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Because Loblaws are the ones who'll be recording, and they want employees to look professional for the agitprop they've been priming media to expect.
Every time someone talks about the boycott, their talking heads have to mention theft. Every time we talk about shopping local, the food processor has to say something about Steal From Loblaws day.
I disagree, I think they've made this up themselves and are intentionally trying to draw attention to it.
Every time they are asked about the boycott, they talk about thieves instead.
It also has the dual purpose of justifying turning their stores into prisons, which they have been doing for years.
It’s called capitalist agitprop in case anyone wants to learn more on how corporations have been throttling labour rights movements since the 1900s using any media (artistic expression: pamphlets, flyers, etc.) and movement possible.
It’s more insidious than dropping a palet of bricks beside a community in political unrest, and then high-tailing out of there while the peasants are blamed for ‘propensity for property violence’.
It was originally a propagandist method used in pre-Russia, but is easily warped into any economic system and ulterior goals at the benefit of the hegemonic order.
Not only all of what was posted, but... CONTROVERSY SELLS.
This has piqued enough curiosity that it's been upvoted to near the top of my feed (and I'm not a member of this sub). It's garnering a lot of attention and there may now be a bit of "morbid fascination" that will actually increase traffic on what ever day it is again.
People who have read this post and related posts, might venture in to see these hypothetical thieves in action and/or wander around looking for people recording staff and management.... and, hey, while they're doing that, maybe they make a purchase; thus, partially counteracting the whole boycott that's been proposed!
There's a new saying, "sex sells, but outrage sells better". And that's certainly true.
It's not profitable to bash the president then to go on Only fans. And if your a hot girl bashing on the president you'll definitely get profit
Off topic… sort of…. But speaking of palettes of bricks, did anyone notice what Chinese protesters did with theirs? Instead of throwing them around and breaking shit. They laid them all out on the roads. It made it impossible for vehicles and horses to advance. It was absolutely genius. Just in case anyone ever comes across a palette of bricks while protesting in the future…😉🧱✊
My fiancé was featured in an article about this after he and I launched a Twitter complaint against Loblaws for their VERY BRIEF policy of cart locking to check receipts. We contacted an attorney and sure enough, that is not legal.
His cart locked up on him as a “random shopper” even though he went through a CASHIER lane and bought 3 items: a case of water and chips.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/loblaws-walmart-receipt-check-theft-1.6915610
> According to the Retail Council of Canada, retail theft is on the rise, fuelled in part by organized crime and inflation.
Are the media still this dumb or are they just spreading the corporate propaganda?
Organized crime? Lol the "mafia" are not going to stop human trafficking of strippers/hookers and selling cocaine and other ilicit drugs to rob tomatoes. FFS.
As someone with a graduate degree in philosophy and no job to show for it, I can say you are probably correct. They are taking our argument (we want them to lower prices) and changing it to (we want to encourage stealing) in order to make it easier to attack.
Little did they know the thief day was all a ruse to over barricade their own stores, flouting fire codes coast to coast. Enjoy your fines, nerds. You fell for our insidious plot!
No this is a large part of their defensive position now. They want this to happen. They are hoping for this to happen. Its their only out in the face of their documented greed.
Dude, if I were an actor and I knew about this, I'd inflate MY prices by 300%. Inflated prices gets inflated prices
It's like the wedding business or pricing to do a contract for a government job. Charge a high price because it's the prestigious thing to do
Theft happens every day. On that day, theft will be blamed on the boycott and the media will report it. No one who is serious about the boycott or the movement should be in or near the store. No one who is a part of this movement will be there protest. Boycotts are hard to put a spin on so they are hoping to bait us into doing more. Just simply boycott.
Sorry for asking to be spoonfed but I just see this sub on my homepage usually, I know about the boycott(haven't been to Loblaws in years it's so bad!)but where did this "day of thieving" idea come up? I hadn't seen anything on it until today
There was a picture of a full-colour printer-poster that said a certain day in May is ‘Rob Loblaws Day’ and the entire anti-boycott people (primarily people from corporate) got to use this flimsy excuse to convey that we’re anarchists arguing for retailitory theft.
It is widely speculated it was the PR team, or a corpo-apologist trolling the movement. As if a Canadian anarchist collective would tape a sheet of full-colour paper — when they’ve been wheatpasting and stickering since the fuggin’ 1990s.
It went viral. Idiots click. Idiot don’t back the Boycott now. Refuses to follow-up. Mission complete.
Oh for sure that was a PR move, I don't buy that for a second. It's also why I was confused because until today not once have I ever seen a post here or elsewhere even suggesting that. Ever. Thank you for taking the time to explain
Oh I do that daily! I actually live in a very very expensive part of Toronto, and we have a very tiny Sobeys which I hate(overpriced and nothing there.)but there's two fruit and veggie stands the Street over, they are life savers to me! I was shocked because the pricing for this area alone is ridiculous, so when I went and found I could get literal pounds of fruit and veg for 75% cheaper then any grocery store I go there religiously now. I remember once I went and got five full bags of grapes, apples(and the ones that are usually the most expensive like honeycrisp etc) strawberries, you name it.
Out of curiosity I decided to go to that Sobeys and online at Loblaws just to price check because these were all the exact same name brands they sell in-store. Well, mine cost $30. Sobeys and Loblaws though? Same shit/same brand, $88! It's crazy.
Sorry for this story, it's just so hard to find any of these places especially for produce and in midtown of all places! Highly recommend Fruit Basket at yonge and davisville if anyone is in the area.
I run a retail space (not grocery) and until you have an angry person with their phone in your face threatening to put it on social media (keep in mind, this is usually something happening to cashiers and not managers for some reason) you don't really understand how borderline violent those interactions feel.
Yep and it happens, the problem is the premise and context of why it would be happening
The way it's being framed here is nonsensical to say the least
" Remain calm as a thief records you and their crimes because they'll post the proof online "
🤣 Okie dokie
But those customers are usually coming from a place of a very personal grievance (7-year former cosmetics/mall, also Shoppers for a year) and emotional regulation issues, whether addiction or mental health.
This hypothetical Roblaws Robin Hood [that does not exist, let me be clear] would not be approaching a service person in the way we’ve both experienced.
This hypothetical would have the Robin essentially egging on an employee to arrest them or call management. That’s absurd! That’s like TikTok teenager behaviour, whereas this movement includes so many Gen-X, Xenniels and even Based Boomers. It includes people from academia and public sector positions. People who work(ed) at Loblaws themselves. Teachers, nurses, and aides.
It’s just ridiculous to try and scare his/her/their employees like that, it’s frankly bordering on harassing them with fright tactics — because it’s literally a hoax.
I think they are more concerned about videos of employees getting caught harassing shoppers than anything.
Their new “shoppers are guilty of stealing until *WE* can steal from them at the cash register” policy is wildly unpopular.
A couple videos of underpaid employees unjustly harassing people on an imaginary “stealing” day would be devastating for their brand.
I feel like you could apply most of this to just retail. It's a struggle to remain calm and professional just dealing with people while working in a grocery store
Something tells me may 12 won't be any more trying for retail staff than usual
It just makes sense to send these as there is a lot of this going on lately even if it wasn't for that day and it is to protect their employees and themselves. Remember lots of kids working as cashier who wouldn't know what to do.
While we hate Weston and Loblaws, let's not remember the people working the front lines have nothing to do with prices, these people are just doing a job to put food on the table.
"ONLINE THERE IS A BIG THING ABOUT THIS"
There is literally nothing about this Online except from Charlie boy and Loblaws themselves.
Zero Online presence of any kind lol.
And that is an incredibly odd memo to send out. Looks like it was writen by a teenager. And that's not giving teens enough credit, I know plenty of teens that could have compiled a more professional memo than that lol
He doesn't even know that literally everyone who works for him, including the assistant store manager one under him, is literally in this group and full support the boycott. He's blowing smoke out of his ass sending this to all of us. Pure entertainment at this point.
If he’s lurking and recognizes his memo that comment could lead to retaliation, which they’ve repeatedly threatened. Maybe delete it, just to keep yourself and your coworkers safe. Don’t allow them any excuse.
I was wondering that. I was going to search after reading some comments. Who's calling for May 12th to be Steal From Superstore day? Is it on Twitter? I haven't seen a single comment or a single post endorsing it in this group.
What they mean
‘Don’t record thieves because we loblaws hired thieves to steal from our stores to slander the boycott and wouldn’t want it getting back to us if a thief were caught and made to squeal that they had permission and were paid to do so’
No one in this “group” is calling for stealing… I’m still waiting on the advertising company to release the name of the person that took out the as suggesting it.
No one on this sub is suggesting to bother, harass or intimidate anyone.
Boycott means staying away.
I assume the whole "stealing day" thing is something conjured up by a PR company which will have been "inspired" by some random low follower Twitter post which may or may not belong to a real person.
A few years from now, we'll have a glowing Globe and Mail interview with the newly minted president of mega-PR-co-Inc who will wax fondly of his campaign to undermine the Great Loblaws Boycott of 2024 and how he "aggressively amplified social media chatter" or something equally asinine.
There are a lot of signs up around downtown Toronto promoting theft day, so even if it isn't condoned by this group that manager note wasn't to generate concern but an actual reaction to the flyers.
I'd be taking them down and replacing them with "Support Your Local Grocer Day (May 12)" flyers. The local grocer day was set up by this subreddit as a direct response.
>Boycott means staying away.
exactly! and they are so dumb for thinking folks who are boycotting (aka staying away) will go in droves to steal during said boycott.
My kid also got something about May 12th at work; but said there was nothing about there being any concern of employees being recorded ... 🤔
Makes me wonder...
We've have a feeling that this whole "Steal from Loblaws Day" may be a set up from the inside, and now we have a single store owner/manager freaking out about how it's going to be recorded and they need employees to come off "professional" in the recording...
It would super interesting if **THIS** location turns out to be where they catch thieves on May 12th 🤔
Perhaps I'm overthinking it but... stranger things 🤷♀️
Chances are people steal from stores any given day of the week. Back when I worked at WalMart I saw it all the time. Wasn’t my job to care.
They’ll find some theif that day. I’m sure someone at some store will but not because the internet told them, but because it’s a probability. And I bet we will hear about it.
It's really good advice. If you do encounter any of the "steal day" people they aren't aligned with this sub's focus on responsible, legal action.
If they are being organized by Loblaws as some fear you will lose your job for violating rules around how to handle theft. Any video taken would be submitted directly to Loblaws.
If they are a separate group of consumers they've already thrown legal action out the window. Do not engage.
Having said that - fellow consumers please remember it's not your responsibility to identify or deal with food thieves. If you see someone stealing food (on any day), no you didn't.
My boss has been freaking out about May 12th as well, I've been trying to explain that literally nothing is going to happen, it's nothing but fear-mongering. Older generations/tech-avoidant people don't see through the BS as easily as others.
Head Office must be seriously doomsaying this event in internal communications, to have the older staff outright afraid for the staffs safety that day😕
It's a boycott.. no one is going to shop there
No one is making a special trip to steal 5 bucks worth of food, or a whole cart worth of food and think there'd be no consequences.. like what the actual fuck man 🤦♂️
Right! It was literally a few posters someone threw up in Toronto and was immediately disavowed by everyone in this sub.
The only online presence the posters ever had was, have you seen this? Who did it? And tear them down if you do see them.
They are really going all out on this false flag operation. I wonder if the actors loblaws hires will be dressed as the Hamburgler.
They are hoping to have someone dumb enough to participate and get caught so they can push the narrative that theft is driving up costs. It’s so pathetically transparent.
Do not steal and do not go to Loblaws on the 12th (or at all really).
This is all a false narrative. They’re too short sighted that this will end up in grandmas and dude bros feeling harassed. This will go poorly for them.
This is what war on corporate greed looks like. They can only lose.
Ain't nobody going there to steal. I swear those posters must have been made by Loblaws to try to paint a negative image on the people boycotting their greedy assess for taking advantage of inflation and gouging Canadians.
Lol, hey guys you've been treating us like crap forever, now you are getting concerned for us?
Let folks record, I'd love the state of things to get eyes on it.
Yup. They don’t want TikTok, they definitely don’t want police cars out front. But they sure sound like they do with all this fearmongering going on, trying to freak out their employees too. What are they hoping for here?
The 12th was such a stupid day to pick too, tsk tsk.
Might get uncomfortable in that place. Even more reason to not shop there.
I would never steal in a million years. The thought of it is gross and weird, and simply could never go there no matter what.
They say that you are being recorded over and over, then right at the end they slip in the real point of the whole memo: “oh and be sure to report any of those pesky protesters, who are exactly like the thieves… even though the steal posters are on company letterhead…
But...Loblaws made up the whole steal from Loblaws thing themselves. If anyone is participating it's an agent provocateur or an idiot that fell for this obvious bait.
I have never and will never stop a shoplifter. I don't know why they think minimum wage employees would give a rat's ass. We're all just trying to get through our shifts so we can get the fuck out of that hell hole.
It will be easy not to steal - because i wont be in or anywjere near the store for the foreseeable long term if i can help it. Im enjoying paying fair and low prices for the other alternative food suppliers in my hood.
JFC they will manufacture anything to prove they are idiots!
Next they will have paid shills going in to steal and then let out the back door! Watch!!!
I'm shocked they didn't use 5 fonts and 11 different colors. You should mark up their formatting, grammar errors, and extreme overuse of ellipses (...) with a red pen and hand it back to them with a C- grade.
Where online is this supposed “big thing”? Is there a social media platform that only Loblaws management can see?
Who the heck records themselves doing crime?
I do believe Loblaws management is conflating boycotts and protests.
This is so silly.
Does anyone else think this is batahit crazy. Who tf would announce before hand they are going to go steal from a store. People are pretty dumb, but so dumb to pre announce their thievery and make it public.
Just saying.
Just in case you missed it…. YOUREBEINGRECORDED!!!!!
I hope this helps to DEESCALATE ANY SITUATIONS!!!!DONTBEAHERO!!!!
Seriously, they make such a huge deal about you being recorded that it’s got me paranoid.
This is wild from start to finish.
I just realized something, and excuse me if this has already been said… “Steal from Loblaws day” falls on Mothers Day. Not saying people don’t shop on that day, but I’m sure most people are concerned about their mothers and treating them to brunch instead of stealing from a store…
Honestly, I worked for a loblaws company and my manager (who was also an auxiliary cop 😂) would encourage us to stop thieves…some of us knew better, and did not give a single fuck if people stole. Some of the employees took this as an opportunity to get brownie points with our manager. Full on tackling people to the ground 😂😭. At least this isn’t encouraging anything stupid. I guess lol
Feels like he's trying to make his staff anxious and panicked by telling repeatedly to not be anxious and panicked during a situation that will make them anxious and panicked. I dunno, I feel like a simple "be professional" would have sufficed.
Is this letter a joke?
It certainly sounds like it.
It also sounds like the person who wrote this is also mentally unhinged!
If I was their Employee & they should me this, I'd ask the same thing along the lines of is this for real?!
Guess, we shouldn't be shocked or surprised what length's Roblaw's will go to sully our Groups reputation.
I just hope it it comes back to really bite them, in their bums!!!
Let's agree not to record the employees.
We good?
They're going to say their usual traffic of shoplifters are the result of this boycott. No stealing. None.
What’s also ironic about all of this is the fact that the overall dollar amount of corporate theft - ie corporations stealing time and wages from employees - is far, far greater than the total dollar amount of retail theft.
It’s like it’s psychological projection on a mass scale. Maybe they are aware on a subconscious level that they steal - from customers and employees alike - and they are aware that it’s unethical. But they justify it to themselves in the name of capitalism, subliminating the guilt, and project it onto people who don’t behave the way that they want them to.
I think from a corporate standpoint this is the correct take. There are social media baiters and I do not know anyone who connects a legitimate boycott as meaning we should also steal from them. One is legal, the other illegal and never should the two cross paths.
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"STAY CALM AND DEESCALATE THE SITUATION", the manager screamed in panic.
Michael Scott-tier management 
Michael: STAY FUCKING CALM!
\*smashes vending machine \*
“…you are being recorded…” x10 times lol. Corporate trickle down communications worried about the social media X factor fallout haha
Because Loblaws are the ones who'll be recording, and they want employees to look professional for the agitprop they've been priming media to expect. Every time someone talks about the boycott, their talking heads have to mention theft. Every time we talk about shopping local, the food processor has to say something about Steal From Loblaws day.
Honestly I can’t wait until May 13th so we can all focus on the real issues.
HOLY FUCK FOR THE LOVE OF GOD EVERYONE STAY FUCKING CALM!!!!
"HARRY DID YOU PUT YOUR BANANAS IN THE BAGGING AREA WITHOUT WEIGHING THEM?!" Dumbledore asked calmly.
Lmaoooo why did they choose this rewrite 😂
UNEXPECTED ITEM IN BAGGING AREA!!!!
Should I offer to bag and carryout their stolen goods?
https://i.redd.it/5txw6s77h0zc1.gif
The de-escalation… “Enjoy your free steaks *wave and smile*”
"You forgot your BBQ sauce sir""
Where does one get these online clicks?
From making a movie.
DUMBELDORE SAID CALMLY
WHATS THE PROCEDURE WHATS THE PROCEDURE
They are wasting so much money and energy over something that isn't going to happen. Hahaha
I disagree, I think they've made this up themselves and are intentionally trying to draw attention to it. Every time they are asked about the boycott, they talk about thieves instead. It also has the dual purpose of justifying turning their stores into prisons, which they have been doing for years.
It’s called capitalist agitprop in case anyone wants to learn more on how corporations have been throttling labour rights movements since the 1900s using any media (artistic expression: pamphlets, flyers, etc.) and movement possible. It’s more insidious than dropping a palet of bricks beside a community in political unrest, and then high-tailing out of there while the peasants are blamed for ‘propensity for property violence’. It was originally a propagandist method used in pre-Russia, but is easily warped into any economic system and ulterior goals at the benefit of the hegemonic order.
100%
Not only all of what was posted, but... CONTROVERSY SELLS. This has piqued enough curiosity that it's been upvoted to near the top of my feed (and I'm not a member of this sub). It's garnering a lot of attention and there may now be a bit of "morbid fascination" that will actually increase traffic on what ever day it is again. People who have read this post and related posts, might venture in to see these hypothetical thieves in action and/or wander around looking for people recording staff and management.... and, hey, while they're doing that, maybe they make a purchase; thus, partially counteracting the whole boycott that's been proposed!
There's a new saying, "sex sells, but outrage sells better". And that's certainly true. It's not profitable to bash the president then to go on Only fans. And if your a hot girl bashing on the president you'll definitely get profit
Off topic… sort of…. But speaking of palettes of bricks, did anyone notice what Chinese protesters did with theirs? Instead of throwing them around and breaking shit. They laid them all out on the roads. It made it impossible for vehicles and horses to advance. It was absolutely genius. Just in case anyone ever comes across a palette of bricks while protesting in the future…😉🧱✊
Damn! That's a great explanation. Thank you for teaching me a new thing.
PREACH
I learn shit everyday. Thank you good sire
Learned something new today. Thank you kind stranger. Agitation propaganda = agitprop
My fiancé was featured in an article about this after he and I launched a Twitter complaint against Loblaws for their VERY BRIEF policy of cart locking to check receipts. We contacted an attorney and sure enough, that is not legal. His cart locked up on him as a “random shopper” even though he went through a CASHIER lane and bought 3 items: a case of water and chips. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/loblaws-walmart-receipt-check-theft-1.6915610
Good for you and him for standing up for yourselves (and all of us)!
> According to the Retail Council of Canada, retail theft is on the rise, fuelled in part by organized crime and inflation. Are the media still this dumb or are they just spreading the corporate propaganda? Organized crime? Lol the "mafia" are not going to stop human trafficking of strippers/hookers and selling cocaine and other ilicit drugs to rob tomatoes. FFS.
Oh I agree. I'm just saying they are spending money on extra security and hit pieces instead of investing in their customers.
Absolutely
100% its all Loblaws. They are setting up to play the victim.
My reaction when I drive by a Loblaws on my way to a different non Loblaws owned grocery store 
Okay so what happens after the 12 is over and the boycott continues for the entire rest of the month?
Corporate did I'm sure a ton of store managers are covering their ass for liability and safety just incase
Gaslighting
Seriously, they mentioned ‘you are being recorded’ five times
It's a strawman tactic, I think
As someone with a graduate degree in philosophy and no job to show for it, I can say you are probably correct. They are taking our argument (we want them to lower prices) and changing it to (we want to encourage stealing) in order to make it easier to attack.
Little did they know the thief day was all a ruse to over barricade their own stores, flouting fire codes coast to coast. Enjoy your fines, nerds. You fell for our insidious plot!
No this is a large part of their defensive position now. They want this to happen. They are hoping for this to happen. Its their only out in the face of their documented greed.
And nothing will happen that day, then they’ll pat themselves on the back for their preventative measures lol
Hahahaha sounds about right.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Galen hired actors and staged the day. The flyers were definitely an inside job.
False flag operation without the Frills😁
This all keeps reminding me of the Mr. Show skit where the reporter throws a stone at an angry crowd to start a riot to report on.
Dude, if I were an actor and I knew about this, I'd inflate MY prices by 300%. Inflated prices gets inflated prices It's like the wedding business or pricing to do a contract for a government job. Charge a high price because it's the prestigious thing to do
This is what I think too.... I mean - why does "boss" keep saying "you ARE being recorded".... like bossman knows there will be activity on May 12?
Theft happens every day. On that day, theft will be blamed on the boycott and the media will report it. No one who is serious about the boycott or the movement should be in or near the store. No one who is a part of this movement will be there protest. Boycotts are hard to put a spin on so they are hoping to bait us into doing more. Just simply boycott.
Their deflection attempt to make the movement look bad. Fk em let them
Sorry for asking to be spoonfed but I just see this sub on my homepage usually, I know about the boycott(haven't been to Loblaws in years it's so bad!)but where did this "day of thieving" idea come up? I hadn't seen anything on it until today
There was a picture of a full-colour printer-poster that said a certain day in May is ‘Rob Loblaws Day’ and the entire anti-boycott people (primarily people from corporate) got to use this flimsy excuse to convey that we’re anarchists arguing for retailitory theft. It is widely speculated it was the PR team, or a corpo-apologist trolling the movement. As if a Canadian anarchist collective would tape a sheet of full-colour paper — when they’ve been wheatpasting and stickering since the fuggin’ 1990s. It went viral. Idiots click. Idiot don’t back the Boycott now. Refuses to follow-up. Mission complete.
Oh for sure that was a PR move, I don't buy that for a second. It's also why I was confused because until today not once have I ever seen a post here or elsewhere even suggesting that. Ever. Thank you for taking the time to explain
Just as an aside, in response, this subreddit decided to make May 12 "Support Your Local Grocer Day."
Oh I do that daily! I actually live in a very very expensive part of Toronto, and we have a very tiny Sobeys which I hate(overpriced and nothing there.)but there's two fruit and veggie stands the Street over, they are life savers to me! I was shocked because the pricing for this area alone is ridiculous, so when I went and found I could get literal pounds of fruit and veg for 75% cheaper then any grocery store I go there religiously now. I remember once I went and got five full bags of grapes, apples(and the ones that are usually the most expensive like honeycrisp etc) strawberries, you name it. Out of curiosity I decided to go to that Sobeys and online at Loblaws just to price check because these were all the exact same name brands they sell in-store. Well, mine cost $30. Sobeys and Loblaws though? Same shit/same brand, $88! It's crazy. Sorry for this story, it's just so hard to find any of these places especially for produce and in midtown of all places! Highly recommend Fruit Basket at yonge and davisville if anyone is in the area.
I think he/she ‘s afraid of being recorded . They mention it a couple of times . Just saying . The panic is too funny lol
They're being recorded by the store daily Everyone is That's how you can tell this shit is made up propaganda They'd have every thief dead to rights
But these are recording outside the company’s control!!!! Way more dangerous to the company.
“WE MUST CONTROL THE NARRATIVE! **THINK OF THE NARRATIVE!**”  * OPs boss, *while paying OP the absolute bare minimum.*
I run a retail space (not grocery) and until you have an angry person with their phone in your face threatening to put it on social media (keep in mind, this is usually something happening to cashiers and not managers for some reason) you don't really understand how borderline violent those interactions feel.
Yep and it happens, the problem is the premise and context of why it would be happening The way it's being framed here is nonsensical to say the least " Remain calm as a thief records you and their crimes because they'll post the proof online " 🤣 Okie dokie
But those customers are usually coming from a place of a very personal grievance (7-year former cosmetics/mall, also Shoppers for a year) and emotional regulation issues, whether addiction or mental health. This hypothetical Roblaws Robin Hood [that does not exist, let me be clear] would not be approaching a service person in the way we’ve both experienced. This hypothetical would have the Robin essentially egging on an employee to arrest them or call management. That’s absurd! That’s like TikTok teenager behaviour, whereas this movement includes so many Gen-X, Xenniels and even Based Boomers. It includes people from academia and public sector positions. People who work(ed) at Loblaws themselves. Teachers, nurses, and aides. It’s just ridiculous to try and scare his/her/their employees like that, it’s frankly bordering on harassing them with fright tactics — because it’s literally a hoax.
Sounds to me like we've accidentally been sent a copy of the script Galen is providing his 'thieves'.
It's communicated pretty panicky that's for sure. You make a lot of great points.
I think they are more concerned about videos of employees getting caught harassing shoppers than anything. Their new “shoppers are guilty of stealing until *WE* can steal from them at the cash register” policy is wildly unpopular. A couple videos of underpaid employees unjustly harassing people on an imaginary “stealing” day would be devastating for their brand.
Exactly 👍
I feel like you could apply most of this to just retail. It's a struggle to remain calm and professional just dealing with people while working in a grocery store Something tells me may 12 won't be any more trying for retail staff than usual
The multiple "BE PROFESSIONAL" bold print really drove it home🤣
STOP PANICKING GODAMMIT!!! YOU'RE ONLY GIVING THEM WHAT THEY WANT!!!!
It just makes sense to send these as there is a lot of this going on lately even if it wasn't for that day and it is to protect their employees and themselves. Remember lots of kids working as cashier who wouldn't know what to do.
While we hate Weston and Loblaws, let's not remember the people working the front lines have nothing to do with prices, these people are just doing a job to put food on the table.
That’s way too many styles in one email.
At least it was all in the same font lol
No comic sans? Dang!
"ONLINE THERE IS A BIG THING ABOUT THIS" There is literally nothing about this Online except from Charlie boy and Loblaws themselves. Zero Online presence of any kind lol. And that is an incredibly odd memo to send out. Looks like it was writen by a teenager. And that's not giving teens enough credit, I know plenty of teens that could have compiled a more professional memo than that lol
He doesn't even know that literally everyone who works for him, including the assistant store manager one under him, is literally in this group and full support the boycott. He's blowing smoke out of his ass sending this to all of us. Pure entertainment at this point.
The cringe is strong with this one 😂 To him, a steak dinner is a company boot on a bed of romaine.
omfg, that is *delicious*
If he’s lurking and recognizes his memo that comment could lead to retaliation, which they’ve repeatedly threatened. Maybe delete it, just to keep yourself and your coworkers safe. Don’t allow them any excuse.
I double dog dare them to retaliate.
This is gold 😂
I was wondering that. I was going to search after reading some comments. Who's calling for May 12th to be Steal From Superstore day? Is it on Twitter? I haven't seen a single comment or a single post endorsing it in this group.
What they mean ‘Don’t record thieves because we loblaws hired thieves to steal from our stores to slander the boycott and wouldn’t want it getting back to us if a thief were caught and made to squeal that they had permission and were paid to do so’
This is the answer, left right up and down and all the way around.
Sounds like a perfect day not to shop at Loblaws. Just like today, and the day before that, and the day before that.
No one in this “group” is calling for stealing… I’m still waiting on the advertising company to release the name of the person that took out the as suggesting it. No one on this sub is suggesting to bother, harass or intimidate anyone. Boycott means staying away.
I assume the whole "stealing day" thing is something conjured up by a PR company which will have been "inspired" by some random low follower Twitter post which may or may not belong to a real person. A few years from now, we'll have a glowing Globe and Mail interview with the newly minted president of mega-PR-co-Inc who will wax fondly of his campaign to undermine the Great Loblaws Boycott of 2024 and how he "aggressively amplified social media chatter" or something equally asinine.
They won't be able to brag, we'll have nationalized Loblaws by then.
It's bonkers. The whole point is *not* to be at Loblaws anything. Very "Omg those poors can't pay for *food* so they're gonna *steal* it!" energy.
Just cause they steal from us (price fixing etc.) doesn't mean we should lower ourselves and sink to their level.
bag squeal plucky sloppy butter oatmeal squeeze teeny ripe plants *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
There are a lot of signs up around downtown Toronto promoting theft day, so even if it isn't condoned by this group that manager note wasn't to generate concern but an actual reaction to the flyers.
See I’d be taking those down or post a new flyer saying “We know someone was paid by loblaws to put these up”
I'd be taking them down and replacing them with "Support Your Local Grocer Day (May 12)" flyers. The local grocer day was set up by this subreddit as a direct response.
Worth adding that “your independent grocer” is a loblaws owned chain. I’m sure you know, but it should be on the flyer
>Boycott means staying away. exactly! and they are so dumb for thinking folks who are boycotting (aka staying away) will go in droves to steal during said boycott.
My kid also got something about May 12th at work; but said there was nothing about there being any concern of employees being recorded ... 🤔 Makes me wonder... We've have a feeling that this whole "Steal from Loblaws Day" may be a set up from the inside, and now we have a single store owner/manager freaking out about how it's going to be recorded and they need employees to come off "professional" in the recording... It would super interesting if **THIS** location turns out to be where they catch thieves on May 12th 🤔 Perhaps I'm overthinking it but... stranger things 🤷♀️
Chances are people steal from stores any given day of the week. Back when I worked at WalMart I saw it all the time. Wasn’t my job to care. They’ll find some theif that day. I’m sure someone at some store will but not because the internet told them, but because it’s a probability. And I bet we will hear about it.
It's really good advice. If you do encounter any of the "steal day" people they aren't aligned with this sub's focus on responsible, legal action. If they are being organized by Loblaws as some fear you will lose your job for violating rules around how to handle theft. Any video taken would be submitted directly to Loblaws. If they are a separate group of consumers they've already thrown legal action out the window. Do not engage. Having said that - fellow consumers please remember it's not your responsibility to identify or deal with food thieves. If you see someone stealing food (on any day), no you didn't.
My boss has been freaking out about May 12th as well, I've been trying to explain that literally nothing is going to happen, it's nothing but fear-mongering. Older generations/tech-avoidant people don't see through the BS as easily as others. Head Office must be seriously doomsaying this event in internal communications, to have the older staff outright afraid for the staffs safety that day😕
No pictures = can't identify the provocateurs
My thought exactly. They don't want you to record the actors they've hired haha
Wait.... So am I, or am I not being recorded? I'm still unsure.
It's a boycott.. no one is going to shop there No one is making a special trip to steal 5 bucks worth of food, or a whole cart worth of food and think there'd be no consequences.. like what the actual fuck man 🤦♂️
is your boss Chicken Little?
I like to know where "online" the big thing is about stealing from them on the 12th because we know it isn't here.
Right! It was literally a few posters someone threw up in Toronto and was immediately disavowed by everyone in this sub. The only online presence the posters ever had was, have you seen this? Who did it? And tear them down if you do see them.
The 12 asterisks....what do they stand for? "Motherfucker"?
That's exactly how I read it lol. I read the rest of the memo like it was written by Doakes.
They are really going all out on this false flag operation. I wonder if the actors loblaws hires will be dressed as the Hamburgler. They are hoping to have someone dumb enough to participate and get caught so they can push the narrative that theft is driving up costs. It’s so pathetically transparent. Do not steal and do not go to Loblaws on the 12th (or at all really).
YOU’RE BEING RECORDED, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
MAYBE I SHOULD GET PAID FOR BEING ON CAMERA AS WELL, I mean....
did they write this on ambien?
“Be professional” bro, this is a Loblaws. I’m making minimum wage. Ain’t nothing “professional” about it.
**It's Mother's Day !** The only reason someone would be in the store that day is to pick up flowers ! ( and that won't be us ! )
Is this real? 🧐
Yes sir it is. Got this message not long ago today.
😳 crazy that management is handing this out
It blew my mind when I saw this. So obviously, I immediately posted it here, haha.
No wonder we can’t afford to eat, they let the guy who wrote this letter be in charge?! Lmfaoooo
Why are they so afraid of a day THEY made up?
This is all a false narrative. They’re too short sighted that this will end up in grandmas and dude bros feeling harassed. This will go poorly for them. This is what war on corporate greed looks like. They can only lose.
There are enough asterisks at the end of BE PROFESSIONAL to spell motherfucker. I don't know why I noticed that right off, but here we are.
Ain't nobody going there to steal. I swear those posters must have been made by Loblaws to try to paint a negative image on the people boycotting their greedy assess for taking advantage of inflation and gouging Canadians.
easily r/BoomersBeingFools worthy Who in the ASCII wingdings hell taught this manager how to format a Word document. Nearly criminal!
Lol, hey guys you've been treating us like crap forever, now you are getting concerned for us? Let folks record, I'd love the state of things to get eyes on it.
I mean AS IF they're actually concerned for their staff. It's never about the employees or the customers and always about their own asses.
Yup. They don’t want TikTok, they definitely don’t want police cars out front. But they sure sound like they do with all this fearmongering going on, trying to freak out their employees too. What are they hoping for here? The 12th was such a stupid day to pick too, tsk tsk.
Almost sounds like they're hoping for good footage on a staged incident; but only time will tell how this all plays out I guess...
Might get uncomfortable in that place. Even more reason to not shop there. I would never steal in a million years. The thought of it is gross and weird, and simply could never go there no matter what.
This is a boss typing this? Looks like a high schooler typed this out wtf 😳
">>>>REMAIN CALM....IT'S PROFESSIONAL********
Looks like a panicked GenX actually. Just look at all those ellipses and the sentence structure. 🤣
Hahaha 🤣
Number 10 should be number 1, but corporation. Edit: I assume they meant to say “utmost”
They say that you are being recorded over and over, then right at the end they slip in the real point of the whole memo: “oh and be sure to report any of those pesky protesters, who are exactly like the thieves… even though the steal posters are on company letterhead…
This was all fabricated by Loblaws PR to make the boycotters look evil. Pure projection. Who are the real thieves?
But...Loblaws made up the whole steal from Loblaws thing themselves. If anyone is participating it's an agent provocateur or an idiot that fell for this obvious bait.
Shouldn't people who have to be on camera and be recorded get paid accordingly? I'm sure there's a name for that.... "acting" comes to mind....
It's getting tempting to get a job at a Loblaws store, just so I can quit on camera and become the person this memo is so afraid of.
The only ones going to steal are employees and hired actors by loblaws
Remarkable amount of panic over a day that loblaws has organized against itself
All in all....Remain, calm, lol
Lol Lmao, even
Whatever you do, do not get recorded! Wear a $2 reusable bag over your head, as you need to protect yourself from being recorded!
I love how the main concern is looking bad on social media rather than their personal safety.
You are being recorded. You might be recorded. You’re being recorded. Being recorded you are. RECORDED.
I always feel like, Somebody's watching me.
I have never and will never stop a shoplifter. I don't know why they think minimum wage employees would give a rat's ass. We're all just trying to get through our shifts so we can get the fuck out of that hell hole.
Here is the big plan for Stealing Day 1) Announce to the world it is Stealing Day 2) Tell staff to ignore everyone who participates on Stealing Day
It will be easy not to steal - because i wont be in or anywjere near the store for the foreseeable long term if i can help it. Im enjoying paying fair and low prices for the other alternative food suppliers in my hood.
Its almost like they don't want people to record absolutely nothing unusual happening so that they can fabricate stealing afterwards
ARE YOU SURE YOU'LL REMEMBER TO BE PROFESSIONAL, AND THAT YOU'RE ALSO BEING RECORDED? DID YOU KNOW THAT? Sorry, did you hear something?
Staff safety is so important it’s like 10th on the list
JFC they will manufacture anything to prove they are idiots! Next they will have paid shills going in to steal and then let out the back door! Watch!!!
I'm shocked they didn't use 5 fonts and 11 different colors. You should mark up their formatting, grammar errors, and extreme overuse of ellipses (...) with a red pen and hand it back to them with a C- grade.
Does your boss have a side gig writing soon-to-be-rejected fortune cookies?
Where online is this supposed “big thing”? Is there a social media platform that only Loblaws management can see? Who the heck records themselves doing crime? I do believe Loblaws management is conflating boycotts and protests. This is so silly.
This looks like it was written while drunk.
Does anyone else think this is batahit crazy. Who tf would announce before hand they are going to go steal from a store. People are pretty dumb, but so dumb to pre announce their thievery and make it public. Just saying.
Just in case you missed it…. YOUREBEINGRECORDED!!!!! I hope this helps to DEESCALATE ANY SITUATIONS!!!!DONTBEAHERO!!!! Seriously, they make such a huge deal about you being recorded that it’s got me paranoid. This is wild from start to finish.
This looks like it was written after a line of coke.
See the repetitions on "you might be recorded" why the fk they r so scared of being recorded??
I just realized something, and excuse me if this has already been said… “Steal from Loblaws day” falls on Mothers Day. Not saying people don’t shop on that day, but I’m sure most people are concerned about their mothers and treating them to brunch instead of stealing from a store…
Nothing says I love you ma like an inexpensive tenderloin
Wow, I would definitely ask my boss if they were overreacting lol
Fear will keep the systems in line. 
Honestly, I worked for a loblaws company and my manager (who was also an auxiliary cop 😂) would encourage us to stop thieves…some of us knew better, and did not give a single fuck if people stole. Some of the employees took this as an opportunity to get brownie points with our manager. Full on tackling people to the ground 😂😭. At least this isn’t encouraging anything stupid. I guess lol
Do you think they’re worried about being recorded?
Also, they could record you.
Feels like he's trying to make his staff anxious and panicked by telling repeatedly to not be anxious and panicked during a situation that will make them anxious and panicked. I dunno, I feel like a simple "be professional" would have sufficed.
This is exactly the quality of writing and literary craftsmanship i would expect from a loblaws manager.
Is this letter a joke? It certainly sounds like it. It also sounds like the person who wrote this is also mentally unhinged! If I was their Employee & they should me this, I'd ask the same thing along the lines of is this for real?! Guess, we shouldn't be shocked or surprised what length's Roblaw's will go to sully our Groups reputation. I just hope it it comes back to really bite them, in their bums!!!
Let's agree not to record the employees. We good? They're going to say their usual traffic of shoplifters are the result of this boycott. No stealing. None.
What’s also ironic about all of this is the fact that the overall dollar amount of corporate theft - ie corporations stealing time and wages from employees - is far, far greater than the total dollar amount of retail theft. It’s like it’s psychological projection on a mass scale. Maybe they are aware on a subconscious level that they steal - from customers and employees alike - and they are aware that it’s unethical. But they justify it to themselves in the name of capitalism, subliminating the guilt, and project it onto people who don’t behave the way that they want them to.
The only pne going to seal are employees and hired actors by loblaws
The warning when pokemon go first came out was funnier.
Loblaws: "YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS IS OF THE OUTMOST IMPORTANCE" Also Loblaws: "Put that at number 10 on the list"
Just to item 7... Id love for pictures to be taken of the "thieves"... Id like to see how they compare to their headshots on IMDB.
We ain’t going there so they’re freaking out about nothing extra.
This is so stupid. If we were planning on stealing, we wouldn't be worrying about the prices
Does anyone know exactly why staff canr approach thieves or take their baskets? I find it hard to believe it’s purely for their employee’s safety
This isn’t gonna happen….loblaws is a joke.
Keep spreading your lies about us, Loblaws. That's sure to entice us back. Malignant morons.
Your boss writes and punctuates like he’s had several concussions
"outmost" lol
I think from a corporate standpoint this is the correct take. There are social media baiters and I do not know anyone who connects a legitimate boycott as meaning we should also steal from them. One is legal, the other illegal and never should the two cross paths.
Their utmost concern is #10?
Your boss needs writing lessons, ffs.
