Shun US goods, buy local: Canadians ‘mad with America’ reshape grocery shelves

A deepening trade war and the change in sentiment towards the US have made Canadians more conscious of where their dollars go

A growing consumer push to buy Canadian and boycott US products is ⁠reshaping supermarket shelves in Canada, forcing grocers to improve country-of-origin labelling and secure new sources of supply.

In Ontario, the president of independent grocer Vince’s Market, Giancarlo Trimarchi, turned to social media to show customers that most produce on the shelves of his stores is Canadian after receiving angry emails and comments about the grocer stocking US produce.

A bitter trade war between the United States and Canada has made consumers more conscious of where their dollars go.

“Buy Canadian” movements started last year after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods. They have intensified in recent weeks after ‌trade talks broke down and Trump signed an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.

“It is a lot more aggressive this time around than last year,” Trimarchi said in an interview.

Trump told reporters in Dublin on Saturday that Canada is eager to reach a trade deal with the US and that an agreement could come “fairly soon”, while repeating his complaints that Canada has treated US farmers unfairly and should remove tariffs.