With many islanders of Prince Eduardo committed to buying Canadian products in the middle of a commercial war with the United States, some are learning that discovering which country is a product can be complicated.
A buyer from A Sobeys in Charlottetown recently noticed a product container that indicated that the food was from “United States or Mexico”, without specifying what two countries it really was.
Jackie Rumney sent an email to the central office of the edible chain to find out why. They told him that stores receive products from multiple locations daily, and is “difficult to differentiate since the containers are constantly supplying.”
“That didn’t feel good due to the fact that all products in stores have small stickers that claim the country of origin,” Rumney told CBC News.
“At this time, all Canadians are trying to buy Canadians as much as possible, and when you see something like that, it is very difficult to do it. We need transparent and clear signs that articulate what country of origin our food comes.”
Jackie Rumney was recently grooves when she noticed a food label that said the product was from ‘United States or Mexico’. She says that is not good enough since Canadians take measures with their wallets during the current commercial war. As Connor Lamont reports, Rumney wants stores to make it easier to see what products are Americans.
Saying that he has not noticed this type of label in other groceries that he has reviewed, Rumney acknowledges that he could have seen the product sign in Sobeys before the commercial war broke out.
But now, with the United States continuing to slaughter tariffs on many Canadian products and a growing movement to boycott US goods, the country of origin is the most important thing for it.
In an additional statement to CBC News, a Sobeys spokesman said that the product supply chain is complex, but the company works to offer transparency to its customers.
“It is quite standard to work with two growing regions, which may or may not be in the same country, carefully balancing the quality and availability to ensure that our customers receive fresh and high quality products,” says the statement.
“Our goal is to maintain consistent quality and choice while adapting to natural growth cycles worldwide.”
Trying to make an ‘educated choice’
Sylvain Charlebois, director of the agricultural analytics laboratory at the University of Dalhouseie, said that double country labeling is nothing new; The source of products that reaches it to grocery stores will often change throughout the year because different regions have previous or subsequent growth seasons.
But with the current approach not to buy American products, it is natural that buyers want more specificity, he said.
“It is actually allowed and legal, but I think many people ask if it is appropriate or acceptable given what is happening with the United States,” Charlebois said.
“It is not misleading, but … given the political context, when you see a large number of Canadians who reject one option on the other, then it becomes a problem.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the income of the rates in Canada could be used to support the business owners and Canadian workers who can be affected by the growing commercial war with the United States under President Donald Trump.
As for Rumney, he said that “he will think twice” about buying in Sobeys in the future.
She said that the responsibility of determining the country of origin of a product should be in business, not in the individual customer.
“I want to make my part, but I also want stores to do their part. I want them to be transparent and say where exactly the country of origin so that I, as a consumer, can make that educated decision,” he said.
“I would simply like to know that these large companies in Canada are supporting our fight as much as we and consumers.”
