Provinces promised crackdown on pandemic price gouging. In fact, there have been few repercussions
Within weeks of the coronavirus pandemic being declared, one premier after another made tough promises to stop price gouging on essential products. Yet, CBC's Marketplace has learned that despite tens of thousands of reported complaints, little legal action has been taken across the country. [Original post]
In Alberta prices were sky-rocketing at times. At the start of the pandemic grocery stores like the Safeway, we're really taking advantage of the situation. At one point, toilet paper was worth a dollar a roll.
Eventually things seemed to level out. Levels never returned to the prices offered before the pandemic. I worked out prices of what available data I could find and determined, over-all, that prices are seven percent higher now, than they were before Covid19.
I did my tally about three months ago. Last week my daughter did her own. She wasn't aware I had done the same thing three months earlier. Her tally showed that prices, over-all, are eight percent higher than they were before the pandemic.
Instead of helping it's front-line workers, Loblaws just paid out massive dividends to rich shareholders.
North 99's newsletter this morning reports, "Loblaws just raised the dividend they pay out to their wealthy shareholders. But they refuse to bring back pandemic pay for workers, even as COVID-19 cases skyrocket.
"Workers and their families are putting their health on the line to help keep food on our tables. They’re on the very front-lines.
"Many of them are forced into precarious work, with minimum wage and part-time hours. In October, Loblaws refused to give Newfoundland workers a living wage because “competition is fierce” and “the business is right now struggling."
" But that's wrong! The company’s sales and profits are up. [3] And instead of helping workers, that money is going directly into the pockets of rich shareholders."
They sent a link to a petition if you would like to add your name and demand that Loblaws stop the shareholder giveaway and pay its workers a living wage.