Mega Walmart Shopping

A lot has been said about the new Walmat superstore and it's negative effects on Canadian grocers like Dominion, Sobey's and especially Loblaws. We as a family bunded ourselves in warm clothing to brave to -30C temperatures to do our weekend groceries there. I've already been there twice already but it being the size of a football field, it wont be a familiar experience for me until at least the 5th visit. I have not even been to the auto or seasonal section yet.

It's obvious that Walmart did some research on who it's local clientele are, there are some pretty indigenous fruits and vegtables that would surely please the palette of the predominately immigrant population of Scarborough. Bulk okra, choyote and some unrecognizable stuff for example. Some of the meat packaging looks suspect but that may be because I'm used to seeing it packaged in white stryofoam instead of pink.

The clear advantage is that this place is a one stop shopping complex, you can even build a bear and get a hearing aid. The food prices are better (but not by much). There are a different variety of products (sometimes by different suppliers).

However this place won't have everything that are in the isles that Dominon and Loblaws has. It doesn't carry PC products and it doesn't feel like a grocery store.

My conclusion is that it's convenient and I'll be back sometimes. But I recently discovered that shopping at the Chinese grocers are are a better deal. The produce is fresher too. I can cut the grocery bill by 40% by doing so and there alot more interesting stuff there too. BTW there is a TNT opening up where the old Knob Farms used to be on Commisioners Rd. Loblaws used to get $130 a week from us, so I would be worried if I were them.