‘T’ for tariffs symbols coming to some Quebec grocery stores

A special label will soon go on shelves at some stores, so customers know why prices are rising.

At Provigo stores across Quebec, a “T” standing for tariffs will soon be placed on U.S. products to explain price hikes.

In a LinkedIn post Monday, Loblaws’ president wrote, “the unfortunate reality is that Canadians should be prepared to pay more for goods originating from the U.S. in the weeks ahead… that could come within a week or two for some items, such as fresh produce.”

The new signage could roll out as early as next week and will pop up in Maxi stores too.

Shoppers on Monkland Avenue like the idea.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s perfect,” said one woman. “I think it’s going to help me a lot.”

Another man echoed the sentiment.

“As a conscious consumer, I’m seeking out Canadian products, and this will just make it visually easier for consumers.”

It’s a way for grocers to be transparent as to why costs are rising, but some shoppers won’t buy it, says retail expert Charles de Brabant, the executive director of McGill’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management.

“If you’re cynical as a consumer, you can also look at it and sort of say, well, that’s just an added excuse for them to increase the cost.”

He adds that it’s not just big retailers dealing with the fallout of tariff tensions – small grocers and their customers could be hit hard in the coming weeks.

“The impact could be incredibly significant because they are already at razor thin margins, so they have no choice but to pass on the majority of the tariffs to their consumers.”

At Ecollegey, a small organic grocery store, owner Deva Asch says the prices of products like canned beans, baking ingredients and fruits and vegetables will probably increase in mid-April.

“Because produce are coming either from the states or Mexico this time of year,” she says.

And it’s not as simple as slapping increases on U.S. products.

“The thing is there’s a lot of things, ingredients in Canadian brands that are imported from the states, so we’re expecting to see that as well.”

But it hasn’t been easy making sense of the tariffs, Asch adds.

And for consumers, it’s also not easy making sense of the prices, leaving both suppliers and customers in limbo.