A recent secret shopping investigation by CBC News has uncovered that stores affiliated with Loblaw and Sobeys are still selling underweight meat. This practice, which leads to consumers being overcharged, persists despite previous promises from the companies to address the issue.

Ongoing Consumer Overcharges Revealed

The investigation found numerous instances of meat products weighing less than indicated on their labels across various store locations in multiple cities. This discrepancy means consumers are paying for more meat than they actually receive, amounting to significant financial losses over time.

Former Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) inspector Terri Lee estimates that these misweighed products cost Canadian consumers millions of dollars annually. The findings highlight a recurring problem within the grocery sector.

Investigation Methodology and Findings

The CBC investigation evaluated the accuracy of packaged fresh meat weights in 17 stores across Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax. The focus was on packaged fresh meat sold by weight, which was then secretly re-weighed in its original packaging using a kitchen scale.

When the actual weight fell short of the declared net weight, it indicated that the meat was underweight. This can occur if packaging is included in the weighing process, artificially increasing the perceived weight.

The investigation documented 32 underweight meat products across seven stores, including Safeway, Thrifty Foods, Farm Boy, and Real Canadian Superstores. The overcharges ranged from 2 to 16.7 percent.

Specific Examples of Discrepancies

Air-chilled organic chicken at Farm Boy showed particularly high overcharges. For example, a package of chicken breasts labeled as 0.285 kg was found to weigh only 0.244 kg without packaging, a difference of 41 grams. Even with packaging, the meat was still 17 grams underweight.

Consumer Frustration and Lack of Change

Consumer Karen Webber shared her frustration, having purchased underweight beef brisket twice from a Real Canadian Superstore in Dartmouth, N.S. Despite reporting the issue previously, she found the problem persisted a year later.

Webber's experience involved purchasing underweight beef briskets in February 2025. After reporting it, the store manager offered a free brisket and promised a resolution. However, upon returning a year later, she found the same issue with six beef briskets purchased from two Halifax-area Real Canadian Superstores, all appearing to be weighed with their plastic packaging included.

Calls for Stricter Enforcement

The CFIA has responded by increasing unannounced spot checks and issuing warnings to retailers for weight violations. However, no fines have been levied to date.

Former CFIA inspector Terri Lee is advocating for stricter enforcement, including significantly larger fines for grocers who repeatedly misweigh meat. She stressed the critical need for consumer protection against food fraud, stating, "We're still seeing it's rampant."