Loblaw responds to unsafe food photo

Loblaw got a painful reminder of the power of social media this week after both the CBC and then Global News posted stories about one of its stores based on a month-old Facebook photo.

Posted on Oct. 6, the picture was taken at Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstore in north Toronto and showed a large pile of raw, unwrapped meat, seemingly behind the deli counter or in the back of the store. The problem is that the meat was stacked in a common grocery shopping cart.

“At my local Loblaws Superstore (Dufferin & Steeles) looking for some good rib steaks,” wrote the poster, Michael Pearl. “Lo and behold I found them! In a grocery chart. I’m sure this violates every public health statute (I’m sure Toronto Public Health will want to know about this) - certainly not President’s Choice! Disgusting and DUMB! - in plain sight!”

“This image depicts an incident that is clearly not following Real Canadian Superstore food safety procedures and absolutely should not have happened,” said Karen Gumbs, director of public relations and communications for Loblaw Companies Ltd., in a statement to Canadian Grocer.

“The store immediately addressed this with the colleague, and we’ve reminded all departments of our protocols to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

Unsurprisingly the Facebook post triggered a thread of comments, but stalled out pretty quickly until the story was published first by the CBC on Nov. 05 and then Global on Nov.06.

Pearl told the CBC he first showed the photo to the store manager—“She seemed aghast at it all,” he said—before sending it to the Toronto Board of Health.

"They got back to me and said they were going to be looking into it," he said.

Toronto Public Health told Global that an inspector visited the store on Oct. 17, addressed the problem with staff and the investigation was closed.

“We apologize for any concern and want to assure our customers that they can have confidence in the safety of the meat purchased at this store,” said Gumbs.