2023-06-13 23:30:00
After volume discounts, Quebec supermarket customers are complaining about a new type of discount: those offered only to members of the house loyalty program.
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“I don’t know who came up with the idea for this system of double standards. Even if the card is free, there is a price for the nice people and another price for the non-nice people”, describes Hélène Manuri, retired from the Quebec public administration.
In the case of the volume discount, a reduced price is offered to customers who buy two or three items. For example, a box of cookies at $3.99 will be offered at $2.99 if you buy at least three of them.
The member discount is different: no obligation to buy more than one item, but you must have the Moi card at Metro, Scène+ at IGA or PC Optimum at Provigo to take advantage of it.
photo julien mcevoy
Scene+ members can pay $2.44 a pound for a pork loin roast at IGA this week, compared to $2.99 a pound for non-members.
photo julien mcevoy
Another example of member discounts, this time at Metro.
In both cases, some do not hesitate to speak of discrimination. “Those who follow the system have a price and those who don’t have skills with this system have another. Once again, our elders are put aside, it’s too complicated for them, “adds M.me Hands.
The 68-year-old lady denounces this type of discount “which makes no sense”. “What do you do if you forgot your card?” she asks.
France Hubert, 79, tends to agree with Mme Manuri, even though she is a member of the Me program and the Scene+ program. “It’s a funny marketing. It’s the loyalty issue,” she said.
These discounts may seem unfair, observes the lady as she walks the aisles. Above all, they send the wrong signal. “We are often captive to our groceries, but it makes you want to go buy elsewhere,” she adds.
A “good bait”
These discounts for members only have appeared in recent months in Quebec, following the launch of Scène+ at IGA and the new Moi program at Metro.
“In the loyalty game, Metro and IGA are far behind Loblaw [Provigo et Maxi] and its PC Optimum program”, observes Sylvain Charlebois, food expert.
With inflation, customers are turning to other unconventional sources of food, such as $1 stores.
“When you’re a grocer and you see it going, you have no choice but to retain your customers. These discounts are good bait to bring the customer back to the grocery store,” he says.
Response from grocers
Within the large grocery chains, these accusations of discrimination are refuted.
“The Scene+ card is free and open to all customers and it is possible to join it easily with the help of an employee in store”, indicates a spokesperson for Sobeys, owner of IGA.
At Metro, it is explained that the discounts for members apply to products already on promotion. “We don’t want to lose consumers. The members of the program only benefit from a small additional advantage, ”advances the spokesperson.
Provigo and Maxi customers “simply go to the cash register and they will be instantly given a membership card, free of charge and without any further steps to take,” says the Loblaw spokesperson.
“They will thus be able to take advantage of these same offers since these are so-called “in-store” offers and not offers to be downloaded online or using the application. So there is no discrimination in this regard,” she adds.
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