Buy Canadian campaign gains momentum as Loblaw brings back signage

Some local grocery shoppers say it's become harder to tell where their fruits and vegetables come from.

Metro Vancouver shoppers looking to buy Canadian will once again be able to see where produce comes from as Loblaw reverses its controversial decision to remove country-of-origin signage from its produce aisles.

Loblaw CEO Per Bank made the announcement Tuesday on LinkedIn, following the latest escalation in the Canada-U.S. trade war and after widespread criticism of the change.

That same day, the federal government announced dollar-for-dollar counter tariffs on hundreds of American goods in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $28 billion worth of Canadian products.

“As Canada enters another period of trade uncertainty with the United States, we are once again taking steps to give customers clear information about products affected by tariffs and make Canadian products easier to identify,” Youmna Rab, Loblaw’s retail communications manager, said in an email to CTV News Vancouver Wednesday.

The grocery giant says it will be reinstating the “T” symbol, which it introduced in March 2025 to identify products imported from the U.S. that are affected by tariffs.

Loblaw will also continue using the maple leaf symbol in its stores to help customers identify Canadian-made and prepared products.

“Initially, customers will see the T symbol on a relatively small number of products. That will grow as tariffs are applied across more categories,” Bank wrote in his post. “Wherever we can find a Canadian or other alternative that helps customers avoid those added costs, we will work hard to do so.”

Last week, CTV News visited several Loblaw-owned stores in Metro Vancouver and found many produce signs no longer displayed country-of-origin information.

• Trying to buy Canadian at the grocery store? Loblaw removes signage from produce aisles

At the time, the company said produce sourcing can change frequently because of seasonality, supplier changes and product availability, and that customers should instead rely on information provided on product labels, stickers, packaging or case labels.

Some shoppers told CTV News they wanted clear country-of-origin information amid ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. and concerns over tariffs on Canadian products.

It appears customer feedback may have played a role in Loblaw’s decision to reverse the change.

“Customers have told us they want to support Canadian farmers, producers, entrepreneurs, and businesses,” Rab said.

“We want to make doing that easier. Supporting Canadian suppliers can further strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce our exposure to some international disruptions.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Kevin Charach and The Canadian Press