A No Frills location in Ontario is among the numerous stores that have appeared to be experiencing an increase in stealing lately, and have taken action as a response.
As some Loblaws and Zehrs locations install security barriers at exit points, Adil’s No Frills at 85 Steeles Avenue West in Brampton has opted instead to lock up certain products that have proven to be the biggest theft risk — pretty common practice in the industry, as infuriating as some may find it.
One customer who drew attention to some items that he found newly behind lock and key at the supermarket over the weekend has spawned a ton of discourse on the subject, with some shoppers fully understanding management’s measure, and others left with some questions.
The main concern seems to be, as shopper Darshan Maharaja pointed out in his original post on X, that the commodity in this case is certain brands of ghee — clarified butter, a staple of south Asian cooking in particular — which some could see as racist.
“Ghee is now under lock and key at my local No Frills. Notice that all the other cooking oils are not,” Majaraja wrote to his 23,100 followers, thousands of which responded.
Yeah cause it’s expensive. https://t.co/WmtCtHTAiq
— X Detective Kay ☕️ (@kdhanjal12) September 9, 2024
Many appreciated that it looked like only the “better,” pricier brands were stocked this way, with one suggesting that “perhaps it is because ghee is four times more expensive, and more costly than the typical shelf item.”
But, this led others to wonder why tubs of coconut oil that have similarly high or even higher price tags can be seen in the photo, not locked away.
One ghee there is 7.99 and locked up but the coconut oil there is 18.99 and left out
— Stretched Out Death in Perpetuity (@JulsBudau) September 8, 2024
A few came to the logical (and correct) conclusion that the move was simply a response to the foodstuff being among the most stolen things in the store, noting that different products are shelved the same way at various retailers for this reason.
“That would be because they have experienced enough thefts that it was deemed necessary. My local Shoppers has all the deodorant on lock. That is because they used to get stolen a lot. Stop making issues out of nothing,” one person wrote.
“Ghee, I wonder why a store locks up certain products?” another joked.
And still, another stated that “corporations don’t care about race, they care about profits” and that “if their reports tell them a certain brand of some product is being routinely stolen, they lock that up.”
That would be because they have experienced enough thefts that it was deemed necessary. My local Shoppers has all the deodorant on lock. That is because they used to get stolen alot. Stop making issues out of nothing. https://t.co/o1BvSgY38C
— 𝔍𝔬𝔥𝔫𝔫𝔶 𝔄𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔞𝔩 🇨🇦🍁 (@JohnJAButcher) September 8, 2024
A spokesperson for Loblaw Companies Inc. confirmed to blogTO over email that the franchisee of this location “implemented the policy to address theft at their store.”