A couple of weeks ago, I posted something completely ordinary on Threads that caused a social media backlash. It was one of those small, throwaway observations you share without thinking twice. I’d seen an apple pie for sale at Farm Boy for $18, and in a moment of mild disbelief I posted:
“I saw an apple pie for sale for $18 at Farmboy today. Outrageous. I’ll make my own for about $2.”
No photo. No agenda. Just… pie.
Soon the comments poured in, more than a hundred, and suddenly I was in the centre of a miniature culture battle I didn’t intend to start. People weren’t just interested. They were invested.
Some agreed. Most did not. A few were needlessly mean. And several proudly announced that they pay far more for pie — one even claimed $68. (Wow! For apples and flour? Bold choice.)
That’s when it hit me: This wasn’t really about pie at all. It was about everything underneath it. And it revealed something important about the cultural moment we’re living in. And, what brands need to understand right now.
Cost-of-living crisis redefines reputational risk
What shocked me most wasn’t the disagreement, but the intensity of it, especially because Threads is an international platform. These weren’t just Canadians weighing in. These were people from everywhere, jumping into the fray to debate, moralize, correct, scold, and in some cases, insult. Very quickly, a simple comment about the price of pie became a referendum on:
- inflation policy
- economic anxiety
- political allegiance
- race and identity
- perceived moral correctness
People weren’t defending apple pie. They were defending themselves — their politics, their values, their identities. It turns out that in 2025, even an $18 pie is a political symbol.
A Micro-Version of the National Mood
While my own Threads comments were turning into a social media backlash, a lot of social feeds were echoing the same tension. Viral photos of $8.28 butter were circulating everywhere, fuelling fresh waves of anger at the big grocery chains. Accusations of “greedflation” resurfaced, along with calls for boycotts and endless arguments about who’s really to blame. Politics crept into every corner of the discussion, and people couldn’t even agree on whether high food prices were an unavoidable reality or a manufactured crisis. The collective stress was unmistakable — and my little apple pie post had tapped straight into it .In other words:
People are tense and frustrated with inflation.
My tiny Threads moment wasn’t unique — it was simply symptomatic. It tapped into the same stress, suspicion, and defensiveness that are showing up everywhere from TikTok to Reddit to the comment section of national news. Food isn’t just food anymore.
- It’s identity.
- It’s politics.
- It’s economics.
- It’s emotion.
What Apple Pie Taught Me About Today’s Culture
This wasn’t a story about overpriced dessert. It was a story about pressure. About the economic anxieties people are carrying. About how identity and politics now cling to even the most mundane details. About how cultural frustration leaks into every corner of online conversation.
And most importantly, it was a reminder that:
- Canadians (and everyone else) are feeling squeezed.
- People are interpreting everyday comments through a political lens.
- And brands must tread carefully in this climate.
Because if a simple post about apple pie can ignite a hundred-comment argument among strangers, imagine what a poorly timed, poorly worded brand message can do.
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