As grocery prices rise and political pressures increase, Canadian retailers are relying on national branding to win over shoppers.
From maple-leaf labels to “Proudly Canadian” signs in store aisles, marketing strategies aim to make Canadian products stand out at a time when affordability and sovereignty are front of mind for Canadian consumers.
However, the push to “buy Canadian” is nothing new, with national identity having long played a role in food marketing, whether through maple syrup exports or campaigns to support local farmers.
What has changed is the intensity of these appeals. Rising grocery bills and trade tensions with the United States have increased consumer interest in knowing where food comes from, and retailers have responded by leaning into patriotic packaging.
Queen’s marketing professor and E. Marie Shantz Fellow of Marketing, Tandy Thomas, explains how Canada-themed branding can benefit shoppers by simplifying decisions at the grocery store. “Most of the retailers are making choice-making for consumers easier,” she said in an interview with The Journal.
Thomas explained that the rise in Canada-themed marketing is linked both to affordability concerns and to broader discussions about sovereignty. Tariffs and trade-related pressures have increased unease about Canada’s dependence on imports, making maple-leaf packaging a familiar and reassuring signal for some consumers.
However, the line between national pride and misleading marketing can be unclear. The term “maple washing” refers to exaggerating or misrepresenting the Canadian origin of a product through misleading labels, packaging, or slogans. While the tactic can appeal to consumers’ desire to buy local, it risks eroding trust if overused. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reported 160 complaints this year related to country-of-origin claims, 41 per cent of them filed between mid-July and August. Forty cases were found to violate labelling rules.
“Consumers are remarkably forgiving when companies make mistakes, acknowledge them, and take corrective action,” Thomas explained. “That can actually boost a company’s reputation. But if there is malicious intent behind it, or failure to fix the issue once discovered, that’s when consumers get angry. That’s when you start to see boycotts.”
Still, Thomas noted that financial pressures play a decisive role. According to Statistics Canada, between 2018 and 2022, food prices rose by 19.1 per cent. “Consumers will do what they can,” she said. “But the priority will be putting food on the table. If they can afford Canadian, they will. If they don’t have that option, they won’t.”
For Canadian producers, Thomas said, the branding push has also created opportunity. Grocery shopping is typically habitual, with people buying the same products week after week.
“Usually, changes in shopping habits are tied to different life transitions, when someone moves cities, has a child, or changes income level,” Thomas said. “[This] has created a unique situation where consumers have been able to try new Canadian products that they would never have tried before. And if they like those new products, they’ll likely keep buying them habitually.”
With the infrastructure already in place, with labels designed and sections marked, Thomas said the marketing strategy is here to stay. “The little Canadian flags are in place; taking them away is probably almost harder than just continuing on it,” she said.
Ultimately, Thomas said the success of Canadian branding depends on trust. “Making a mistake is fine. Doing it on purpose isn’t a mistake anymore, consumers don’t like that, and they will react. It just might take a little bit of time for them to figure it out, but once they do, it’s pretty much game over.”
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.