Canadians are buying local, but retailers lag behind surging demand

Canadians are turning to locally made goods during an ongoing trade dispute, but retailers have not adjusted as quickly as shoppers, according to companies in the food and household goods sector.

Kathleen Chapman, president of aVenco Ltd. in Bowmanville, Ontario, said consumers had contacted the parchment-paper supplier directly to offer support and place orders. The company received hundreds of direct-to-consumer orders in the week after new U.S. tariffs took effect, compared with about 20 over the previous two years.

The company has faced pressure from U.S. tariffs. Nearly 40% of its customer base was in the United States. It first faced tariffs on European goods because it sources raw parchment paper from France, and now faces an additional 50% tariff because the product is prepared and converted in Canada.

Chapman said consumers were moving faster than retailers, with many stores slow to provide more shelf space for Canadian-made goods. The shift comes as shoppers contend with higher grocery prices while making an effort to buy products made in Canada.

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Consumers are moving faster than retailers.