I was heading out to take-in lunch to my parent who lives in a retirement home. We like to have a Harvey’s hamburger lunch, a break from the regular residence menu. Conveniently a fresh batch of Harvey coupons arrived in the morning mail. Isn’t it spooky sometimes how something you think about materializes right after?
But then I searched the coupon sheet for the familiar “two can dine for $12.99” and couldn’t spot it. I had to look closer. In the previous admail coupon pictured, the 12.99 deal was good up to Dec 31. but in the new admail the January-February deal is up a buck.
Is it price inflation in general? A consequence of the rising minimum wage?
Now the extra buck didn’t kill me. Or even bankrupt me. But I noticed it. Just like I notice the proliferation of self-service checkouts at IKEA or HDepot. And starting now, Loblaws makes the customer weigh their bananas instead of the cashier. Hmm.
Yes, and at those self-checkouts (even at Shoppers Drug Mart) there are cheerful young ex-cashiers to assist confused shoppers in the transition period, likely unaware that they are helping to get unemployed. But this is progress, and hopefully they have time to get back to some college to learn something that will be in demand for the next 20 years. How about electrician, what with independent power for homes and chip controlled everything. But will It be an Electrician or an AI Technologist we will have to call?
Inflation was one of the many consequences that were identified by the economists when the Ontario government announced the $2.40 increase to the minimum wage, along with many other minor, but not cost-free changes to the labour laws. The $1.00 increase is not an unintended consequence, this is merely a consequence that the Ontario government felt free to pass along, unadvertised. It seems that governments do not think they need to act in accordance with the truth in advertising laws.
Oh I love it. Loblaws never did make me weigh the cashier. Thanks for this.
Ever wonder why McDonalds in so cheap in the U.S.? Their Federal minimum wage is U.S.$7.60.!!! We have to start and pay people a living wage. If that means you use less fast food and learn to cook at home… well? Could you not cook those same burgers at home for a fraction of the cost? Why do these deals always include a large soft drink when I don’t drink soft drinks? For the Last 20 years we’ve grown used to Walmart prices and if something’s not on sale we won’t buy it. We have to get used to the fact that people who supply all the conveniences for “ultra busy people” have needs too and need to be paid properly. The “ultra busy” people need to include those costs in their next contract negotiations. Some of us can afford to shop at Sobey’s, Farm Boy and farmer’s markets. Some of us can afford to buy organic and free range but a lot of us have to shop at Superstore and buy battery chicken eggs, (I hate it every time I reach for a dozen), because that’s what we can afford. Don’t forget the West of Bronson Downtown still has a lot of working poor and people living on fixed incomes living here. We still want nice homes and to keep living in a wonderful, (Little Italy), neighbourhood. We also appreciate your contributions to keeping this neighbourhood great. Just saying….