Loblaws: Making Out Like Bandits 

Loblaws Reports Over $16 billion in revenue in 2025

As we prepare to enter bargaining with Loblaws for Real Canadian Superstores in Alberta, it’s important that we address profitability.

A tactic employers use in the bargaining process when they don’t want to provide their workers with a living wage is to claim that they cannot afford to fulfill the members’ bargaining priorities.

It’s very possible that when we get to the table, this grocery giant will try to tell our members that they don’t have the money to provide good wage increases and benefits improvements. Loblaws may even have the gall to demand sacrifices in order to “stay competitive.”

That’s why we pay attention to what companies say when they’re not at the bargaining table.

In late February, Loblaws released its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter, which ended January 3rd of this year.

Those results show $16.382 billion in retail revenue.

Here’s what the company has to say about what made those revenues possible:

“Customer visits increased in the fourth quarter as Canadians recognized the differentiated value, quality, service, and convenience the Company offers across its nationwide network.”

That value, quality, service, and convenience are made possible by their employees, including our members at the Real Canadian Superstore.

Thanks to the efforts of their workers, Loblaws is — to use a common phrase — making out like bandits.

The Company’s Profits Come with Controversy 

A proposed “new format” No Frills image shows an expensive Porsche parked in front of the store.

As Loblaws trumpets its sky-high revenues, Canadians remain frustrated. We can see this in the public response to proposed renovations at Loblaws-owned stores, especially outlets of its “No Frills” brand.

Canadians are criticizing the company’s apparently tone-deaf efforts to make “No Frills” stores — whose whole brand is supposed to be about affordability — look more upscale.

In a moment of unintended comedy, one of the “new format” No Frills images promoted by the Company shows an expensive Porsche in the foreground of the shot. Members of the public joked about the “new format” being “Mo’ Frills” or “No Frills: now with more frills.”

The public has also shown a strong awareness of how these changes may simply signal more price increase controversies in the works, and makes similar points to those your union has made:

• “You need to be that rich to afford the beef. Literally.”
• “How about paying your employees well and lowering your prices?”
• “Lots of money for that from price gouging, but none for living wages.”

Combine this with other recent controversies, such as Real Canadian Superstore being fined after a federal investigation into its in-store displays found them to be misleading, and a No Frills shopper discovering that a sale item she purchased didn’t show the original price on the digital price tag, and it’s no wonder people are frustrated.

Canadians are not in the mood for Canadian grocers boasting about their profits while showing little or no awareness of what they owe to employees and customers amid the affordability crisis.

Shoppers have, unsurprisingly, met the opening of the first “new-format” No Frills with skepticism.

Retail Workers Are Demanding Respect!

Our Fair Checkout campaign is just the beginning of our battle against grocery greed.

As President Hesse of UFCW Local 401 has said many times: “We need to fight for fairness for Superstore workers and customers alike. Workers need a fair wage, customers need fair prices, and Loblaws can clearly afford to provide both.” 

“It’s a time when we need to stand up and demand better,”adds Secretary-Treasurer Richelle Stewart. “That’s why we’re hosting summits as we did in Red Deer with our Superstore members and talking about getting strike-ready at workplaces across Alberta.”

High prices on the shelves aren’t your fault. And they shouldn’t stop you from getting a fair wage increase.

Retail grocery workers deserve respect. And your union is ready to fight to get you that respect. 

Recent wins against Sobeys, returning union-won wage increases, and forcing the company to live up to its promise to develop a comprehensive program around customer rudeness and abuse show us that when we fight, we can win!

Posted on: April 02,2026