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Calum Marsh: As coronavirus panic mounts, grocery shopping starts to look apocalyptic – National Post

Published

5 years ago

March 14, 2020

At the Loblaws grocery store on Queen Street West in downtown Toronto this Friday afternoon, an air of caution prevailed. It wasn’t exactly the picture of apocalyptic hysteria that years of Hollywood blockbusters on the subject have trained us to imagine of the dawn of a global crisis — no writhing mass of berserk shoppers clawing at one another to claim the last can of baked beans, no frenzied shrieks as the frail and feeble are trodden beneath the heels of the lunatic mob. But the mood seemed distinctly harried as the crowd loaded their carts with whatever they deemed essential, prudently stocking up on jumbo bags of Flamin’ Hot Doritos and economy-size boxes of macaroni and cheese. Everyone looked quite calm, preparing for the end of the world. But the calm was fraught with warning — it said they were on the razor’s edge of utter panic.

Lunchtime at Loblaws is ordinarily the province of millennials who do shift work or industrious stay-at-home moms — a select few, reliably small in number, handily dwarfed by the immense queue for chicken sandwiches at the takeaway counter near the deli section by the entrance to the store. Now the lunch line virtually nonexistent, while the aisles in the store itself teemed with people, each of them clutching a cart on the verge of spilling over. Exhausted cashiers stared dead-eyed at lines of impatient shoppers that sprawled from the registers back to the refrigerators in the rear. A man I nearly collided with as I took a tight corner around the pasta aisle shot me an almost murderous look. “Be careful,” he urged. Packed sardine-tight, moving rapidly, everyone seemed afraid to actually touch.

Frozen Goods was a wasteland of depredation. Entire freezers had been ransacked: they were practically out of frozen fish and chicken nuggets, of burger patties and Hungry Man dinners. The only frozen pizzas left were a handful of the chocolate dessert pies; the place had been cleaned out even of Hawaiian. There were hardly any frozen fruits or vegetables left, just coconut and mango, the odd bag of organic peas. Ice cream was in short supply, shockingly — there was a massive hole where the value-size tubs of Chapman’s vanilla ought to be, and even boutique brands like Ben & Jerry’s had been all but depleted. Clearly some are anticipating a marathon self-quarantine, if emergency-supply pints of Chunky Monkey are called for. These are the stockpiling efforts of a society that’s very confused.

And then there was the toilet paper aisle. My God, the toilet paper aisle: the sight of a shopping massacre, annihilated by unnecessary accumulation, devastated by the desire to hoard. Miles and miles of empty shelves, not a square of two-ply left on the premises, as meanwhile shoppers stood stranded before the bare displays, alarmed and dumbfounded. What on earth is happening with the toilet paper situation? In the face of a serious respiratory disease, we have collectively decided that our number-one priority is the comfortable use of the toilet, and have therefore amassed ten-month supplies of Charmin, just in case. For what disaster are these people preparing? Is it simply a chain reaction to increased demand — a lemmings-like impulse to stock up because we’ve heard others have been? It’s the most inexplicable side effect of COVID-19. And at grocery stores now it’s the strangest sight.

There was a massive hole where the value-size tubs of Chapman’s vanilla ought to be. Clearly some are anticipating a marathon self-quarantine.

Calum Marsh/National Post

They actually had some toilet paper for sale across the road, at Shoppers Drug Mart — a few dozen 12-roll bags, still in the cardboard boxes they were shipped in, carelessly torn open and left to be plundered in the middle of the sales floor. As for the official toilet paper aisle, it had of course already been cleaned out, and one can conclude the employees felt the stuff was simply being sold too quickly to bother merchandising. On the whole, though, the pharmacy was in a state of considerably less disarray than the grocery store, if only temporarily. The sensation that the veneer of composure and politesse might at any moment vanish, replaced by unmasked frenzy, was difficult to shake. This was clearly only the beginning, independent of the direction the disease itself will head. Emotions will run higher still, and that calm will turn to dread.

Incidentally, it did turn to frenzy and dread at Loblaws, only about an hour after I wandered out. A fight erupted in the middle of the store; a gun was recovered; two people have been hospitalized, with more information about the context no doubt on the way. As ordinary people continue to flock to grocery stores such as Loblaws, increasingly desperate to be prepared for whatever is or might be happening, so too will tensions of the kind that provoke fights steeply mount. And while we may not need to fear contracting COVID-19 particularly, we should be aware of the danger presented by the attendant panic — the recklessness and violence that might arise when a whole lot of well-meaning but terrified people suddenly feel alarmed. You almost certainly do not need vast reserves of toilet paper to survive this pandemic. And trying to buy toilet paper, no one deserves to die.

The sensation that the veneer of composure and politesse might at any moment vanish, replaced by unmasked frenzy, was difficult to shake.

Calum Marsh/National Post

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Business

Canada Goose to get into eyewear through deal with Marchon

Published

3 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.

The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.

The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.

Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.

Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.

Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:GOOS)

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Business

A timeline of events in the bread price-fixing scandal

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.

Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.

Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.

Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.

Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.

Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).

Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.

June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.

Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”

Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.

July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.

Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)

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Business

TD CEO to retire next year, takes responsibility for money laundering failures

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.

Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.

The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.

As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.

TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.

TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TD)

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