Canadians Rally Behind Local Grocers Despite the Pinch in Their Wallets

In a heartwarming display of community support, Canadians are increasingly choosing to shop at small and medium-sized grocery stores, even though it might mean spending a bit more. This trend comes from a recent survey by Wagepoint, which is part of their effort to shine a light on the little guys—small businesses with fewer than 200 employees.

Why Shop Small?

The survey, which took opinions from 1,000 Canadians, shows that a hefty 58.20% of us are ready to fork out extra cash to help out our neighborhood stores. Overall, a whopping 78.3% would love to do all or some of their shopping at these small venues. It seems there’s a strong desire to keep our dollars local and help our communities thrive.

The Challenges of Choosing Small

But it’s not all smooth sailing. The survey points out some real talk—64.80% of Canadians are put off by the higher prices at small shops, and 13% flat out say they just can’t afford to spend more at these places right now. Shrad Rao, Wagepoint’s CEO, points out a bit of a catch-22: people want to support local SME grocery stores but often don’t know they exist or just can’t swing the extra cost.

How Often Do We Support Small Businesses?

Let’s talk numbers: 40.10% of Canadians make it a point to support small businesses weekly, 31.20% do so monthly, and an enthusiastic 6.5% are out there supporting small businesses every single day. Yet, when it comes to whether we’re doing enough post-COVID, opinions are split—over half think we’re on track, but a significant 63.6% feel we could do better.

Shout-Out to Local Grocery Heroes

The survey didn’t just gather opinions; it also highlighted which local grocery stores are getting it right. Places like Gateway Meat Market in Dartmouth, Ferraro’s Foods in Trail, and Foody Mart in the Don Mills/Markham area are getting big love for being trustworthy and beloved stops for groceries in their communities.

Are We Getting Enough Help from Above?

There’s a notable call for more action from the federal government, with 63.6% of Canadians feeling that not enough is being done to support small businesses in the COVID-19 recovery phase.

All in all, it’s clear that while Canadians are eager to back their local grocers, high prices and a lack of awareness are big hurdles. Yet, the ongoing commitment to supporting local shops is crucial—not just for those businesses but for the health of our communities too. It looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us, both in spreading the word and making it easier to choose local.