Four companies control two-thirds of Canada's grocery market. In the US, a third.
opendatacanada.ca
Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro and Costco sell about 67% of Canada's groceries by a USDA estimate. The top four in the US sell 34.7%. See the market share gap.

Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro and Costco sell about 67 cents of every dollar Canadians spend on groceries, by a USDA estimate. The four biggest US food retailers sell about 35 cents.

  • cliambrown@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    https://theconversation.com/canada-has-alternatives-to-corporate-grocery-chains-heres-what-governments-can-learn-from-them-282521

    Canadians should consider that overly consolidated, corporate-controlled food systems are unstable.

    Canada’s current food system lacks diversity, which makes it vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions. The mainstream system also enables a few food retail tycoons to achieve record-breaking profits, while Canadians experience growing food insecurity.

    Discussions around the need for public alternatives should not focus solely on profit margins. We need to start thinking about food the way we think about roads or public transit — infrastructure that deserves public investment.

    This shift will require Canadians to see food not simply as a commodity, but as a public good. Government-run stores are only part of the picture. There are already community-led alternatives across Canada worth paying attention to.