Customer service in Vancouver feels like it’s disappeared. Today I went to No Frills — the cashier didn’t even smile once. Then I went to another store where they advertise sales, but the cheaper items are always out of stock. They keep saying they’ll remove the tags, but it’s been months.
It’s not just about one store or one person — it’s about how much this city has changed. I miss the days when grocery store jobs were stable careers, where staff were paid enough to take pride in their work, smile, chat with you, and even bag your groceries. Now everyone just looks exhausted, the shelves feel half-stocked, and prices are beyond ridiculous: $9 for blackberries, $3.49/kg for cherries, $4 for a small frozen pizza.
It’s heartbreaking. $100 in groceries used to fill my cart. Now $50 gets me a few things. Today I worked over an hour just to earn $20 from dog-walking, and on my way home I passed tents in False Creek — more people struggling to survive in a city that’s become impossible for so many.
It’s not about blaming workers — they’re dealing with the same cost-of-living pressures as the rest of us. It’s about a system that’s squeezed the joy, stability, and human connection out of everyday life.
How did we get here?
Was it COVID? Was it years of corporate cost-cutting? Is it the housing crisis making every job harder to keep? Who’s actually benefitting from the way things are now?
And the bigger question — what can we do to make life better?
Because right now, it feels like it sucks for way too many people in this city.
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