Remember all the arguments for and against the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores? For better or for worse, these alcoholic products were finally allowed on grocer shelves by the provincial Liberal government back in 2015. Greater consumer access, more consumer flexibility, a seemingly more mature approach to alcohol sales in the 21st century.
The grocers, of course, were all for it, accomplished as they are at identifying new sources of profit, not caring one whit about what might be best for Ontario consumers. I’m not saying grocery store availability of alcohol was a bad thing, or for that matter, a good thing. I’m just simply saying that the decisions made by grocers were made on the calculus of profit margins, not improved access for consumers. They just used that argument as a basis for what they saw as the potential for increased profits.
There is a trend afoot with our grocers that sell beer and wine, especially in stores owned or operated by Loblaws, a company that always manages to emerge with stink on its breath when it comes to its customers. It appears that the company is scaling down, or eliminating altogether, the sale of beer and wine in its stores. The reason for this is simple: they’re not making enough money.
Profit margins for alcohol sales in grocery stores were slim to begin with, and so it seems the last eight years have borne witness to this reality. Plus, anyone purchasing spirits at a grocery store must make their purchases at a specific checkout with an alcohol-serving approved employee, limiting the number of checkout lanes available to that consumer. And, as well, theft through shoplifting of alcohol has cost the grocers dearly.
It’s ironic that self-checkouts, primarily intended as a means of lowering employee and staffing costs, have proven to be sieves when it comes to shoplifting, for groceries and alcohol alike.
So, as time marches forward, don’t be surprised to notice the gradual, if not sometimes sudden, demise of the beer and wine section of your local grocer. It’s just a sign that they’re not able to rip us off as much as they are on things like meat, butter, bread, eggs, produce, and everything else they have on offer. It’s also a sign that consumer behaviour can influence profits, and can result in change.
If only we could mobilize a boycott of targeted grocers to get the rest of our costs down. But apparently a docile population would much rather be stiffed in the ear or line up at a food bank before they would ever take any action to make their lives better. Grocers depend on this docility. It will only be when the anger to action threshold is reached that we will see any improvement in the behaviour of our grocery banditos.
When a cashier at a grocery store has to access a food bank? Is that not enough irony for anyone?
It would work with gas stations too. Just saying.
NEWSMAGRENFREW 