A petition asking the federal government to investigate Loblaw Companies Ltd. and introduce legislation to prevent the monopolization of essential goods has now garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Organized by Haruun Ali, the petition was launched in Feb. 2023 and aims to express the frustration of thousands of Canadians toward increasing grocery costs.
“We have all seen the rising cost of groceries at Canadian grocery stores and especially at Galen Weston-owned stores. Over the years, Loblaw Co. has cost Canadians billions as a result of their pandemic profiteering and greedflation,” the change.org petition reads.
Ali says he first started this petition in his university dorm because he’s faced food insecurity before and has witnessed his peers struggle with high grocery prices.
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Last week, the organizer thanked everyone who has shown support and signed his petition so far in an update.
“This fight for fair pricing and affordability matters, and whether it’s the grocery industry or the telecommunication industry, Canadians are frustrated and rightfully so. Together, we are driving meaningful change and shaping a better future. Thank you for standing with me and thousands of Canadians in this important fight for affordability,” he said.
The petition is also encouraging its supporters to join the Loblaw boycott next month when thousands of people are expected to protest its rising grocery prices and pressure the grocery giant to reduce its costs by 15 per cent and remove member-only pricing policies.
The boycott organizers are asking people to support local businesses, independent grocers, farmers’ markets and community co-ops instead of corporate grocery store chains.
