Customer use of Loblaws companies
I want to understand how consumer use of Loblaws group companies (Loblaws, No-Frills, Shoppers, Joe Fresh) has changed over time. These are a variety of high-street chains including a large grocery store (Loblaws), a low-cost grocery store (No-Frills), a convenience / drug-store (Shoppers) and a clothing chain (Joe Fresh)
Research group: 20 Canada‑based consumers (ages 17–63) across ON, QC, BC and other regions; 80 responses total from varied occupations and urban/suburban settings.
What they said: Shoppers run pragmatic, multi‑store routines—discount/national chains for low‑cost staples (shaped by PC Optimum/price‑matching), Costco for bulk, and farmers’/ethnic shops for fresh provenance or cultural needs, with proximity, pickup, hours, and checkout speed as tie‑breakers. No Frills awareness is near‑universal, but the banner is used tactically for No Name staples, flyer loss‑leaders, and points rather than as a full weekly shop due to limited selection, variable produce, and stockouts, compounded by Loblaw pricing/shrinkflation headlines.
Main insights and takeaways: Net sentiment toward No Frills drifted slightly negative over 12 months on trust/consistency more than absolute price, though a minority report stability or improvement where its relative prices outperformed local alternatives. The three ads were noticed—on‑brand, quirky, high‑salience—but widely viewed as gimmicky unless backed by proof on price, quality, and availability. Action: restore value credibility and speed by price‑locking a visible essentials set with unit/weight transparency, tightening fresh and on‑shelf availability (produce standards, flyer guard‑stock, staffed express lanes to relieve self‑checkout bottlenecks), and coupling creative and PC Optimum with simple, verifiable proof points to convert attention into trips and larger baskets.
Robin Carter
Robin Carter, 57, lives in Red Deer, Alberta. They/she is nonbinary, never married, childless, currently out of the workforce (former nonprofit coordinator). Budget-conscious photographer and paddler valuing durability, privacy, and community.
Sophie Moreau
Sophie Moreau, 22, Mississauga-based risk and analytics analyst at a Canadian bank, condo owner earning $100–$149k, values financial security and privacy; hobbies include fishing, hockey and gaming.
Mika Beaulieu
Mika Beaulieu is a 17-year-old First Nations male in suburban Laval, QC, Canada—bilingual (FR/EN), employed part-time in arts/entertainment support, budget-conscious, privacy-minded, pursuing multimedia studies.
Marco Patel
Marco Patel is a 21-year-old he/him Filipino-Canadian front-of-house service worker in Selkirk, MB, Canada; homeowner earning $75k–$99k, pragmatic, values reliability and durability.
Anna Reynolds
Anna Reynolds, 36, Windsor-based operations & client services coordinator, divorced homeowner with a rescue dog, earns $50–$74k, values reliability and community, active (basketball, birding), and practices prudent, Canadian-focused finances.
Daniel Thomas
Daniel Thomas is a 45-year-old First Nations he/him IT Operations Manager, married with one child; suburban homeowner who values reliability, fiscal discipline, privacy-focused tech, family time, birding, and Pilates.
Saira Siddiqui
Saira Siddiqui is a 62-year-old South Asian Muslim woman in urban Kelowna, BC. Widowed and child-free, she’s a Senior Product Operations Manager in tech, earning $75k–$99k and renting a two-bedroom condo.
Oleh Shevchuk
Oleh Shevchuk, 43, is a male operations manager in suburban Burnaby, BC, earning $100–149K, co-parenting two children, renting, pragmatic, family-focused, privacy-conscious and reliability-driven.
Margaret Campbell
Margaret Campbell is a 61-year-old married woman in Thunder Bay, ON, working in sales/office (Senior Sales Operations), Muslim, household income $150k–$199k, rents, has no children, and values reliability and community.
Owen Anderson
Owen Anderson is a 38-year-old, male, married with no children, is a regional operations manager in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada — pragmatic, community-minded, and focused on durable, cold‑ready gear and reliable service.
Samuel Roy
Samuel Roy, 18, he/him, is a bilingual (French/English) Muslim in Calgary, AB. A WFH inside-sales/admin at a national telecom, condo owner and disciplined saver who enjoys hockey, photography, and baking.
Sophie Pelletier
Sophie Pelletier, 26, is a Francophone Montréal-based material handler/production support lead in aerospace, married condo owner earning $100–$149k, valuing durable, practical gear; enjoys DIY crafts, cycling, Pilates and wine.
Andrew Bennett
Andrew Bennett, 56, is a married, Langley, BC–based public-sector community arts coordinator (he/him), renter in the $25k–$49k income bracket who values sustainability, thriftiness, and privacy.
Katherine Morris
Katherine Morris (she/her) is a 49-year-old married Clinical Informatics/Quality Improvement lead in suburban Abbotsford, BC, Canada; child-free, Bachelor’s-educated, with personal income $50–$74k.
Marc LeBlanc
Marc LeBlanc, 36, male Montreal-based customer support/sales associate in finance, Canadian, rents with a roommate, earns $25k–$49k, values reliability and clear pricing, enjoys photography and pilates.
Michael Cardinal
Michael Cardinal, 57, is a First Nations operations and support lead in St. Albert, Alberta. Married with no children, he bikes to work, earns $25k–$49k, and values privacy, durability and community.
Noah Marchand
Noah Marchand is a 29-year-old male arborist from London, Ontario, father of three, suburban homeowner, employed in natural-resources/construction with $50–$74k income; outdoorsy, practical, and values durability and family.
Daniela Silva
Daniela (Dani) Silva is a 30-year-old Portuguese‑Québécoise woman in Terrebonne, QC—separated, renting with her rescue cat Samba, currently out of the workforce and training in horticulture on a $50k–$74k income.
Simone Williams
Simone Williams, 53, is a Black Canadian woman in Toronto. She’s a part‑time operations coordinator, married with one teenage daughter, a budget‑conscious renter, community‑focused runner and home cook who values reliability.
Marc Bouchard
Marc Bouchard is a 63-year-old French-speaking cisgender man in rural Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. Married with one adult child, he works part-time in educational AV support, and is tech-savvy and budget-conscious.
Robin Carter
Robin Carter, 57, lives in Red Deer, Alberta. They/she is nonbinary, never married, childless, currently out of the workforce (former nonprofit coordinator). Budget-conscious photographer and paddler valuing durability, privacy, and community.
Sophie Moreau
Sophie Moreau, 22, Mississauga-based risk and analytics analyst at a Canadian bank, condo owner earning $100–$149k, values financial security and privacy; hobbies include fishing, hockey and gaming.
Mika Beaulieu
Mika Beaulieu is a 17-year-old First Nations male in suburban Laval, QC, Canada—bilingual (FR/EN), employed part-time in arts/entertainment support, budget-conscious, privacy-minded, pursuing multimedia studies.
Marco Patel
Marco Patel is a 21-year-old he/him Filipino-Canadian front-of-house service worker in Selkirk, MB, Canada; homeowner earning $75k–$99k, pragmatic, values reliability and durability.
Anna Reynolds
Anna Reynolds, 36, Windsor-based operations & client services coordinator, divorced homeowner with a rescue dog, earns $50–$74k, values reliability and community, active (basketball, birding), and practices prudent, Canadian-focused finances.
Daniel Thomas
Daniel Thomas is a 45-year-old First Nations he/him IT Operations Manager, married with one child; suburban homeowner who values reliability, fiscal discipline, privacy-focused tech, family time, birding, and Pilates.
Saira Siddiqui
Saira Siddiqui is a 62-year-old South Asian Muslim woman in urban Kelowna, BC. Widowed and child-free, she’s a Senior Product Operations Manager in tech, earning $75k–$99k and renting a two-bedroom condo.
Oleh Shevchuk
Oleh Shevchuk, 43, is a male operations manager in suburban Burnaby, BC, earning $100–149K, co-parenting two children, renting, pragmatic, family-focused, privacy-conscious and reliability-driven.
Margaret Campbell
Margaret Campbell is a 61-year-old married woman in Thunder Bay, ON, working in sales/office (Senior Sales Operations), Muslim, household income $150k–$199k, rents, has no children, and values reliability and community.
Owen Anderson
Owen Anderson is a 38-year-old, male, married with no children, is a regional operations manager in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada — pragmatic, community-minded, and focused on durable, cold‑ready gear and reliable service.
Samuel Roy
Samuel Roy, 18, he/him, is a bilingual (French/English) Muslim in Calgary, AB. A WFH inside-sales/admin at a national telecom, condo owner and disciplined saver who enjoys hockey, photography, and baking.
Sophie Pelletier
Sophie Pelletier, 26, is a Francophone Montréal-based material handler/production support lead in aerospace, married condo owner earning $100–$149k, valuing durable, practical gear; enjoys DIY crafts, cycling, Pilates and wine.
Andrew Bennett
Andrew Bennett, 56, is a married, Langley, BC–based public-sector community arts coordinator (he/him), renter in the $25k–$49k income bracket who values sustainability, thriftiness, and privacy.
Katherine Morris
Katherine Morris (she/her) is a 49-year-old married Clinical Informatics/Quality Improvement lead in suburban Abbotsford, BC, Canada; child-free, Bachelor’s-educated, with personal income $50–$74k.
Marc LeBlanc
Marc LeBlanc, 36, male Montreal-based customer support/sales associate in finance, Canadian, rents with a roommate, earns $25k–$49k, values reliability and clear pricing, enjoys photography and pilates.
Michael Cardinal
Michael Cardinal, 57, is a First Nations operations and support lead in St. Albert, Alberta. Married with no children, he bikes to work, earns $25k–$49k, and values privacy, durability and community.
Noah Marchand
Noah Marchand is a 29-year-old male arborist from London, Ontario, father of three, suburban homeowner, employed in natural-resources/construction with $50–$74k income; outdoorsy, practical, and values durability and family.
Daniela Silva
Daniela (Dani) Silva is a 30-year-old Portuguese‑Québécoise woman in Terrebonne, QC—separated, renting with her rescue cat Samba, currently out of the workforce and training in horticulture on a $50k–$74k income.
Simone Williams
Simone Williams, 53, is a Black Canadian woman in Toronto. She’s a part‑time operations coordinator, married with one teenage daughter, a budget‑conscious renter, community‑focused runner and home cook who values reliability.
Marc Bouchard
Marc Bouchard is a 63-year-old French-speaking cisgender man in rural Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. Married with one adult child, he works part-time in educational AV support, and is tech-savvy and budget-conscious.
Sex / Gender
Race / Ethnicity
Locale (Top)
Occupations (Top)
| Age bucket | Male count | Female count |
|---|
| Income bucket | Participants | US households |
|---|
Summary
Themes
| Theme | Count | Example Participant | Example Quote |
|---|
Outliers
| Agent | Snippet | Reason |
|---|
Overview
Key Segments
| Segment | Attributes | Insight | Supporting Agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-store pragmatists |
|
These shoppers optimize for role-based value: cheapest staples at discount stores, selection and trust at full-range grocers, and provenance at local markets. Loyalty points matter but do not override trust in freshness/quality. | Margaret Campbell, Samuel Roy, Katherine Morris, Daniel Thomas, Noah Marchand |
| Younger urban, value-sensitive shoppers |
|
Price mechanics (flyers, PC Optimum, No Name) and proximity strongly drive store choice. No Frills is seen as a convenient value option—often used tactically but sometimes the primary grocer for budget-constrained younger shoppers. | Sophie Moreau, Samuel Roy, Noah Marchand, Marc LeBlanc, Mika Beaulieu |
| Ethnic / culturally-driven shoppers |
|
Assortment and sourcing trust for cultural staples trump convenience and even price. Mainstream banners are retained for general items, but consistent access to culturally specific products dictates loyalty to specialty channels. | Marco Patel, Daniela Silva, Samuel Roy, Saira Siddiqui |
| Older / mid-life quality-focused shoppers |
|
Trust and product quality (freshness, provenance) are the primary drivers; pricing promotions and creative advertising are insufficient to overcome perceived lapses in quality or availability. | Margaret Campbell, Michael Cardinal, Robin Carter, Andrew Bennett, Katherine Morris, Marc Bouchard |
| Lower-income, price-constrained shoppers |
|
Promotions, flyer stacking and points materially shape trade-offs and store loyalty—these shoppers will tolerate variable selection if effective price mechanics preserve affordability. | Simone Williams, Marc Bouchard, Michael Cardinal, Robin Carter |
| Trust-affected observers (aware of pricing controversy) |
|
Awareness of Loblaw/PC Optimum pricing headlines correlates with erosion of perceived No Frills value proposition; respondents signal that demonstrable transparency and consistency in price/weight/stock would be needed to restore confidence. | Daniela Silva, Anna Reynolds, Andrew Bennett, Margaret Campbell, Noah Marchand, Simone Williams |
Shared Mindsets
| Trait | Signal | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-store, role-based shopping | Shoppers intentionally split trips to match channel strengths: discount banners for low-cost staples, Costco for bulk/efficiency, and farmers’ markets/specialty shops for freshness or cultural items. | Margaret Campbell, Samuel Roy, Katherine Morris, Daniel Thomas, Noah Marchand |
| Costco as an efficiency anchor | Regular monthly or bi-monthly Costco visits are a cross-segment tactic to manage pantry and household spend efficiently—used by both value-sensitive and higher-income respondents. | Margaret Campbell, Oleh Shevchuk, Samuel Roy, Katherine Morris, Andrew Bennett |
| Provenance matters for fresh categories | When freshness or origin matters (produce, meat, eggs, baked goods), respondents consistently prefer local markets or trusted butchers, accepting higher cost for perceived quality. | Margaret Campbell, Katherine Morris, Michael Cardinal, Andrew Bennett, Noah Marchand |
| Promotions and loyalty mechanics drive switching | PC Optimum, flyer deals, No Name pricing and price-match programs materially influence where shoppers take their business; effective promotions can offset perceived premium at full-range banners. | Anna Reynolds, Daniel Thomas, Sophie Moreau, Marc LeBlanc, Robin Carter |
| No Frills perceived as tactical low-cost option | Across demographics, No Frills is seen as a banner for low-cost staples and flyer deals rather than a full weekly-shop destination; improvements in trust, stock and fresh quality would be required to broaden its role. | Sophie Moreau, Samuel Roy, Daniel Thomas, Mika Beaulieu, Owen Anderson |
| Creative visibility vs behavioural impact | No Frills’ bright, on-brand creative registers strongly but respondents uniformly say advertising alone won’t change shopping patterns without tangible improvements in price, availability and product quality. | Robin Carter, Sophie Moreau, Andrew Bennett, Owen Anderson, Marco Patel |
Divergences
| Segment | Contrast | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Positive reappraisal vs general skepticism | A small subset (e.g., Marco Patel, Samuel Roy) report improved pricing/experience at No Frills and view it as consistently cheapest—contrasting with the broader sentiment of slight decline and trust erosion tied to pricing controversies. | Marco Patel, Samuel Roy |
| Committed No Frills weekly users vs tactical/occasional users | Some younger and budget shoppers (e.g., Sophie Moreau) use No Frills as their primary weekly store, while most respondents treat it as an occasional or flyer-driven stop. | Sophie Moreau, Mika Beaulieu |
| Regional availability-driven attitudes | Respondents without local access to No Frills form opinions from reputation/flyers rather than direct experience (e.g., Mika Beaulieu), creating perception gaps versus in-market heavy users. | Mika Beaulieu |
| Bulk vs provenance priorities | Costco-oriented shoppers prioritize price/efficiency for pantry and household goods, while others prioritize local farmers’ markets or butchers for provenance—these priorities lead to different primary-store choices and loyalty drivers. | Margaret Campbell, Noah Marchand, Oleh Shevchuk, Katherine Morris |
Overview
Quick Wins (next 2–4 weeks)
| # | Action | Why | Owner | Effort | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Substitution You Control” for pickup | Frequent complaints about unreliable substitutions; giving customers control reduces friction and restores trust in convenience. | Ecomm/App Team | Med | High |
| 2 | Freshness guarantee on top produce + daily cull standard | Address perceived produce inconsistency with a visible guarantee and tighter back‑room routines. | No Frills Store Ops | Low | Med |
| 3 | Price‑lock 20 No Name essentials with unit/weight transparency | Counter shrinkflation concerns; visible price integrity on staples rebuilds value credibility. | Loblaw Merchandising | Med | High |
| 4 | Peak hours express lanes + queue captain | Shoppers cite long, self‑checkout bottlenecks; staffed express lanes improve the cheap and quick promise. | No Frills Store Ops | Low | Med |
| 5 | Proof‑point tags in ads and in‑store | Current creative is noticed but seen as gimmicky; add weekly basket price and stock proof to convert attention into trust. | Brand/Comms | Low | Med |
| 6 | Micro ethnic‑assortment pilots by store catchment | Shoppers travel for cultural staples; a curated 40–50 SKU set improves relevance and baskets. | Loblaw Merchandising | Med | Med |
Initiatives (30–90 days)
| # | Initiative | Description | Owner | Timeline | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh & Available Program (Produce + OSA) | End‑to‑end upgrade of fresh and availability: store‑level produce coaching, DC cold‑chain KPIs, vendor QC gates, and deal defense for flyer SKUs (guard stock, shelf tags, digital rainchecks with auto points). | Supply Chain & Replenishment | Pilot in 8–12 stores within 60 days; scale to 150+ in 6 months | QA/Fresh, No Frills Store Ops, Vendor Management, Analytics/Insights |
| 2 | PC Optimum Simple Value | Make loyalty predictable: always‑on points for the price‑locked essentials, receipt‑level basket boosters for No Name, and clearer offer cadence to reduce ‘points gimmick’ sentiment. | PC Optimum Loyalty | Design in 45 days; A/B in 3 regions by day 90; national decision by month 6 | Loblaw Merchandising, Ecomm/App Team, Legal/Compliance, Analytics/Insights |
| 3 | Pickup Excellence | Add customer substitution preferences in‑app, picker playbooks, SLA alerts, and post‑pickup CSAT; guarantee equal or better‑value swaps with auto credit if missed. | Ecomm/App Team | MVP in 60 days; full rollout by 120 days | No Frills Store Ops, Training, PC Optimum Loyalty |
| 4 | Assortment Relevance (Ethnic + Local Provenance) | Data‑led micro‑assortment by catchment with community advisory panels; pair with provenance signage (QR to source) to win fresh credibility. | Loblaw Merchandising | Identify stores in 30 days; supplier onboarding 60–90 days; expand by month 6 | Vendor Management, QA/Fresh, Brand/Comms |
| 5 | Truth in Value Communications | Publish a monthly Value & Freshness Scorecard (basket index vs competitors, OSA, produce returns), integrate proof in creative, and host quarterly AMAs to address pricing concerns. | Brand/Comms | Scorecard v1 in 45 days; embed in media flighting from day 60 | Analytics/Insights, Legal/Compliance, PC Optimum Loyalty |
KPIs to Track
| # | KPI | Definition | Target | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Relative Basket Price Index | Price of a 50‑item representative basket vs Walmart/Save‑On/Superstore (index <100 is cheaper). | ≤ 95 vs primary competitor in pilot regions | Weekly |
| 2 | On‑Shelf Availability (OSA) | In‑stock rate for flyer items and top 500 SKUs during promo windows. | ≥ 95% OSA; ≥ 98% for flyer leaders | Daily (store dashboards) / Weekly rollup |
| 3 | Produce Quality Signal | Produce complaints/returns per 1,000 baskets and produce shrink rate. | -30% complaints; -150 bps shrink in 90 days | Weekly |
| 4 | Pickup Substitution Experience | Substitution acceptance rate and post‑pickup CSAT (1–5). | ≥ 90% acceptance; ≥ 4.6 CSAT | Weekly |
| 5 | Loyalty Simplicity Adoption | % of baskets with price‑locked essentials and receipt‑level boosters applied. | ≥ 40% baskets include a price‑locked item; ≥ 25% receive booster | Weekly |
| 6 | Proof‑to‑Purchase Conversion | App/impression clicks on proof‑point tags that result in the promoted item purchase within 7 days. | ≥ 10% conversion in pilot | Weekly |
Risks & Mitigations
| # | Risk | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Margin pressure from price locks and loyalty boosters. | Vendor funding on staples, mix‑shift to No Name, and shrink/OSA gains to offset; strict promo ROI gates. | Loblaw Merchandising |
| 2 | Execution variance across stores undermines trust. | Simple playbooks, manager checklists, mystery shops, and incentives tied to KPI thresholds (OSA, freshness, queue times). | No Frills Store Ops |
| 3 | Transparency backfires if early metrics are weak. | Pilot first, publish directional wins, annotate gaps with actions and timelines; independent audit for credibility. | Brand/Comms |
| 4 | IT delivery risk for app features and scorecards. | Scope MVPs, reuse existing components, staged rollouts, and clear cutover criteria. | Ecomm/App Team |
| 5 | Supplier resistance to QA gates or price‑lock funding. | Joint business plans with volume commitments, alternative sourcing, and co‑marketing on proof‑points. | Vendor Management |
| 6 | Cannibalization across Loblaw banners. | Define banner guardrails (assortment, promo cadence) and measure net portfolio lift vs store‑for‑store shifts. | Category Strategy |
Timeline
- Launch price‑lock essentials and shelf transparency
- Stand up express lanes + queue captain scheduling
- MVP proof‑point tags in ads/in‑store
- Define pilot stores for Fresh & Available and ethnic sets
31–90 days
- Pilot Fresh & Available (produce coaching, OSA guard stock, digital rainchecks)
- Roll out “Substitution You Control” MVP and picker playbooks
- PC Optimum Simple Value design + 3‑region A/B
- Publish first Value & Freshness Scorecard
91–180 days
- Scale successful pilots to 100–150 stores
- Expand ethnic micro‑assortments; add provenance QR
- Loyalty boosters and price‑lock refinement based on ROI
- Iterate creative with stronger proof integration
6–12 months
- Nationalize programs with portfolio guardrails; harden QA and OSA processes; continuous KPI‑driven optimization
Objective and scope
6Seeds explored how consumer use and perceptions of Loblaw Group banners are evolving, with this wave centered on No Frills within the broader portfolio. We triangulated current shopping routines, familiarity and shifting impressions of No Frills, and reactions to recent advertising. While respondents referenced other Loblaw banners (e.g., Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstore) in weekly-shop roles, Shoppers Drug Mart and Joe Fresh did not surface materially in this sample and warrant dedicated follow-up.
How usage and perceptions are changing
Grocery behavior is intentionally multi‑store and role‑based. Respondents split trips: discount banners for low‑cost staples (often PC Optimum and flyers driven), Costco for planned bulk efficiency, and farmers’ markets/specialty shops for freshness, provenance, or cultural staples. Evidence: 18 mentions of multi‑store routines and repeated Costco runs; “Zehrs for the PC Optimum points… Costco run monthly” (Anna Reynolds), and “Country Market — eggs, honey, seasonal veg” (Margaret Campbell).
No Frills enjoys near‑universal awareness and is used tactically rather than as a full weekly grocer. Most respondents leverage No Name/private‑label staples, flyer loss‑leaders, and points stacking, constrained by perceived limited selection and inconsistent produce quality; a minority are weekly loyalists (e.g., Sophie Moreau). Over the past 12 months, impressions slightly declined overall, driven by trust erosion tied to Loblaw/PC Optimum pricing controversies, visible shrinkflation, more stockouts, and spotty produce; still, many continue to treat No Frills as the cheap, bare‑bones option for staples. Illustrative quotes: “worsened a notch… stockouts… pricing/points circus” (Margaret Campbell) versus a minority positive reappraisal on relative price (Marco Patel, Samuel Roy). Operational frictions (self‑checkout bottlenecks) undercut the “cheap and quick” promise for some.
Advertising is highly salient and on‑brand (bold yellow, quirky humour) but is widely seen as gimmicky unless backed by credible proof on price, quality, and availability. “It pops… but gimmicky” (Andrew Bennett); “doesn’t fix fewer promos or shrinkflation” (Sophie Moreau).
Personas and correlations
- Multi‑store pragmatists: Split spend across discount, full‑range (e.g., Superstore/Zehrs), Costco, and local markets; loyalty helps but doesn’t override freshness trust (Margaret Campbell, Samuel Roy).
- Younger urban value‑seekers (17–36): Flyer/points stacking; No Frills/Maxi often first stop for staples; Costco for bulk (Sophie Moreau, Mika Beaulieu).
- Older quality‑focused: Prefer full‑range weekly shops and markets/butchers for produce/meat; price promos/ads insufficient if freshness lags (Michael Cardinal, Katherine Morris).
- Ethnic/culturally driven: Supplement with ethnic supermarkets, halal butchers, or long‑distance sourcing when mainstream assortments miss (Marco Patel, Margaret Campbell).
- Trust‑affected observers: Awareness of “greedflation” headlines correlates with lower perceived value; require transparent, consistent proof to restore confidence (Daniela Silva, Andrew Bennett).
Implications and recommendations
- Rebuild value trust: Price‑lock ~20 No Name essentials with unit/weight transparency; publish a monthly Value & Freshness Scorecard (basket index vs competitors, OSA, produce returns).
- Win fresh where it matters: Freshness guarantee on top produce, daily cull standard, and a “Fresh & Available” program to lift produce quality and promo OSA (guard stock, digital rainchecks).
- Make loyalty predictable: “PC Optimum Simple Value” — always‑on points for price‑locked items and receipt‑level basket boosters; reduce the “points gimmick” sentiment.
- Fix convenience frictions: “Substitution You Control” in pickup, picker playbooks, equal‑or‑better value swap guarantee; peak‑hour express lanes with queue captains.
- Tie creative to proof: Integrate weekly basket price and in‑stock proof‑points into ads and in‑store tags to convert salience into trust and trips.
- Local relevance: Micro‑assort ethnic/cultural staples by catchment and add provenance signage/QR for credibility in fresh.
Risks and guardrails
- Margin pressure: Offset via vendor funding on staples, mix‑shift to No Name, and shrink/OSA gains; strict promo ROI gates.
- Execution variance: Simple playbooks, manager checklists, mystery shops, incentives tied to OSA/freshness/queue KPIs.
- Transparency backfire: Pilot first; publish directional wins with actions on gaps; independent audit for credibility.
Next steps and measurement
- 0–30 days: Launch price‑lock essentials and shelf transparency; stand up express lanes/queue captains; add proof‑point tags; select pilot stores for fresh/assortment.
- 31–90 days: Pilot Fresh & Available (produce coaching, OSA guard stock, digital rainchecks); MVP “Substitution You Control”; design/A‑B PC Optimum Simple Value; publish Scorecard v1.
- 91–180 days: Scale successful pilots to 100–150 stores; expand ethnic micro‑assortments and provenance QR; iterate creative with proof integration.
- KPIs: Relative Basket Price Index (target ≤95), On‑Shelf Availability for promos (≥98%), Produce Quality Signal (‑30% complaints), Pickup substitution acceptance (≥90%) and CSAT (≥4.6), Loyalty simplicity adoption (≥40% baskets include price‑locked items).
-
Compared to 12 months ago, how has your shopping frequency changed for each Loblaws-owned banner you use? (Loblaws, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Joe Fresh)matrix Pinpoints banner-level gains/losses to focus turnaround efforts and allocate investment where usage is shifting.
-
In the past 30 days, approximately what percentage of your total grocery spend went to each retailer? (Please allocate 100% across listed retailers.)matrix Quantifies wallet share versus key competitors to benchmark Loblaws banners and track share movement.
-
How influential is PC Optimum on your behavior? Rate its influence on (a) which retailer you choose and (b) what you purchase within a trip.matrix Measures loyalty program pull on store and basket decisions to guide rewards, offers, and partnership strategy.
-
For Shoppers Drug Mart, over the past 12 months, how have your trips changed for each mission: pharmacy/prescriptions, health/beauty, convenience groceries, household essentials, seasonal/gifts, PC Optimum redemptions, pickup of online orders?matrix Identifies growing/declining missions to optimize assortment, staffing, and trip-driving promotions at Shoppers.
-
When choosing a grocery store, which attributes most drive your choice? Consider price, flyer deals, loyalty points, produce freshness, meat quality, availability, selection, private-label quality, proximity, checkout speed, pickup/delivery reliability, trust.maxdiff Ranks decision drivers to prioritize operational fixes and refine communications that move share.
-
Which factors, if any, are preventing you from shopping more often at Loblaws-owned banners (Loblaws, No Frills, Shoppers, Joe Fresh)? Select all that apply.multi select Surfaces fixable barriers to inform banner-specific remediation and conversion tactics.
Research group: 20 Canada‑based consumers (ages 17–63) across ON, QC, BC and other regions; 80 responses total from varied occupations and urban/suburban settings.
What they said: Shoppers run pragmatic, multi‑store routines—discount/national chains for low‑cost staples (shaped by PC Optimum/price‑matching), Costco for bulk, and farmers’/ethnic shops for fresh provenance or cultural needs, with proximity, pickup, hours, and checkout speed as tie‑breakers. No Frills awareness is near‑universal, but the banner is used tactically for No Name staples, flyer loss‑leaders, and points rather than as a full weekly shop due to limited selection, variable produce, and stockouts, compounded by Loblaw pricing/shrinkflation headlines.
Main insights and takeaways: Net sentiment toward No Frills drifted slightly negative over 12 months on trust/consistency more than absolute price, though a minority report stability or improvement where its relative prices outperformed local alternatives. The three ads were noticed—on‑brand, quirky, high‑salience—but widely viewed as gimmicky unless backed by proof on price, quality, and availability. Action: restore value credibility and speed by price‑locking a visible essentials set with unit/weight transparency, tightening fresh and on‑shelf availability (produce standards, flyer guard‑stock, staffed express lanes to relieve self‑checkout bottlenecks), and coupling creative and PC Optimum with simple, verifiable proof points to convert attention into trips and larger baskets.
| Name | Response | Info |
|---|