Sask. stores emphasizing local products as tariff threat lingers

Tariffs from the U.S. and counter-tariffs in Canada may have been postponed, but the threat is still there, and it’s got some shoppers looking for local products.

Kevin Jensen, manager of the Co-op Food Store in Regina’s Harbour Landing neighbourhood, said his store and other Co-op locations have made a point of stocking local products.

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“It’s a big part of what we try to achieve as being a co-op,” he explained, walking through the store and pointing out some of the products.

The list of products made in western Canada is long, including English cucumbers, on-the-vine tomatoes, pork, chicken, coffee, pies, perogies and almost everything in between.

The local products include a word on where they come from on the label. Many also indicated they were made in Canada on the packaging, or had stickers added.

“You’ll usually see on all of our shelf signs. If it’s a western Canadian product you’ll see that it’s a western Canadian product, either from Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba,” Jensen explained.

Jensen said the store is working to add more and larger labels and stickers to make them easier to find for customers who want to be able to make those choices. He said the store has been getting more people asking about or interested in Canadian products, and the store is always looking for more Canadian products to stock.

The Co-op food stores plan to expand their labelling to let customers know which products are Canadian. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

Troy Verboom, CEO of the Sherwood Co-op, confirmed the “Product of Canada” label is almost 100 per cent Canadian.

“There are still some products that are maybe Canadian manufactured and might have U.S. products potentially in them,” said Verboom, speaking on the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

Verboom said the stores aren’t cutting out American products, but will be highlighting the Canadian ones more prominently. He said that goes for the Co-op’s liquor stores as well.

The Dad’s Organic Market stores in Regina and Saskatoon also stock a lot of Canadian and locally made products.

Rebecca Dyck, the chain’s owner, said she and her staff have had discussions on how to make it easier for shoppers to identify Canadian and local products.

“We have a lot of good things to offer and a lot of good products we make,” Dyck said.

“It’s an interesting opportunity, I should say, for us to really go after that and stand strong, in that we are a strong country and that we have lots of good products to offer.”

Dyck said said her stores have always tried to stock products from local suppliers and Canadian sources.

“It’s been known within our business that where you spend your dollar is kind of a vote for the products you want,” she said.

“When people buy more Canadian-made goods – local goods – it’s kind of a vote that they’re interested. That’s what they want to see more of.”

– with files from CJME’s Gillian Massie and Abby Zieverink