A Sobeys grocery store is seen in Halifax on Sept. 11, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
STELLARTON, N.S. – Grocery stores across Canada owned by Nova Scotia-based Empire Co. Ltd., including the Sobeys chain, are experiencing computer problems that have made it difficult for some customers seeking prescriptions.
The company, based in Stellarton, N.S., issued a brief statement today confirming that an “IT systems issue” is affecting certain pharmacies, though it said stores remain open and are not experiencing significant disruptions.
Some in-store services, however, are working intermittently or with a delay, though Empire did not explain what that meant.
The company says it is making progress in solving its IT problems but is unable to determine when the problems would be fixed.
The technical difficulties were first reported on the weekend.
With about $30.5 billion in annual sales and 130,000 employees, Empire’s stable of retail outlets include 1,598 stores under a number of different brands, including IGA, Safeway, Foodland, Lawtons Drugs, Fresh Co, Needs, Thrifty Foods, Rachelle Berry and Bonchoix.
“At Sobeys, exceeding the needs of our customers is always our top priority,” Pierre St-Laurent, the company’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Our sole focus right now is on getting this problem rectified and we will provide further updates as relevant information becomes available.”
Empire operates 1,500 retail stores across all 10 provinces.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2022.
