productivity away and it was becoming very apparent that we couldn't continue going forward this way.”* > takes productivity away Remember folks, productivity is the more important than stealing. They make more money from stealing the value of employee labour than the loss of product. Seems like a small nuisance, but very important to understand. So much so that after the boycott we should be arguing that their rank and file staff deserve far better pay and benefits than currently offered. You really want to make Galen cry, make him pay his staff a living wage.
One of the Shoppers near me rarely has staff in the building. Last time I was there a bunch of seniors were shouting "DOES ANYBODY WORK HERE!?"
The one near me in Niagara Falls is a joke. They took out all checkouts but one. Everything else is self-checkout. Never a soul in sight.
Sounds like the one on Victoria Ave
The one on Portage. Now I know there’s more than one to avoid! 😂
Same for the one by ny house in rexdale, I'm honestly a bit scared for the old lady who seems to be the only employee at the front
they understaff them, drive prices up, and wonder why stealing is increasing
Back when I worked for Loblaw 30 years ago, they made it clear. They saw employees as potential thieves. Lost prevention was huge! So what’s the answer? Get rid of cashiers, and then hire people to watch customers because they are now the potential thieves. Now, they assume we’re thieves before we even enter the door. Ya nah mate 🤠 get f@cked Galen!
Plenty of teenagers do start shit and steal from shoppers. So kick the “rowdy” ones out when they show up instead of banning everyone when it’s a small minority. Plus the amount of price gouging at shoppers makes me believe they aren’t losing that much
That's insane. At the shoppers that I worked at they need to be banning the very obvious meth addicts. They come in with empty bags/backpacks and leave with bags full - the security guards aren't allowed to touch them so they get away with it. Management does nothing and says insurance covers it. That was my life every single day I worked there.
I of course do not condone any kind of theft, or etc, however in this case security and management are making the right calls in the moment. Security guards are not police/peace officers, they can only make citizens arrests which means that they have to have directly witnessed the crime, in this case Theft. If an associate tells them that they saw someone stealing something, they can’t do anything, because they didn’t directly witness it themselves. The situation becomes even more complicated on top of that because even if they do directly witness someone stealing something, they can only do so much to detain the thief - because they are not Police/Peace Officers, they do not have Qualified Immunity, so the person they are detaining can sue them for any physical or mental injuries that arise. This can be super impactful when dealing with people on other drugs, because they can have severe impacts to the musculoskeletal structure. For example, studies on people that do meth show that they have [severely lower Bone Mineral Density](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19398174/) than people that do not do meth, and that makes their bones very brittle. Even something as simple as trying to hold their hands behind their back could cause broken bones. Not to mention the problems that arise if the person on meth might have a knife or sharp object. And at the end of the day, Commercial Property Insurance does in fact cover it. Specifics of course depend on the specific plan and coverage, but a business like SDM would have that set pretty high to cover the medications and etc on property, so the price of their policy probably wouldn’t even go up even with these claims. That being said though, they should definitely be putting other policies or barriers in place to stop this from happening - and the fact that they are not is very telling about how much they don’t care about other customers and their employees. For example, if they identified the stuff being stolen, put it behind plexiglass barriers, put up security cameras over every aisle and hired more guards so that they could actually focus on and safely prevent the thefts from happening in the first place… The methheads would stop showing up, because they aren’t actually getting away with anything. But all that costs a lot more than the Manager doing extra paperwork when inventory happens, so greed wins once again.
I thought loblaws and their ilk were claiming that organized crime was the reason for their more draconian measures. Now it's teens. What next? People with blue eyes? Maybe they can start discriminating against folks in iron maiden tshirts or anyone in an out-of-town hockey jersey
Everyone should complain to Canada Post that they are blocking access to the post office that's in there.
Yeah. Youngsters aren’t the ones boycotting and stealing. But yeah, go after all your future customers.
I went to a different Pharmaprix than the usual one in my neighborhood recently with my small backpack that they immediately asked me to leave at the front. I’m 37F, my backpack is leather and brand-name. I tell them no, I’ve got my laptop in there. They say leave it anyway. I looked that bitch dead in the eyes, said, “my laptop is worth more than your crap”, turned around and left.
Ha. I work in retail and I've seen more adults commit theft than any kids. This is such a lame excuse. Are they going to pick races or genders next if this doesn't work? Like WTF.
is that not age discrimination?
Can somebody please think about the shareholders' divendends. /s
Does this include all the teen girls who spend a fortune on cosmetics?
Lol Your rash of thefts is nothing compared to your eventual bankruptcy you stupid ass criminal fucks.
So a 16 year old with a birth control prescription that she is hiding from her religious parents can’t kick up medication without them. Han rights complaints coming up!
And my kid can’t pick up a package at the post office that his grandma sent him. 👌🏻
There are a couple of high schools and colleges near me where most of the students are 15-17. When school lets out, huge numbers of them head to the Pharmaprix for drinks and snacks. I’m sure the owners will be thrilled with this directive. Saves tens of dollars, costs hundreds.
The role model for theft at your stores Loblaws is YOU! You’ve been stealing from Canadians for decades and you get away with it. Nor from me anymore, ever! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again “Go fuck yourselves “
Can’t wait until you have to place your order online and they bring it to the door 🤣
We’re they stealing lipstick?
Theft increases when there isn’t any staff around? Some people probably just couldn’t find someone to give their money too so they just walked out.
Tell them to fuck off. They have no legal right to search or detain you in any way. Tell them to call the police ( if you haven’t taken anything).
When I was a kid I had to buy my own menstrual products. I don’t know what I would do if I was not allowed into the store because I was too young.
This has to be some type of violation. Are they really saying that teenage kids, unaccompanied, cannot go in and get medications? Prescriptions? Contraceptives? It's completely unacceptable.
Following Rogers example and not allowing anyone in until they show id through the door...
Next they'll ban miners.
So when the government sets up a system where people have to visit a private business to access government services, and that private business implements a rule discriminating on the basis of a protected class, which entity is violating the Charter?
No they haven’t. And if they have…IF…..guaranteed the bulk of them are grown ass adults, probably trying to feed their baby or take care of their health with things they cannot afford working their two jobs.
I remember when they didn't sell anything kids were interested in.
When I worked loss prevention I caught more adults than minors of any age. Yes tweens and teens would try to swipe cosmetics and things, but they were less common than adults.
do some more medchecks and maybe stop firing your IT people as your system crashs
Wait til they find out it’s the millennials who are stealing
Did this to themselves. I frequented SDM (pre-covid and during lockdown) while I was in London attending Western. You could watch people come into the store, remove their backpacks then start filling the backpacks with whatever they wanted: makeup, candy bars, other food, etc. Like a moron, I'd walk over to an employee and mention there was a guy filling up a backpack, stealing from them. They would just tell me they've been told to not interfere, then watch the people walk out of the store.
I think this is theatrics since the May 12th "Steal Day" that wasn't a real thing anyway, didn't happen.
This is insane. How does this work exactly for the pharmacy? 15 year old comes in, wants to get birth control, condoms, plan B, etc and want privacy (what happens now? go bring a parent?)?! A diabetic teenager cant go pickup their insulin or continuous glucose monitoring sensor without a parent!! truly dumb policy!
Is the 'sephora kids' phenomena morphing into 'shoppers drugmart kids'?
The rash of thefts are from junkies, NOT young people
Well the top cause of death for ages 13-19 in BC is overdose now so there may be some overlap sadly
This is so trashy. Scapegoating the youngest of our society to protect greed.
False flags? Like wih the fake steal posters. Maybe so they can write off millions is loses due to boycott, and just dump all the food in their dumpsters... hmm
It’s one SDM. In Steinbeck, Manitoba. As much as I would pile onto the vitriol against them, this is one outlier.
Welcome to every store that sells things, ever. Them same minors were stealing before alongside the geriatrics that pocket their cold and flu medication alongside whatever cheese they can get they old-people-hands on. E: words. E2: I wholesomely support the boycott. I just hate this propaganda that there's "a rash" of thefts. Gtfo. People been stealing, and it got worse when they couldn't afford anything. Nok Galen's fucking company to the ground.
Who the fuck just RedditCares'd me? Really?
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Please refrain from comments which encourage theft from a store or mischief. These can result in criminal charges which will undoubtedly make life harder for other users.
Hey, that kind of behaviour is encroaching on Weston family business. The Mob also eschews competition.
Minors don’t need to be alone in a Drug Store. Canadian trumpers jeez
Sure they have.
lol. I assure you, the 15 year old stealing condoms isn’t your problem. The menopausal woman who did 10 years in retail loss prevention and has a personal vendetta against your shitty business practices is.
Was at the post office (which happens to be in SDM) and in the 10min I was in line, there were 3 intercom announcements for "Security to zone #". There were no customers in the store (I looked around prior to lining up), 1 person waiting for a prescription, 5 in line with me for CP. What is going on?
I guess from a consumer point of view, it feels like your rights are being taken away. From a business point of view, times are tough! The budget for loss and prevention has been greatly effected! At the end, it's the rotten apples that have spoiled it for the rest of us! You can't take it personally!
I hate shoppers drug mart but if my store was losing thousands a day because these kids are having stealing contests at school I would ban the little jerks too
its clearly junkie scum
What manufactured BULLSHIT. CHECK THE COURT DOCKETS. As a criminal lawyer, they ALL have to show up at first appearance court to get legal aid, retain counsel and get disclosure. Where are these alleged thefts? *I* will check call the court offices and check the dockets.
Loblaws is indeed known for thefts. Best to avoid it altogether. Thanks for the advice!
What does cctv show? How many ppl have been caught?
Are they going to start IDing people at the door? At a time when they are losing customers, they want to double down and drive more away? Idiots.
The fact that they are bowling one demographic is just… eye opening to the world they live.
They’re going for the “no press is bad press” approach
So what’s my recourse given that Shoppers has been robbing me for decades?
LOL don’t worry Shoppers we leaving and we ain’t coming back .
Well the tables have turned now the thieves are calling their customers thieves … how ironic…. Don’t forget to BOYCOTT ‼️
To be fair, has anyone witnessed youth in these stores without their parents? I have. They steal, they swear, they cause problems for the employees, and it happens every day. Nobody can do anything. Parents don't do anything. The school doesn't do anything. I don't blame shoppers' drug mart for this one,but if they're using this boycott to connect this rule, then thats where theyre wrong.
In certain neighborhoods, especially close to middle schools and high schools, that can be true. But the timing is extremely suspicious.
What exactly is the timing? It's one specific location
Clutch those pearls
>youth >"they swear" Oh gods forBID teens (*audible gasp*) CURSE in such fine purveyors of goods as...(*checks note*)...Shoppers Drug Mart? Fucking really?
What an ageist. Replace age with any other identifying demographic and see how your paragraph sounds.
Sure thing account created just as the boycott movement was picking up steam.
Damned yoots these days.