A CBC investigation has found that major Canadian grocers continue to charge too much for underweight meat, one year after a similar probe uncovered the unethical and deceptive practice.
Loblaw and Sobeys-affiliated stores were the target of a secret shopping investigation which found that despite claims that these chains were taking steps to rectify the problem, consumers are still being overcharged for underweight meat, which collectively results in millions of dollars in overcharges.
Over the past two months, CBC visited 17 Loblaw-owned or Sobeys-affiliated stores in the Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax areas where meat was found to be weighed and priced with the packaging included. Under federal regulations, the posted net weights for food and corresponding price must exclude the weight of the packaging.
CBC purchased and documented 32 underweight meat products from seven stores: two Safeways and a Thrifty Foods in North Vancouver (owned by Sobeys); two Farm Boys in the Greater Toronto Area (owned by Sobeys’ parent company Empire); and two Real Atlantic Superstores in the Halifax area, which their owner, Loblaw, now calls Real Canadian Superstores. Overcharges ranged from two to 16.7 percent.
As grocery prices are up 30 percent over the last five years, this isn’t a good look for the grocery retailers, particularly Farm Boy where the highest overcharges were discovered.
In light of the overcharges last year, the Canadian Food Inspection Industry (CFIA) has increased its unannounced meat weight spot checks and has issued warnings to seven retailers, but no fines to date.
In an email to CBC, Loblaw said the problem was limited to one product at a “small number” of stores, and that it has since reviewed protocols with staff. Karen White-Boswell, spokesperson for Sobeys and Empire, did not dispute CBC’s findings, but did not address them directly, stating in an email, “On occasion when errors occur, we investigate the issue so that it can be corrected.” Regarding Farm Boy, she said the chain is supplied by a third party and that “these products are packaged and weighed at a CFIA-certified facility,” though this was disputed by CFIA who noted that it does not certify facilities and that the onus is on the companies to comply with federal regulations.
