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Shoppers Drug Mart is a chain of drugstores in Canada. On their website (archived) they claim to offer the service of taking passport photographs of infants.

Hypothetical: I go to a branch near me and they say they do not provide this service.

Would the claim on the website constitute false advertising?

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Added: the precise text on the website (also visible in the archived version) is

Passports, IDs, and more Get your photo taken in-store 1, 2, 3 cheese! It's quick and easy. Find a store [note: a clickable link]

We take photos for

Passports, student cards, travel visas, citizenship cards, and status cards.

What to wear

Dark coloured clothing. Head coverings and non-tinted glasses allowed (ensure full face is visible).

Who’s eligible?

All ages, including toddlers and newborns.

The store in question is shown under the "find a store" option, and "passport photos" is listed as a service performed there.

Further down the page, there is an FAQ including the question and answer:

Does Shoppers Drug Mart take baby passport photos?

Yes, we do! Child photos must follow the same rules as standard passport photos. They must show your child's head and shoulders only. Parent's or child's hands must not appear in the photo.

In-store staff can assist with guidance on how to hold the baby without the parents arms or hands being visible.

The photo does require the following message on the back “I certify this to be a true likeness of (child’s name)” along with a parent’s signature.

Ben Williams
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1 Answers1

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As an initial note, there is not in practice any enforcement of false advertising laws for issues like this.

In this particular case, even if there were, Shoppers Drug Mart generally gets an out because whether they take passport photos of infants as advertised depends on exactly who is working at the time you go in. There are some staff trained in doing that, but they aren't always working. They also get sick, take vacations, and are subject to turnover, so at some locations there may be extended periods between shifts of trained/qualified staff.

More often, it comes down to the attitude and setting of an untrained employee: if you go in at a time that is not especially busy and act friendly + patient, you'll be more likely to get an employee with basic training on how to use the passport camera willing to make it up as they go along. As the caretaker, you'll be much better off reading the passport authorities' advice about infant passport photos yourself, and having a paper copy of that with you, and demonstrating a collaborative approach.

WBT
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