Mobilizing Consumer Protection and Empowerment at the Grocery Store
Consumers Council of Canada has launched a special initiative to strengthen representation of the consumer interest in the marketplace for groceries.
The Council is responding to the elevated level of concern being expressed nationally about:
- food price inflation,
- marketplace practices and misconduct, and
- how you can best be supported to make the choices important to you or your family about what goes in your grocery basket.
As always, the Council is working towards an improved marketplace for consumers in Canada – one that is efficient, equitable, safe and effective.
A top Council priority is to learn what you – a consumer in Canada – sees as good conduct in the grocery marketplace.
The views and priorities of Canadian consumers will help the Council set priorities for this initiative.
The Council will investigate and share knowledge, views and ideas for action concerning topics like:
- Shrinkflation
- Skimpflation (also referred to as ‘dequaliflation’)
- Food fraud
- Unit pricing practices
- Future opportunities for protection and empowerment of grocery shoppers
- Alternative retail options for purchasing groceries
The Council is consulting a wide range of stakeholders. It is studying consumer views and concerns, industry practices and options for marketplace improvements.
The Council is inviting Canadian residents to join its Public Interest Network and to participate in this initiative. Click here to participate.
Residents of Canada interested in participating and following the Council’s work should also:
- Bookmark and read the Council’s news blog (or subscribe to it using RSS
- ‘Favourite’ the Council’s free Apple News channel: Consumers Council of Canada News
Consumer-interest, civil-society organizations should:
- Request terms of reference to participate in an online, interactive advisory panel. Joining in will bring your voice to a national information sharing effort and conversation among Canadian and international consumer groups. Contact us.
Consumer protection and empowerment professionals and their employers in government and industry interested in the progress of this special initiative should:
- Bookmark and read the Council’s news blog (or subscribe to it using RSS)
- ‘Favourite’ the Council’s free Apple News channel: Consumers Council of Canada News
- Subscribe to the Council’s e-periodical, Think Consumers, for in-depth reporting
- Subscribe to Public Interest Network questionnaire reports
- Seek standing to contribute knowledge to a consumer group panel formed as part of this initiative. Contact us.
Recent Developments
Grocers Looking to Go Smaller and Less Expensive
Most of Canada’s major grocers are thinking smaller – and cheaper – in their plans. They claim better opportunities for smaller stores with less product variety to help consumers manage their household food expenses. Loblaw announced plans in February for 31 new...
Independent Grocers Lag on Technology Advances
Independent and alternative grocers commonly face a technology disadvantage, as major chains are better able to handle the up-front costs of more sophisticated, efficiency-enhancing tools. The current technological advance is electronic shelf labels (ESL), which...
Australia Makes its Grocery Code Mandatory
While Canada is getting used to its voluntary Grocery Code of Conduct, Australia – one of the model nations Canada followed – has made its code mandatory because it was ineffective as a voluntary code. The initial version of Canada’s code is voluntary, with no...