Canadian shoppers boycott US products, forcing supermarkets to highlight domestic goods

Canadian consumers are forcing supermarkets to redesign their shelves and improve origin labels as a boycott of American products gains momentum amid escalating trade tensions.

Giancarlo Trimarchi, president of independent grocer Vince's Market in Ontario, took to social media to demonstrate that most produce in his stores is Canadian after receiving angry emails and comments from customers questioning why he stocked US goods. The grocer said retailers are now securing new sources of supply to meet demand for domestic products.

Trade war fuels nationalist shopping

The consumer push to shun American brands and buy Canadian began last year when US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods. A bitter trade war between the two countries has made shoppers more conscious of where their money flows.

"It is a lot more aggressive this time around than last year," Trimarchi said in an interview. The sentiment has intensified in recent weeks after trade negotiations collapsed and Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America.

Grocers are now improving country-of-origin labelling to help customers identify Canadian alternatives. The deepening trade war and changing sentiment towards the US have reshaped how Canadians make purchasing decisions.

Trump told reporters in Dublin that Canada is eager to reach a trade deal with the US and that an agreement could come "fairly soon". He repeated complaints that Canada has treated US farmers unfairly and should remove tariffs.

Source: South China Morning Post