Loblaw backtracks after backlash
Loblaw is reversing a decision to drop country-of-origin labeling on its produce signage after the move sparked significant backlash from customers across Canada. The grocery giant had quietly removed the labels — which tell shoppers whether their apples, tomatoes, or peppers were grown in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, or elsewhere — from stores in most provinces earlier this month.
Why shoppers noticed right away
Country-of-origin labels have taken on outsized importance for Canadian grocery shoppers over the past year, as "buy Canadian" sentiment has grown amid ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. For many, knowing exactly where their produce comes from isn't just a curiosity — it's become a deliberate purchasing decision. When those labels disappeared from Loblaw's produce sections, customers noticed almost immediately and voiced their frustration, arguing the move made it harder to support domestic growers or avoid specific imports.
Loblaw operates some of the country's most recognizable grocery banners, including Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Zehrs, giving the label change — and now its reversal — reach into communities from coast to coast.
What Loblaw is saying
Facing sustained criticism, Loblaw confirmed it is restoring the origin labels to produce signage in the provinces where they had been removed. The company hasn't detailed exactly why the labels were pulled in the first place, but the swift about-face suggests the backlash was louder — and more sustained — than the retailer anticipated.
An Ottawa angle
Ottawa shoppers are no strangers to this fight. Local grocers and farmers' markets across the city, from the ByWard Market to weekend markets in Westboro and Barrhaven, have leaned into "local and Canadian first" messaging over the past year, and residents here have been vocal on social media about wanting clearer labeling at the big chains, not less of it. For a city with a strong appetite for supporting Ontario and Canadian agriculture, the return of origin labels at Loblaw-owned stores like the ones on Merivale Road or in the Glebe is likely to be welcomed.
The bigger picture
This isn't the first time Loblaw has found itself under public scrutiny over pricing and transparency practices — the company has faced repeated criticism in recent years over grocery affordability and competition concerns. The produce-label episode adds another chapter to that scrutiny, and shows just how closely Canadian consumers are now watching what's on — and what's missing from — their grocery store shelves.
Source: CBC News
