A scuffle caught on video in a Toronto Dollarama location is triggering a debate on theft and loss prevention tactics during a period of unprecedented food and living costs in Canada's largest urban centre.

The clip captured at the Dollarama location within the Morningside Crossing shopping centre at Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue shows a security guard engaged in an altercation with a customer alleged to have stolen food items from the store.

The video was shared to TikTok on Thursday and has since spread to other social media platforms, reigniting discussions on food theft and insecurity during these trying economic times.

Dollardrama pic.twitter.com/20klcFJQbm

— Justice_Queen 🏗🏙🚇⚖️ (@RE_MarketWatch) September 22, 2023

"I paid for that!," shouts the woman with red hair and glasses, as a private security guard rummages through her reusable shopping bag and forcefully removes items.

"No, you haven't, and you are not allowed in here," barks the security guard, in what soon turned into a shoving match. 

people who can't afford to survive

— Justice_Queen 🏗🏙🚇⚖️ (@RE_MarketWatch) September 22, 2023

Commenters have been quick to defend the woman in the video, including one person who replied on TikTok saying, "If someone steals it's because he don't have money so take that in count when posting those vids."

"So sad that Canada has become like this," reads another TikTok comment, adding, "People can't afford anything anymore."

The economy is so bad as such a dollar store chain with 80% junk products needs security.

— Ravi Balachandran (@Point_Pedro) September 22, 2023

Others argue that the monetary value of the items the woman appeared to have stolen is outweighed by the dehumanizing treatment of the security guard.

I find a few things odd here. 1. Tye zealousness of the security guard. He will not be compensated anymore for dehumanizing this woman . This is just his own power grab 2. Those who recorded and then shared it on tiktok . No one bothered to say anything

— Ivan Marusic (@paracho1) September 22, 2023

The video comes amid runaway food price inflation, shifting public opinion on the grocery tycoons operating supermarkets in the country, and record food bank use.

However, many more viewers were unsympathetic and called out the woman's behaviour during the incident.

A thief & a karen too

— Hero27 (@tulimat_hussam) September 22, 2023

A Dollarama representative tells blogTO that the brand "aim[s] to promote a safe store environment for customers and employees, and we expect any third-party uniformed guards we may employ to adhere to our standard policies and procedures."

"All incidents brought to our attention are carefully reviewed and addressed as necessary by the appropriate department."