There isn't a day that goes by in Toronto without consumers condemning Loblaws for itscriminally high pricesandimmense profits, and this week, yet another item on the grocery chain's shelves is giving mindful shoppers some sticker shock.

Someone browsing a downtown location of the supermarket was caught off guard by the cost of a small container of artificial vanilla extract, which they had seen for far cheaper at another chain grocer in the same neighbourhood.

As shared in a tweetover the weekend, their local Loblaws on Bathurst Street is selling 125 mL bottles of the Club House product for $5.99, which is the same price as the nearby Farm Boy is charging for a container that is double the size — an entire 100 per cent markup.

Hilarious, as Farm Boy already overcharges for products. They’re seriously all Robber Barons!

— Thom Bryce McQuinn (@BryceMcQuinn)August 7, 2023

This is especially surprising seeing as Farm Boy is known as a more specialty store with higher price points for its organic, natural and dietary restriction-friendly selection.

As what feels like the millionth example ofoverpriced foodand零售商之间的成本差异in the city, the find is sparking more conversation about Canada's grocery oligopoly, which watchdogs have saidlacks fair competition.

"All the major chains suck" is the general consensus, with residents realizing that they need to thoroughly shop around and compare prices now that it feels like the big chainsare price gougingmore than ever before.

Based onthe Consumer Price Indexfor June from StatCan, food inflation was up 9.1 per cent year-over-year, compared to the general inflation rate of 2.8 per cent.