Groceries

(Photo courtesy of USDA.)

Federal report urges changes in Canada’s grocery store competition laws

Review says current law risks ‘a slippery slope towards cartel-like conduct’

 

(Left to right) Cory Davits, general manager of Peppers Foods, Don Way, store manager, and Scott Zaichkowsky, grocery manager, juggled the store’s growing collection of awards after nabbing bronze in the Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Small Surface category on May 11. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Saanich grocery store takes home bronze at national independent grocer awards

Pepper’s Foods nabs Small Surface category award for top-notch customer service in 2020

 

An employee at Thrifty Foods at 3995 Quadra St. has tested positive for COVID-19. They last worked March 31. (Google image)

COVID-19 exposure reported at Saanich grocery store

Thrifty Foods employee last worked March 31

 

An 11-year-old boy, who is a coffee worker in Mexico, is shown in this undated handout photo. A World Vision report warns Canadians could be contributing to child labour with every grocery trip. The Risky Goods report says economic pressures of the pandemic are forcing more children to harvest and produce many of Canada’s food imports. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Juan Cuevas, World Vision Mexico *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Child labour behind every Canadian’s grocery haul, and it may get worse: World Vision

Report says imports from Mexico account for the largest value of risky products,with $965 million in 2019

An 11-year-old boy, who is a coffee worker in Mexico, is shown in this undated handout photo. A World Vision report warns Canadians could be contributing to child labour with every grocery trip. The Risky Goods report says economic pressures of the pandemic are forcing more children to harvest and produce many of Canada’s food imports. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Juan Cuevas, World Vision Mexico *MANDATORY CREDIT*
The Neighbourhood Market at Saanich Baptist Church is one of 10 that provide fresh produce to people in need across Greater Victoria. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

Daily free food markets offer fresh produce to Greater Victorians in need

Ten Neighbourhood Markets operate across the region

The Neighbourhood Market at Saanich Baptist Church is one of 10 that provide fresh produce to people in need across Greater Victoria. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
A customer shops at a meat counter in a grocery store in Montreal, on April 30, 2020. The average Canadian family will pay up to an extra $695 for food next year, as the pandemic, wildfires and changing consumer habits drive up grocery bills to the highest ever increase predicted by an annual food price report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Canadian families will pay up to $695 more a year for groceries in 2021, report says

Vegetables could be particularly hard hit, with prices expected to jump as much as 6.5 per cent

A customer shops at a meat counter in a grocery store in Montreal, on April 30, 2020. The average Canadian family will pay up to an extra $695 for food next year, as the pandemic, wildfires and changing consumer habits drive up grocery bills to the highest ever increase predicted by an annual food price report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Victoria police arrested a man in a Yates Street grocery store Nov. 27 after he refused to wear a mask. (Black Press Media File photo)

Belligerent man arrested in Victoria grocery store after refusing to wear mask

Officers fined the man $230 under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act

Victoria police arrested a man in a Yates Street grocery store Nov. 27 after he refused to wear a mask. (Black Press Media File photo)
Quality Foods advertising manager, Regan Beaulieu, (left) and president, Noel Hayward, (right) stand in front of the Clean Cart on its first day of testing, Nov. 12. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

View Royal Quality Foods launches innovative new cart cleaning device

The Clean Cart uses far-UV light and is the first of its kind in Canada

Quality Foods advertising manager, Regan Beaulieu, (left) and president, Noel Hayward, (right) stand in front of the Clean Cart on its first day of testing, Nov. 12. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
Two Saanich businesswomen are taking over what was previously Dig This gardening store in Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, and turning it into a hub for local food and community. (Google Maps)

New restaurant, grocery hybrid brings local food and community to Saanich

Niche Grocerant is partnering with restaurants and producers to bring local food to the suburbs

Two Saanich businesswomen are taking over what was previously Dig This gardening store in Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, and turning it into a hub for local food and community. (Google Maps)
Shawn Fahr is the general manager of a soon-to-open grocery store. Urban Grocer will open its doors in Victoria at the Oak Bay Junction in July. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

New grocery store coming to Oak Bay Junction

Urban Grocer set to bring up to 40 new jobs

Shawn Fahr is the general manager of a soon-to-open grocery store. Urban Grocer will open its doors in Victoria at the Oak Bay Junction in July. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)
A person wears a mask as he stands in line at Costco Saturday, April 4, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now advising Americans to voluntarily wear a basic cloth or fabric face mask to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Canadian Costco shoppers now being asked to wear non-medical face masks

This comes nearly a month after the warehouse outlet said that it wouldn’t be implementing a mask policy

A person wears a mask as he stands in line at Costco Saturday, April 4, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now advising Americans to voluntarily wear a basic cloth or fabric face mask to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Machilo Spak restocks the shelves at the Market on Millstream. The local grocery story has offered to provide free grocery delivery to military families during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)

Market on Millstream helps military families with free grocery delivery

Eight ships and 850 members from CFB Esquimalt are currently deployed

Machilo Spak restocks the shelves at the Market on Millstream. The local grocery story has offered to provide free grocery delivery to military families during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)
Janene Walker says she has been criticized publicly for taking her two children with her while she grocery shops during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with her husband deployed she struggles to find other options. (Photo courtesy of Janene Walker)

COVID-19: Sooke mom faces ‘pandemic police’ for bringing kids to the grocery store

Mother pleads for people to stop shaming single parents

Janene Walker says she has been criticized publicly for taking her two children with her while she grocery shops during the COVID-19 pandemic, but with her husband deployed she struggles to find other options. (Photo courtesy of Janene Walker)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Local grocers, Victoria Foundation raise over $30,000 for Food Rescue Project

Donation will go towards food insecure communities in region

(Black Press Media file photo)
A plexiglass barrier is pictured creating a barrier to protect a cashier at a grocery store in North Vancouver, B.C. Sunday, March 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. issues guidelines about distancing, reusable bags to grocery stores amid COVID-19

Hand sanitizer and markers to keep lines two metres are apart are needed, province says

A plexiglass barrier is pictured creating a barrier to protect a cashier at a grocery store in North Vancouver, B.C. Sunday, March 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
(The Canadian Press)

Experts weigh in on best handling of groceries during COVID-19 pandemic

Study suggests the virus can live for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to three days on plastic

(The Canadian Press)
Hundreds of people queued in multiple lines waiting to pay for their purchases at a Costco store, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, in Burnaby on March 16. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Grocery stores hiring more staff, offer wage boost as B.C. adapts to COVID-19 buying habits

Companies make changes to protect staff, customers during the outbreak

Hundreds of people queued in multiple lines waiting to pay for their purchases at a Costco store, amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, in Burnaby on March 16. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
The line stretches down the side of the Langford Costco as the store opens for business March 15 at 9 a.m. (Don Denton/News Staff)

Langford Costco limits number of shoppers in store at one time

Langford encourages customers to avoid early morning shopping

The line stretches down the side of the Langford Costco as the store opens for business March 15 at 9 a.m. (Don Denton/News Staff)
Empty shelves have been greeting Cowichan shoppers looking to buy toilet paper. Most grocery stores have begun limiting the number of packages each person can buy to curb hoarding. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)

Hoarding hurts the vulnerable, Cowichan Valley heart patient says

Grocery chains doing their best to keep up with demand

Empty shelves have been greeting Cowichan shoppers looking to buy toilet paper. Most grocery stores have begun limiting the number of packages each person can buy to curb hoarding. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)
Quality Foods, Superstore, Country Grocer, Whole Foods, Red Barn Markets and Shoppers Drug Mart will be dedicating a portion of their opening hours for seniors and vulnerable members of society to shop, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)

Stores dedicate early hours to seniors, health-compromised shoppers

Shoppers Drug Mart, Country Grocer, Superstore, Red Barn Markets and Whole Foods offers one hour each

Quality Foods, Superstore, Country Grocer, Whole Foods, Red Barn Markets and Shoppers Drug Mart will be dedicating a portion of their opening hours for seniors and vulnerable members of society to shop, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)