With the threat of U.S. tariffs sparking a “Buy Canadian” movement, Canada’s grocers are pivoting away from American products and ramping up efforts to make more local alternatives available.
It remains to be seen if U.S. President Donald Trump will slap sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and 10 per cent tariffs on energy.
Those were set to go into effect on Feb. 4 before a 30-day pause was announced last week.
However, that month-long reprieve was interrupted on Monday as Trump imposed 25 per tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports coming to the United States, including from Canada.
He also on Monday threatened a tariff of between 50 and 100 per cent on Canadian vehicles.
Tariff threats from the U.S. have given rise to a wave of “Buy Canadian” sentiment in Canada in recent weeks, with consumers ditching U.S. products for local ones and businesses giving more prominence to local options.
Canadian grocers Metro, Sobeys, Loblaw and Longo’s are among those honing in on the “Buy Canadian” movement.
“In the current context, we are working to optimize the visibility of local and Canadian products – in-store, online and on our various promotional tools like the weekly flyer – to make them easier to find for customers who want to prioritize them,” said Stephanie Bonk, a Metro spokesperson.
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“You will see these efforts start to roll out later this week.”
In the event of a trade war, Bonk said the company will “continue to give priority to local Canadian products whenever possible, while ensuring customers find the products they want, according to their values, budget and preferences.”
“Other countries might be alternatives to U.S.-sourced products if they meet our standards,” she said.
Sobeys, which is owned by Empire Company Limited, said it already has a “clear and robust strategy that favours and displays local products” in its stores across the country.
“In light of recent developments, we are working to amplify this very successful local program while also accelerating the sourcing of Canadian products as alternatives to products on the tariff list,” a Sobeys spokesperson said.
“We will be using all of our communication channels, including in-store, to clearly identify Canadian products and give them greater prominence.”
Where some gaps may exist, Sobeys is working to identify alternatives through other products or brands, preferably Canadian made or by sourcing in other jurisdictions such as Spain, Morocco and Mexico, the spokesperson added.
Ontario-based Longo’s said across its 40 stores, 100 per cent of its beef is Canadian and 100 per cent of chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, and veal is from Ontario.
“There has been increased interest in both Canadian and local products from Ontario,” said Longo’s president Deb Craven.
“We are actively working to expand our in-store signage to showcase Canadian products more easily,” she told Global News in an emailed statement.
“Over the coming days and weeks, we will have a maple leaf or a local call-out on select shelf-labels and signage, both printed and digitally.”
In response to Trump’s executive order for the original vow of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada released its own list of planned counter-tariffs, which includes dozens of grocery items.
Loblaw CEO Per Bank has warned that a trade war could hit consumers in Canada and the U.S.
“The cost of living, including the price of food, has been challenging. A trade war would do nothing to make that reality any better on both sides of the border, especially for customers. That’s our primary concern,” Bank said in a LinkedIn post earlier this month.
To minimize the impacts, Loblaw is “doubling down on securing food grown and made in Canada,” Bank said.
“Where we have had to purchase products made in the U.S., we will look for alternatives including products from Mexico which has also been subjected to these unnecessary tariffs,” he added.
A Loblaw spokesperson told Global News the company is looking to broaden its supply chain beyond the U.S. and is showcasing products prepared in Canada.
To help shoppers buy local, Loblaw added a new feature last week in its PC Optimum app that lets users swap staples on their grocery list with products prepared in Canada.
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