An important, routine activity we can do to support Canada is to buy at Canadian groceries and also buy Canadian sourced foods.

Loblaw Companies Limited

Grocery Banners

• Loblaws / Loblaws CityMarket: Their flagship full-service supermarkets.
• No Frills: Their primary “hard discount” chain (famous for the yellow branding).
• Real Canadian Superstore: Massive hypermarkets that sell everything from groceries to electronics and housewares.
• Fortinos: A “premium” supermarket chain focused on fresh food and Italian specialties (very popular in the GTA).
• T&T Supermarket: The largest Asian grocery chain in Canada.
• Valu-mart / Your Independent Grocer: Often smaller, community-focused stores.
• Zehrs: Mostly found in Southwestern and Central Ontario.
• Arz Fine Foods: Specialized Middle Eastern grocery stores (with a major location in Scarborough).

Pharmacy & Beauty

• Shoppers Drug Mart: The country’s leading pharmacy and beauty retailer.
• Pharmaprix: The name for Shoppers Drug Mart in Quebec.
• Murale: Their high-end beauty boutique.

Major Private Labels

You will see these brands across almost all the stores listed above:

• President’s Choice (PC): Their premium “national brand” equivalent.
• No Name: Their iconic, minimalist yellow-label discount brand.
• PC Black Label: High-end, artisanal, and global food products.
• Joe Fresh: Their popular apparel and fashion brand.

Financial & Services

• PC Financial: Banking and credit card services.
• PC Optimum: The massive loyalty program that ties all these brands together.

Empire

Mainstream & Full-Service Grocery

• Sobeys: The flagship national brand.
• Safeway: Primarily located in Western Canada.
• IGA / IGA Extra: The dominant brand in Quebec (also has a presence in Western Canada).
• Thrifty Foods: Based on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland of British Columbia.
• Foodland: Primarily serves rural communities in Atlantic Canada and Ontario.

Discount Grocery

• FreshCo: The main discount banner in Ontario and Western Canada.
• Chalo! FreshCo: Specialized discount stores catering to South Asian communities (frequently found in areas like Brampton and Mississauga).

Specialty & Gourmet

• Farm Boy: High-end fresh markets known for private-label products and fresh produce (concentrated in Ontario).
• Longos: A premier grocery chain in the GTA (Sobeys owns a majority stake).
• Rachelle-Béry: Natural health and organic food stores (primarily in Quebec).
• Marché Bonichoix / Les Marchés Tradition: Smaller neighborhood markets in Quebec.

Pharmacy & Convenience

• Lawtons Drugs: Full-service pharmacies primarily in Atlantic Canada.
• Needs Convenience: Small-format convenience stores in Atlantic Canada.
• FastFuel: Gas stations often located near their grocery sites.
• Voilà: Their online grocery delivery platform (which delivers for Sobeys, Safeway, and Farm Boy).

In-House Brands (Private Labels)

When you’re shopping at these stores, look for:

Farm Boy: Their namesake brand for specialty items like dressings, chips, and prepared meals.

Compliments: Their massive main private label (everything from milk to snacks).

Panache: Their premium, upscale brand.

Best Buy: Their entry-level “value” brand.

Metro Inc.

Grocery Banners

• Metro / Metro Plus: Their flagship conventional supermarket chain. “Metro Plus” stores are generally larger locations in Quebec.+1
• Food Basics: Their high-volume discount brand in Ontario.
• Super C: Their primary discount brand in Quebec (similar to Food Basics).
• Marché Adonis: Specialized supermarkets focusing on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods (found in Ontario and Quebec).
• Première Moisson: High-end artisanal bakeries and specialty food stores.
• Marché Richelieu: Neighborhood grocery stores, mostly in Quebec.
• Les 5 Saisons: Two high-end specialty food stores located in Montreal.

Pharmacy Banners

Metro is also a massive player in the Canadian pharmacy space:

• Jean Coutu: One of the most recognizable pharmacy chains in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario.
• Brunet: A major pharmacy chain in Quebec.
• Metro Pharmacy / Food Basics Pharmacy: Located inside many of their Ontario grocery stores.

In-House Brands (Private Labels)

When you shop at any of these stores, you’ll see their private labels:

Personnelle: Their health and beauty brand found in their pharmacies.

Selection: Their core “value” brand for everyday items.

Irresistibles: Their premium/gourmet house brand.