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.

Know Which Brands Are American

I’m going to keep updating this section. Just to clarify, some brands do operate in Canada and employ Canadians. However, ultimately, you’re helping the United States because the headquarters are in the US. Basically, you’re helping the USA and Canada. Buying Canadian helps Canada only. Buying European products here helps Canada and Europe. This is a better alternative than helping the US.

American Brand	Alternative
Smuckers	PierreBonne (Canadian) E.D. Smith (European)
Kraft Peanut Butter	Nuts to You Nut Butter Natur