In a time of escalating living expenses, Ron Robinson is resolute in his quest to cut costs, starting with his grocery expenditures. Opting for Liquidation Marie, a discount grocery chain in Montreal where prices can be up to 50 percent lower than regular stores, Robinson recalls buying steaks for around six dollars each, a stark contrast to the $20 to $25 price tag at big box stores.
This trend of seeking out bargains is not unique to Robinson, as discount liquidation-style grocery stores are gaining popularity nationwide amidst Canadians grappling with high food costs. Examples include Bianca Amor’s Liquidation Supercentre with 17 locations in Western Canada and The Grocery Outlet in southern Ontario, which has expanded to over a dozen locations.
Liquidation Marie, established in 2012, has significantly increased its presence, doubling its locations in the past year alone. Co-owner Marie Eve Breton attributes the store’s remarkably low prices to procuring surplus or mislabeled items from major retailers at discounted rates and passing on the savings to consumers.
With an average of 30,000 weekly customers and a Facebook group boasting over 139,000 members, Liquidation Marie has struck a chord with bargain hunters. Driven by economic conditions that have seen grocery prices surge by over 27 percent in the last five years, many families are turning to alternative shopping options to stretch their budgets further.
Jordan LeBel, a professor at Concordia University, believes that Liquidation Marie’s success is partly due to strategic location choices and catering to neighborhoods where the concept resonates. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University notes that major retailers benefit from liquidation stores by offloading damaged or surplus stock at discounted rates rather than wasting it.
The growing acceptance of buying products past their best-before dates at discount grocery stores like Liquidation Marie not only saves money for consumers but also reduces food waste and eases pressure on food systems. This shift indicates a rejection of inefficiencies in Canada’s food supply chain and a move towards a more sustainable approach to food consumption.
Discount grocery shopping is becoming popular across various socioeconomic levels, as more people seek ways to cope with food insecurity and rising prices. This evolving attitude towards best-before dates and willingness to purchase slightly expired products reflects a changing mindset driven by economic realities and environmental concerns.