Tag: shopping

Patriotic Shopping

I wrote about shopping several times during the difficult years of the Covid 19 pandemic. I thought we were done with that topic. But politics has changed the shopping scene and now it’s harder than ever to navigate.

We Canadians are ethically challenged every time we visit a store or a website. To buy or not to buy? For example, after my last post where I joyously shared a photo of my favourite Miss Vickie’s potato chips, a reader wrote to correct me. His research showed that, while Miss Vickie’s were originally created by Ontario farmers Vickie and her husband, the company is now owned by Frito Lay in the USA. So my question changed: To eat or not to eat? I read the package over and over again, seeing only a red maple leaf with the words “Made in Canada.” I ripped open the bag and started munching. Really, how much temptation can a person stand?

Then I received a coupon in the mail for 25% off any item in my favourite women’s store, Talbot’s. Without a thought I drove straight over to the mall. And there, right in front of me, was the most glorious shirt in brilliant shades of red and pink, so spring-like. How could I resist? I handed over my credit card. At home I took the shirt out of the bag and thought…oops… is Talbot’s a Canadian store? My phone showed me that Mr. and Mrs. Talbot had started the store in the United Sates back in 1947. No question about being Canadian. So what to do? I rationalized about all the time and gas needed to make the return trip. And I am sorry to admit that my ethical self was outvoted by my colourful self.

This Canadian shopping can test even the most patriotic of us. Another real temptation is COSTCO. We have one location very close to us and it’s easy to stop by for a few bulk items. I’ve heard many people say they will never give up COSTCO, even if it IS American. especially when they think about inflation. What most people agree on is to buy only Canadian products there, which seems to be a reasonable compromise, since each COSTCO outlet also employs a lot of Canadian workers.

But how do we know what IS a Canadian product? The language is endlessly confusing. Apparently “made in Canada” means that the last transition of the product was done in Canada. The rest of the item may come from somewhere else. But “product of Canada” manes that most of it, over 90%, comes directly from Canada. There are now some apps available to help us sort all this out. Two that I know of are Maple Scan, and BuyBeaver.

I was delighted to discover that my favourite shampoo and moisturizer come from Quebec. While shopping for crackers I found that my go-to brand is made in England. Quite close to Talbot’s in the mall is Sportchek (Canadian) with nice shirts! Staples, a really handy store with a lot of useful products, is Canadian. It even has a recycling depot at the store I visit, where shoppers can leave empty cartridges, toner, used batteries, and other non-recyclable items.

But so far one item on my shopping list evades me. Every morning Peter has a cookie with his coffee. It is a plain biscuit without much sugar and it’s made by Christie. Christie was originally a Canadian company owned by Mr. Christie in Toronto. Then he sold the business to Mondelez, an international company headquartered in the US.

So last week I bought Peter some biscuits from Italy – too sweet. Then I bought some gluten-free ones at Sobey’s – too expensive! English shortbread – too buttery. Arrowroot – too childishly embarrassing. Can any of you Canadian readers help me out with this?

Elbows up!

Sue

Buffalo

Did you know that Buffalo may be Canada’s best revenge against Donald Trump and his tariffs?

I grew up in St. Catharines, not too far from the US border. When our car needed gas or my dad needed beer, we would often drive “over the river” (the Nagara River that is) and fill up, at very cheap prices. When the family wanted a Saturday night outing, we would travel to Buffalo and gorge on wings and fries. During school vacations we would go to the Niagara Outlet Mall and stock up on school clothes. We saved a lot of money that way. Not only were the prices cheaper to start with, but back then the Canadian dollar was at par with the US dollar.

Many Canadians living in cities and towns near the US border shopped this way. Holidays were built around a trip to a US mall. The mall garbage cans were filled with price tags and shopping bags and shoe boxes discarded by buyers, along with the old clothes and shoes they had been wearing in the morning. Families would stay overnight at a nearby motel that had an indoor swimming pool. Everyone was happy.

Crossing the border to return home, the family would meet the customs office who would ask: “What are you bringing across the border today?” The driver would smile and say “Oh sir, nothing to declare. We just went over for lunch.” Then he would sneak a peak at his gas gauge which read FULL. Meanwhile the kids in the back seat would stare down at their shiny shoes, scuffed up enough to betray their newness. And the wife would be wearing two new dresses under a jacket, as she wiped perspiration from her brow.

Even after I moved to Toronto I would sometimes join friends on a weekend shopping trip. We’d drive across the borer to the outlet mall, split up and raid the stores. Then we’d meet for lunch and share our finds. And then we’d go back at it again. After loading up the car with clothes, bedding and cosmetics, we’d drive farther along the highway to a boutique hotel, just past Buffalo. We’d settle in, enjoy a fabulous meal, and drink wine.

The next morning after a bountiful brunch, we’d head home, stopping here and there at antique stores and fruit stands. When we got to the border, we’d smile politely at the customs officer who usually asked the total price of our purchases. The customs allowance back then was $100 for a weekend away. Coincidentally each one of us had spent just under that limit – $96, $91, $94, and $97. Hard to believe that we were so good at doing math in our heads. In fact, when we added gas, hotel, food, and wine, we’d probably each spent well over $500 in the Buffalo area.

Nowadays these fun Canadian shopping habits are beginning to disappear. With the Canadian dollar trending downwards and gas prices going up, fewer people are making their way south to Buffalo, or Michigan, or Seattle. We stay put and make do with our local Winners and COSTCO. And with the Trump tariffs on the way, this downward trend is going to continue. We’ll be spending our holiday shopping sprees in our own country. And we’ll have fun too.

So Donald, take that! Who says that average Canadians can’t protest over the shameful results of the recent US election?

Sue