{"id":567859,"date":"2026-03-29T03:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T03:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/567859\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T03:36:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T03:36:11","slug":"actually-we-just-want-cheaper-groceries-shoppers-react-to-redesigned-no-frills-that-just-opened-in-ontario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/567859\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Actually we just want cheaper groceries,\u2019 Shoppers react to redesigned No Frills that just opened in Ontario"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>What to know<\/p>\n<p>No Frills introduced its redesign in its newest location in Komoka, Ontario this week.<\/p>\n<p>Online, Canadian shoppers say the company missed the mark and that it\u2019s \u201cdoing too much.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It comes as grocery prices remain high and food bank across the country see record high amidst an affordability crisis.<\/p>\n<p>A No Frills \u2013 operated by Loblaw Companies Ltd. \u2013 opened what it says is a \u201cbrand-new format\u201d and an \u201cexciting step for the No Frills brand.\u201d While the parent company says it\u2019s committed to delivering low prices, shoppers are voicing their skepticism.<\/p>\n<p>No Frills opens in Komoka, Ontario with a redesign<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/melaniesingh_nofrills-retailinnovation-community-activity-7442915627964497922-4b2X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">President of Hard Discount Melanie Singh<\/a> says the \u201crefreshed exterior and interior\u201d using a hybrid of timber and steel \u201ccreates a warm, welcoming environment\u201d for shoppers.<\/p>\n<p>Singh says the layout of the store is \u201cshaped by years of customer feedback\u201d and intended to make shopping easier and more convenient.<\/p>\n<p>She adds the company will \u201ccontinue to stay true to [its] commitment to unbeatable value,\u201d and that the new look and feel \u201chasn\u2019t changed [its] commitment to delivering the lowest possible prices Canadians rely on every day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"491\" alt=\"Modern Nofrills grocery store with bright yellow signage and black facade, located in Toronto, Ontario, under a cloudy sky, featuring large glass windows and a welcoming entrance.\" class=\"wp-image-1537278 perfmatters-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774755370_685_image-19.png\"  data-\/>(Courtesy: LinkedIn\/Melanie Singh)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" alt=\"An interior view of a modern grocery store showcasing fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers, with bright lighting and clear signage for discounts and promotions.\" class=\"wp-image-1537279 perfmatters-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774755371_769_image-20.png\"  data-\/>(Courtesy: LinkedIn\/Melanie Singh)<\/p>\n<p>Loblaw CEO Per Bank <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/per-bank-a2b719140_from-construction-site-to-community-store-activity-7442895568563122176-mg8o?utm_source=li_share&amp;utm_content=feedcontent&amp;utm_medium=g_dt_web&amp;utm_campaign=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">applauded the brand new next-gen location<\/a> and its \u201cfresh, modern look that stands out in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bank reiterated the company\u2019s commitment to discounted groceries saying the new location is \u201ca discount store filled with fresh, high-quality groceries at great prices.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But shoppers are not convinced by the company\u2019s pledge<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI should go there just to see if the prices are giving Loblaws or no frills,\u201d an X user wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny No Frills that looks nice got Loblaws prices,\u201d another wrote, referring to the price difference seen between the parent company and its subsidiary.<\/p>\n<p>Some say the new look is uncalled for, saying the company missed the mark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo Frills is supposed to be Costco for single people,\u201d an X user wrote. \u201cThis is too much.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cActually, we just want cheaper groceries,\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs no frills\u2026 adding frills?\u201d another wrote, pointing to the counterintuitive of a budget retailer adding flair and jazz to its appearance.<\/p>\n<p>Loblaw had been subject to allegations of price gouging and faced backlash for its high food prices. The parent company reported a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loblaw.ca\/en\/loblaw-reports-revenue-growth-of-4-6-in-the-third-quarter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">revenue growth of 4.6% in the third quarter of 2025<\/a> as food bank usage across the country saw record highs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"nt-read-more__title no-margin-top\">Read More<\/p>\n<p>Just last year, the company was ordered by the courts to settle a class action lawsuit following a scandal alleging industry-wide price fixing on packaged bread.<\/p>\n<p class=\"nt-read-more__title no-margin-top\">Read More<\/p>\n<p>The strain on the average Canadian\u2019s wallet has even prompted a pilot project for a community-run discounted grocery store in Toronto, with city council approving the motion earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"nt-read-more__title no-margin-top\">Read More<\/p>\n<p>The newest No Frills in Komoka \u2013 15 minutes away from London, Ontario \u2013 is part of the Loblaw Companies Ltd.\u2019s ambitious $2.4 billion plan to expand its network of stores, including Shoppers Drug Mart and No Frills.<\/p>\n<p class=\"nt-read-more__title no-margin-top\">Read More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What to know No Frills introduced its redesign in its newest location in Komoka, Ontario this week. Online,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":567860,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[45,49,48,41525,206410,182475,218644],"class_list":{"0":"post-567859","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-grocery-prices","12":"tag-loblaws","13":"tag-new-location","14":"tag-no-frills"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567859\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/567860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}