Loblaw CEO says some customers are shifting back to U.S. items

The head of Canada’s largest grocery chain says customers are returning to buying American items now that tariffs have lifted. CTV’s Dave Charbonneau reports.

Canadians feeling the pinch at the grocery store are adjusting their buying habits again as counter-tariffs on U.S. goods come down.

With grocery bills still climbing, some shoppers say they’re rethinking what ends up in their carts.

“You can’t completely eliminate all American stuff, right?” shopper Jen Poole said.

Jen and Lauren Poole say cost has started to weigh more heavily on their decisions.

“I think it’s coming down to cost for me. So, I’m probably paying less attention to it,” Jen said. “We’ve got to save our dollars, right? The price of stuff is crazy.”

“When stuff is cheaper, I’ll go with the cheaper option,” Lauren said.

• RELATED STORY: Food inflation up in September despite end to counter-tariffs

Loblaw CEO Per Bank says the company is seeing some customers return to purchasing U.S. products now that tariffs have been lifted and prices have dropped.

“Prices on direct imported products from the U.S. have gone down to normal, and of course we are seeing some customers who are going back to those products that they love now that they are much cheaper than they were,” Bank said in the company’s third quarter results conference call last week.

Experts say the time of year also plays a role in what people buy.

“Lots of times, that patriotism is blended with affordability,” said Gary Sands, senior vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. “So, as Canada ends into the off-season for growing, and we start to rely more heavily on imports, the ability to choose Canadian isn’t always as prevalent as it would be in the growing season.”

That is something shopper Laura Cosgrave says she’s noticed.

“You know, at this time of the year, you have no choice in terms of fresh vegetables and fruit to buy outside of Canada. So, that probably means you’re through the United States,” she said.

But not everyone is willing to make the switch. Some shoppers told CTV News Ottawa that they’re sticking firmly to Canadian goods when asked about their current shopping habits.

Shopper Debbie Reynolds says she isn’t boycotting the U.S. on purpose, but prefers Canadian products.

“I don’t go out of my way necessarily, but if I can purchase Canadian, I’ll do that,” Reynolds added.

Some shoppers say they’ll choose Canadian even if it means spending more.

“At the end of the day, I mean, it’s our local businesses, it’s our folks that are working hard to do things. I try not to buy American, preferably,” shopper Frank Caron said.

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