Food prices have been a major source of irritation over the past year. But it also turns out that the way these prices are displayed in stores has been displeasing like never before. The Consumer Protection Office (OPC) recorded a record volume of calls concerning the food sector which is now in 5e position in the list of complaints… ahead of new vehicle sellers.
The number of complaints regarding food jumped by 36% in 2023, a year marked by frenzied inflation. No other sector saw such a pronounced increase, although clothing retailers weren’t far behind (+33%). In comparison, the total number of complaints transmitted to the OPC increased by 14%.
Consumers mainly denounced problems linked to the indication and accuracy of prices in supermarkets. Inflation makes consumers “less patient” with everything that affects the price of food and “more attentive” to the way prices are announced and to price errors, the spokesperson for the Office rightly analyzes, Charles Tanguay.
Many consumers took the time to call the OPC because they had not been able to enforce the Price Accuracy Policy after noticing an error to their disadvantage in a supermarket.
Merchants can decide not to display a price on each package, but in return, they must compensate their customers when the amount requested at the checkout is inconsistent with that written on the tablet. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get the free product you’re entitled to (if its value is $10 or less) when it happens.
Sometimes employees are not acting in bad faith, but they are unaware of the existence of this policy. If you notice an error, do not hesitate to report it and assert your rights.
The famous discounts on multiple purchases, which are so popular, have also provoked complaints. This is not new, but this strategy is becoming more and more widespread. Some see it as discrimination against single or less fortunate people. Large families who appreciate the formula might retort that it makes sense to reward the best customers with volume discounts…
Regardless of your position, know that it is completely legal to sell a can for $1.25 and sell 5 for $5. On the other hand, the merchant must clearly display the unit price and respect it.
Another type of discount that is not unanimous: that offered only to members of the supermarket’s loyalty program. By agreeing to provide personal data about your purchasing habits to a merchant, you obtain more attractive prices on certain products. It’s give-and-take. Even if you disagree with the idea, please note that complaints on this subject are not upheld by the OPC (and are therefore not part of the statistics above) since traders are free to establish the conditions of their choice to obtain a rebate, provided that they do not contravene the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The best example is that of Costco which forces the purchase of an annual membership card.
The clothing sector has also seen an impressive increase in complaints, mainly due to the increased popularity of online sales. New sites out of nowhere are constantly emerging. Some sell falsely Quebecois products, others never deliver the goods advertised or pass on junk to customers. Always be careful before making an online purchase from an unknown retailer and ask yourself if it’s too good to be true before pulling out your credit card. Also make a habit of consulting the site www.fraud-alarme.ca to check if a merchant has been the subject of a report.
The 2023 assessment of complaints recorded by the OPC also shows that the most problematic sectors of recent years remain the same.
Unsurprisingly, used vehicles are still at the top, followed by household appliances and construction. These are sectors where the sums at stake are significant, which motivates the complaints.
The types of breaches most often deplored by consumers do not change either. Delivery or compliance issues (in the same category for OPC) continue to rank highest. Legal warranty issues are not far behind. This guarantee included in the law provides that an item must be able to be used for normal use for a reasonable period of time. If there is a problem getting it honored, you can often turn to the OPC’s Parle Consommation platform, a free service to help resolve disputes.1.
Once again, the furniture giant BMTC, which replaced its Brault & Martineau brand with Tanguay in 2023, sits at the top of the companies having generated the greatest number of complaints. Obviously, businesses that serve a very large number of customers have more opportunities to disappoint. But it will be interesting to see if the elimination of the Brault & Martineau name will change anything in the next ranking, Tanguay having a better reputation.
For its part, Amazon managed to move from 9e at 5e place on the list in just one year, which is hardly encouraging. The number of complaints about it jumped by 85%.
The other names are the same as in previous years. With the exception of a single “intruder”, Tero Innovation. The Quebec company of promising domestic composters declared bankruptcy, leaving hundreds of consumers who had been patiently waiting for their composter at $800 each, sometimes for two years.