John Mackay, an 81-year-old from Tillsonburg, Ontario, is showing his support for Canada during the ongoing trade dispute with the United States by consciously purchasing Canadian products when grocery shopping. Mackay expressed his frustration to Metro multiple times after noticing orange juice with pulp from the Irrésistible brand, a private label owned by Metro, bearing a red maple leaf next to the price tag on the shelf. Wondering about the origin of Canadian oranges, Mackay, who resides about 115 kilometers west of Hamilton, was perturbed by the misleading labeling.
The Metro website displays a red circle with a maple leaf and the phrase “produit d’ici,” meaning “product from here,” adjacent to the term Canada. However, the website lacks a clear definition of what this designation entails. Customers across the country, like Mackay, have raised concerns, questioning the criteria for products being identified as Canadian and who ultimately benefits from large grocery chains using such labels.
In an investigation by Marketplace, it was revealed that a significant portion of products at Loblaws, Voilà in Toronto, and Metro were labeled with Canadian symbols. Loblaws, for example, had over a third of its products labeled as “Prepared in Canada,” while Voilà featured more than a fifth with a “Shop Canada” logo. Thousands of Metro products also fell under the store’s Canada label.
Experts consulted by Marketplace pointed out that grocery stores are leveraging the wave of patriotism in Canada to drive sales, with a vague definition of Canadian products benefiting retailers more than consumers. The lack of clarity in defining what constitutes a Canadian product allows for marketing strategies that may mislead shoppers.
Metro responded to Marketplace, acknowledging that the “produit d’ici” logo was mistakenly added to items on its Ontario web pages and is being rectified to simply display the word “Canada,” indicating the product was produced, made, or grown in Canada. The company assured ongoing reviews and updates to enhance product identification accuracy.
Consumers are advised to scrutinize product labels carefully, considering the varying standards used by grocery stores to identify Canadian products. With increasing scrutiny on food labels, shoppers are encouraged to be discerning and seek clarity on the origins of the products they purchase.
