Food: Why no choice in Canada?
#1
Pamela 1
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 257
Food: Why no choice in Canada?
We have been in UK nearly 8 weeks and have not totally got used to all the wide choice of foods here. Our eyes still goggle as we go around the supermarket even if we don't buy everything. So why can't we get such a choice in Canada? We are Brits in Ontario and I don't think the rest of Canada is much different. Most supermarkets carry the same foods.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
#2
Banned
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1,252
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
Costs too much to distribute.
Therefore you get a lot more local brands in your supermarkets.
If you get a local brand you only pay to take that product 100 miles whereas if you get a product made a long way away you have to pay to transport it a lot further and therefore the price goes up and out of many peoples budgets...
Therefore you get a lot more local brands in your supermarkets.
If you get a local brand you only pay to take that product 100 miles whereas if you get a product made a long way away you have to pay to transport it a lot further and therefore the price goes up and out of many peoples budgets...
#3
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
Logistics and population density. Its a great big country with next to no people. Its not worth the time and effort to duplicate choices. Except in the largest cities.
Last edited by iaink; Nov 27th 2008 at 3:55 pm.
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,284
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
We have been in UK nearly 8 weeks and have not totally got used to all the wide choice of foods here. Our eyes still goggle as we go around the supermarket even if we don't buy everything. So why can't we get such a choice in Canada? We are Brits in Ontario and I don't think the rest of Canada is much different. Most supermarkets carry the same foods.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
I recently emailed Ikea asking them why Canadian prices were so much more than in the USA and UK, their reply was that Canada isn't such a large market so the options for lower prices are fewer. Similar to what liverman was saying.- and iaink
#5
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
I don't think this is true at least not of Toronto. It may be that individual supermarkets in Canada carry a limited range of goods but looking at the range of goods on offer as a whole I don't think there's anything (except instant grits) that's not available. Cheese, for example, is available in myriad variaties from three competing stalls in the St. Lawrence Market; whatever type you want one stall will have it.
#6
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
we were in field bc two years ago.....went to the only shop in town and asked if they had any veg.....was told could possibly get some down the road in another shop.......that other shop was 40k's away.....lol.......oh! also the milk was two days out of date. when we pointed this out to the shop keeper he said, and i quote his only responce 'so you don't want it then'?.....ha ha ha
#7
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
There's an insane range of some things - like Popcorn, who needs about 10 different microwave popcorn options?
Admittedly there's a limited choice of some things like you mention though....
Move near to the border like me and you'll have a ridiculous amount of choice just 5 miles away
Admittedly there's a limited choice of some things like you mention though....
Move near to the border like me and you'll have a ridiculous amount of choice just 5 miles away
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 801
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
On a positive note it's much easier to find local stuff over here.
We very vary rarely go to supermarkets now, only Costco every six weeks or so for jumbo packs of loo rolls and washing up liquid, etc., and maybe Safeway at a similar interval for some tins and packets.
Other than that, we have a great butcher, several vegetable markets and general grocers, a bakers, a cheese shop (mmm, cheese) etc. within a few blocks. And unlike the UK the little guy is frequently cheaper than the supermarkets.
I like it!
We very vary rarely go to supermarkets now, only Costco every six weeks or so for jumbo packs of loo rolls and washing up liquid, etc., and maybe Safeway at a similar interval for some tins and packets.
Other than that, we have a great butcher, several vegetable markets and general grocers, a bakers, a cheese shop (mmm, cheese) etc. within a few blocks. And unlike the UK the little guy is frequently cheaper than the supermarkets.
I like it!
#9
Banned
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1,252
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
On a positive note it's much easier to find local stuff over here.
We very vary rarely go to supermarkets now, only Costco every six weeks or so for jumbo packs of loo rolls and washing up liquid, etc., and maybe Safeway at a similar interval for some tins and packets.
Other than that, we have a great butcher, several vegetable markets and general grocers, a bakers, a cheese shop (mmm, cheese) etc. within a few blocks. And unlike the UK the little guy is frequently cheaper than the supermarkets.
I like it!
We very vary rarely go to supermarkets now, only Costco every six weeks or so for jumbo packs of loo rolls and washing up liquid, etc., and maybe Safeway at a similar interval for some tins and packets.
Other than that, we have a great butcher, several vegetable markets and general grocers, a bakers, a cheese shop (mmm, cheese) etc. within a few blocks. And unlike the UK the little guy is frequently cheaper than the supermarkets.
I like it!
My dad was a butcher back in england and he was always cheaper than supermarkets. His meat was also 'british' and generally organic he had been selling that organic meat cheaper than the supermakets regular meat it's just an inconvinience to have to shop at 6 different places in england.
The difference here is that life is slower and people have more time to shop around.
#10
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,606
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
I think supermarkets here are also much more geared to what the very local population wants. Our local supermarkets, apart from having a huge range of cheese, sell everything you can possibly think of to put in a fondue. If you like couscous, you're also in luck.
Risotto rice, anything spicy, Marmite or Branston? Forget it.
Risotto rice, anything spicy, Marmite or Branston? Forget it.
#11
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
That's really noticeable with Loblaws. The one in Port Credit keeps meat and potatoes in a limited range of formats, there's 20' of ethnic items. The one at Vic Park and Gerrard seems to have every type of food ever invented, 20' of Newfie items alone.
#12
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,606
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
The staff in my local SAQ don't even know what Pimms is.
#13
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
We have been in UK nearly 8 weeks and have not totally got used to all the wide choice of foods here. Our eyes still goggle as we go around the supermarket even if we don't buy everything. So why can't we get such a choice in Canada? We are Brits in Ontario and I don't think the rest of Canada is much different. Most supermarkets carry the same foods.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
Yes.
It's not the UK.
R.
#14
Banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: the GTA
Posts: 3,824
Re: Food: Why no choice in Canada?
We have been in UK nearly 8 weeks and have not totally got used to all the wide choice of foods here. Our eyes still goggle as we go around the supermarket even if we don't buy everything. So why can't we get such a choice in Canada? We are Brits in Ontario and I don't think the rest of Canada is much different. Most supermarkets carry the same foods.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.
Whether it's sausages, bacon, cakes, bread whatever, there is far more choice in UK.