Latest news with #BuyCanada
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Canadians are drinking more local beer and wine during U.S. trade war, report suggests
A display of Ontario wine is pictured at the 100 Queen's Quay East LCBO outlet in Toronto on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor As trade tensions simmer between Ottawa and Washington, 'Buy Canada' sentiment has taken off across the country, and new data suggests Canadian wine and beer producers are reaping the benefits. A report published last month from data research consultancy firm CGA, powered by consumer intelligence company NIQ, found that 37 per cent of respondents in a May survey said they purchased an alcoholic drink at a bar or restaurant in the past month from a Canadian brand they hadn't tried before. The most common reason given for the increase was to support local, according to the report, which included survey responses from individuals in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. The report found that 28 per cent of beer drinkers reported consuming more craft beer since U.S. President Donald Trump's administration first imposed tariffs on Canadian products. Among them, 46 per cent said they did so to support local or Canadian brands. When it comes to wine drinkers, 51 per cent reported drinking more Canadian wine than before tariffs were introduced. Overall, 57 per cent of wine consumers reported having tried a Canadian wine brand at a restaurant or bar at some point in 2025. Survey participants were also asked what they'd like to see more of in national bar and restaurant chains, and the second most common response was the increased availability of Canadian beer, wine and spirits. The consumer shift towards local and Canadian alcohol comes at the same time American products are less readily available in Canada. Provinces across the country pulled American beer, wine and spirits from liquor store shelves earlier this year in response to Trump's tariffs. While some provinces have since rescinded that action, others including Ontario, whose liquor control board is one of the largest alcohol purchasers in the world, have not. Methodology CGA by NIQ surveyed 1,200 LDA On Premise consumers across four key provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec). Consumers had to have visited the On Premise in the past 3 months and be aged 19+. An equal number of respondents were collected from each province with each nationally representative on gender and age. Fieldwork was undertaken 2025/05/28 to 2025/05/30.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada's independent grocers: Going beyond price and competing on value to draw customers
Canada's independent grocers are facing no shortage of challenges, from rising costs to supply chain disruptions. However, one bright spot continues to work in their favour: consumer appetite for buying Canadian and buying local. 'The impact of tariffs is a challenge. At the same time, that's resulted in an upsurge in the Buy Canada [movement] that still has not subsided,' said Gary Sands, vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG), which represents over 6,900 independent grocery retailers across Canada. 'It's a classic example of a challenge becoming an opportunity,' Sands said, adding that he's optimistic that the Buy Canada sentiment will continue to work in favour of the independent grocers. While Canada's larger grocery chains, like Loblaw and Metro, are investing in new store openings to meet shifting consumer preferences for discount prices, independent grocers continue to rely on the same strategies that sustained them in the past: local sourcing, personalized service and close ties to their communities. According to a recent study published by PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada, 75 per cent of Canadians are willing to pay a premium for locally produced food. However, 62 per cent say they would choose a lower-priced imported product over a domestic equivalent. The results reveal that while Canadians prefer to shop local, their wallets might prompt them to opt for cheaper choices. In the meantime, CFIG has been supporting independent grocers with the Buy Canada movement by providing signage for them to put up in stores. 'Everybody's doing this because that's what the consumer wants,' Sands said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state has 'been the biggest catalyst for driving Buy Canadian that I've ever seen." Competition on value — instead of price Michael von Massow, food economist at the University of Guelph, says that while the major grocers' move to discount stores isn't good for independent grocers, most of them have always relied on other customer preferences — like convenience, and the support of local, neighbourhood institutions — to keep people coming back. Most independent grocers, historically, have not competed on price, he adds. von Massow suspects they wouldn't see a substantial loss of consumers to discount stores because their customers have already made the choice to pay more for products. Independent grocers struggle to compete on price, in part, because they don't have access to the same distribution advantages as large chains, he adds. While chains like Loblaw and Metro can buy directly from suppliers in large volumes, many independents rely on other sourcing methods, such as regional food terminals, which may not be as cost-efficient. While it's difficult to generalize independent grocers, some are trying to reinforce how they're unique from the major grocers, von Massow says. That may include focusing on the quality of local produce, custom meat products or ready-to-eat foods, or the service — staff at independent grocers can be more knowledgeable about products and their origins, and may make customers feel more valued, he adds. Sands says he has heard many suppliers call independent grocers incubators because they're often more open than chains to test new products. That openness reflects their desire to offer a unique customer experience. von Massow added: 'The ones succeeding in the current environment are doubling down on what differentiates them and taking advantage of the Buy Canadian, buy local thinking of many consumers.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada's independent grocers: Going beyond price and competing on value to draw customers
Canada's independent grocers are facing no shortage of challenges, from rising costs to supply chain disruptions. However, one bright spot continues to work in their favour: consumer appetite for buying Canadian and buying local. 'The impact of tariffs is a challenge. At the same time, that's resulted in an upsurge in the Buy Canada [movement] that still has not subsided,' said Gary Sands, vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG), which represents over 6,900 independent grocery retailers across Canada. 'It's a classic example of a challenge becoming an opportunity,' Sands said, adding that he's optimistic that the Buy Canada sentiment will continue to work in favour of the independent grocers. While Canada's larger grocery chains, like Loblaw and Metro, are investing in new store openings to meet shifting consumer preferences for discount prices, independent grocers continue to rely on the same strategies that sustained them in the past: local sourcing, personalized service and close ties to their communities. According to a recent study published by PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada, 75 per cent of Canadians are willing to pay a premium for locally produced food. However, 62 per cent say they would choose a lower-priced imported product over a domestic equivalent. The results reveal that while Canadians prefer to shop local, their wallets might prompt them to opt for cheaper choices. In the meantime, CFIG has been supporting independent grocers with the Buy Canada movement by providing signage for them to put up in stores. 'Everybody's doing this because that's what the consumer wants,' Sands said, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state has 'been the biggest catalyst for driving Buy Canadian that I've ever seen." Competition on value — instead of price Michael von Massow, food economist at the University of Guelph, says that while the major grocers' move to discount stores isn't good for independent grocers, most of them have always relied on other customer preferences — like convenience, and the support of local, neighbourhood institutions — to keep people coming back. Most independent grocers, historically, have not competed on price, he adds. von Massow suspects they wouldn't see a substantial loss of consumers to discount stores because their customers have already made the choice to pay more for products. Independent grocers struggle to compete on price, in part, because they don't have access to the same distribution advantages as large chains, he adds. While chains like Loblaw and Metro can buy directly from suppliers in large volumes, many independents rely on other sourcing methods, such as regional food terminals, which may not be as cost-efficient. While it's difficult to generalize independent grocers, some are trying to reinforce how they're unique from the major grocers, von Massow says. That may include focusing on the quality of local produce, custom meat products or ready-to-eat foods, or the service — staff at independent grocers can be more knowledgeable about products and their origins, and may make customers feel more valued, he adds. Sands says he has heard many suppliers call independent grocers incubators because they're often more open than chains to test new products. That openness reflects their desire to offer a unique customer experience. von Massow added: 'The ones succeeding in the current environment are doubling down on what differentiates them and taking advantage of the Buy Canadian, buy local thinking of many consumers.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
CTV National News: Reaping the benefits of the 'Buy Canada' movement
Watch Paul Hollingsworth has the story of a small Maritime business specializing in locally produced food reaping the benefits of the 'Buy Canada' movement.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
'My sacrifice': Canadians boycott US products as Trump feeds 'Buy Canada' surge
'My sacrifice': Canadians boycott US products as Trump feeds 'Buy Canada' surge Canadians are foregoing their favorite American products in anger at President Donald Trump. The boycott could impact the U.S. economy. Show Caption Hide Caption Canadian travel to US plummets following Trump's tariff threats After U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged people to travel domestically. unbranded - Newsworthy Cross-border car trips between the U.S. and Canada were down around 30% year over year, according Robert Kavcic of BMO Capital Markets. Bookings for flights from Canada to the U.S. through the end of September are down by more than 70%, aviation data firm OAG found. The "Buy Canada" movement could pump $10 billion into Canada's economy. TORONTO − At the Madison Avenue Pub, American liquor is no longer for sale. The popular neighborhood Toronto bar, inside a brick Victorian building blocks from the University of Toronto's campus, is replete with billiards tables and a full rack of liquor. A sign outside advertises Tuesday night trivia and another inside reads, 'A good selection of beers from around the globe.' Almost. Since President Donald Trump set Canada in his sights, one country is conspicuously off the menu. 'It's not acceptable. You want to put your tariffs on, go do whatever you want to do, but don't threaten and don't humiliate people,' said Chris Haslett, the bar's director of operations. The pub's boycott of American booze is 'personal,' he said. Trump's branding of Canada as the '51st state' and the wide-reaching tariffs he has threatened to impose have pushed infuriated Canadians to boycott American products and inspired a 'Buy Canada' movement that could take a toll on the U.S. economy. On April 28, Canadian voters elected Mark Carney as prime minister in a race defined by anger at Trump. Carney's Liberal Party rode the unprecedented surge of Canadian patriotism to close a 24-point gap behind the Conservative Party − and its Elon Musk-endorsed leader − to win a plurality in Parliament. After Trump's 25% tariff on across-the-board Canadian and Mexican imports took effect on March 4, Canada rushed to retaliate. Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly announced a 25% tariff on $155 billion on U.S. imports. American liquor, wine and beer was pulled from Canadian shelves. As the stock market tumbled, Trump reneged on the tariffs days later. But tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars have remained. Canadians shun their favorite American buys Canadians, stunned at the economic and rhetorical beating from a country they once viewed as like family, are avoiding their former favorite American products. Loblaws, a Canadian grocery chain with more than 2,400 locations, is tagging Canadian goods throughout stores with a maple leaf. After Trump's threats in early March, it announced it would label any goods subject to a tariff with a black "T" symbol. More: Trump is the 'X factor' as Canada elects a prime minister 'I have to buy juice that I don't like as much. That's my sacrifice,' Jane Gibson, 80, said outside a Loblaws in central Toronto. Her motivation – Trump's unprecedented threats to make Canada the '51st state.' 'It's not going to happen," she said. "I'll go to the border with a pitchfork.' 'Buy Canadian' worth $10 billion a year 'We're all going to hunker down and we're going to try to stand together as Canadians, to try to keep our own economy strong without having to rely on America,' said Peter Sweeney, 51. 'We want to try to show them that we can get by without them,' he said. The impact of Canadians turning to homegrown goods could add around 10 billion Canadian dollars to the country's economy and hike its GDP by around 0.3 percentage points, according to research from Robert Kavcic, director of economics at BMO Capital Markets. 'From a Canadian perspective, it's pretty meaningful,' he said. 'It doesn't offset the actual impact of the trade war, but it does add a little bit of stimulus to the Canadian economy.' After Trump's whiplash on tariffs in recent months, the full scope of the economic impact on Canada is not yet clear. A 25% tariff on all its exports to the U.S. could sink Canada's GDP by 1.3 percentage points by 2027, a Peterson Institute for International Economics analysis found. South of the border: 'Too scary' U.S. industries are already feeling a cold wind from up north. Canadian provinces and stores choosing not to stock up on American liquor is 'worse than a tariff,' Lawson Whiting, CEO of Brown-Forman, which makes Jack Daniels, said on an earnings call last month amid the tariff scare. Fewer visits to America The U.S. tourism industry could take an especially hard hit as Canadians give up their regular vacations south of the border. Andrea Penhale, of Courtice, a town around 35 miles east of Toronto, said Trump had upended her annual visit to see her sister, who lives in Tennessee and holds a green card. "It's too scary," she said. More: 'We can do our own thing': Why Canadians are trading the US for these destinations Cross-border car trips between the U.S. and Canada were down around 30% year over year, according to Kavcic's research. Airline bookings over the spring and summer are down as much as 30%, he said. Some data put the number even higher – bookings for flights through the end of September are down by more than 70% every month, aviation data firm OAG found. Haslett said he recently canceled a trip he takes a couple times a year to Nashville, accepting the loss of several hundred dollars he had already spent on the vacation to backstop his boycott. 'I will not go down for four years,' he said. Boycotts spark opportunities, inventions Amid difficult times, Canadians said, they were confident that they could redirect trade internally and to new international partners. On the campaign trail, both Prime Minister Carney and his Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre promised to free up trade between provinces to relieve the impacts of U.S. tariffs. Canadians say boycotts of U.S. products have made them more savvy consumers. At the Madison Avenue Pub, necessity became the mother of invention, as staff searched for ways to make popular American-made ingredients themselves. Haslett said the bar had invented its own sour puss raspberry, a fruity liqueur made only in the U.S. "I tasked someone to figure out how to make it, and they did," he said. "I do believe that Canadians will find a way to be resilient here, and we will figure out a way to buy and sell products to one another and to other people in the world," said Sweeney. "We're resourceful. We always have been."
