Monthly sales of grocery and convenience retailers in Canada hit a high of ***** billion Canadian dollars in March 2020, an increase of over *** billion compared to the previous month. The spread of coronavirus in early March 2020 and consequent panic buying can explain this jump in sales. By November 2023, grocery store sales amounted to around *** billion Canadian dollars. Canadian in-store and online shopping As of December 2022, there were nearly ****** grocery stores located across Canada, signaling an ongoing demand for brick-and-mortar grocery stores, despite the rise of e-commerce in the Canadian retail sector. According to a recent survey, nearly ** percent of surveyed Canadians stated that they spend more on groceries bought in-store than online. Nevertheless, many Canadian shoppers had bought groceries online for the first time in 2020, mainly because of concerns about the coronavirus and the fact that it was convenient to do so. Leading grocery retailers In the 2019/20 fiscal year, Loblaw Cos. Ltd. was the leading food retailer in Canada, with a grocery sales value of around ***** billion Canadian dollars. Sobeys Inc. and Metro Inc. ranked second and third, with sales of approximately ***** and ***** billion Canadian dollars, respectively.

Supermarkets and grocery stores have endured a transformative journey since 2019, shaped by the pandemic, geopolitical tensions and an ever-changing market landscape. Grocers first encountered unprecedented demand as lockdowns redirected consumers' spending from entertainment to at-home essentials. Sales spiked, but the boom was fleeting; by 2021, factors like declining disposable income and soaring food prices reversed the trend. Even post-pandemic, the industry is evolving—more consumers than ever are embracing online grocery shopping, prompting traditional retailers to bolster their digital presence. Those unable or unwilling to adapt were largely forced out, while the largest supermarket chains maintained dominance through aggressive merger and acquisition activity and by leveraging vertically integrated operations. This momentous period caused heightened revenue volatility that still persists. Revenue has been rising at a CAGR of 0.1% over the past five years and is expected to dip 0.9% in 2024 when revenue will reach $111.9 billion. Amid this transformation, significant profit disparities worsened in an incredibly concentrated industry. Geopolitical instabilities like the war in Ukraine intensified supply chain disruptions, impacting costs for retailers. Rising energy prices compound this issue, squeezing profit as transportation expenses mount. Meanwhile, climate change injects further unpredictability into production costs, forcing grocers to manage these pressures by cautiously adjusting consumer prices. A class-action lawsuit against Loblaw Cos. Ltd. underscores market concentration challenges, spotlighting potential anti-competitive behaviours and their implications. This legal scrutiny, combined with governmental pressure for price transparency, could foster a more equitable marketplace. Should dominant players like Loblaw adjust their pricing strategies, it may level the playing field for smaller competitors, expanding competition and consumer choice. Over the next five years, a stable economic backdrop will support modest revenue growth for supermarkets. As disposable incomes stabilize, a return to preferred brands could uplift grocers' revenue. A more tempered rise in food prices will allow for strategic pricing decisions, providing grocers with a favourable environment for maintaining consumer loyalty. Technological advancements will be pivotal, with retailers expected to deepen investments in e-commerce and in-store technologies like AI-powered inventory management. This investment will be crucial as online grocery shopping and big-box retailers thrive. Governmental regulatory efforts may also reshape industry dynamics, offering smaller grocers a greater chance to compete by enhancing pricing equity. Continued inventory diversification reflecting health-conscious consumer preferences will likely continue, driven by rising interest in plant-based and ethical products. Retailers that navigate these shifts adeptly, leveraging both technology and emerging consumer trends, are poised to gain a competitive edge. Revenue is forecast to climb at a CAGR of 1.7% over the next five years, reaching $122.0 billion in 2029.

According to the Statista Digital Market Outlook, food's share of total e-commerce retail sales in Canada was just over three percent in 2023. This percentage is forecast to continue growing in the coming years, reaching an estimated seven percent by 2028.

Retail sales of supermarkets and other grocery stores in Canada increased by 4.5 percent in December 2024 compared to December 2023. In 2023, sales of supermarkets and other grocery stores in the country had increased by the same percentage compared to the same month a year earlier.

Get data on the annual sales revenue in Ontario for food and beverage stores, and food service and drinking places (such as restaurants and bars).

This statistic shows the revenue of the industry “Grocery stores“ in Canada by segment from 2012 to 2018, with a forecast to 2024. It is projected that the revenue of Grocery stores in Canada will amount to approximately **** billion U.S. Dollars by 2024.

In 2024, retail sales of grocery and convenience retailers in Canada amounted to approximately *** billion Canadian dollars. A slight increase from the sales of the previous year, which amounted to approximately *** billion dollars.

The organic, gourmet or all-natural products of the Specialty Food Stores industry in Canada have flown off shelves as consumers have reached for differentiated goods that aren't sold at standard retail and grocery outlets. These products sell at premium prices and the combination of increasingly health-conscious consumers and disposable income growth has allowed retailers to charge higher prices. Consumer demand for organic and other specialty foods has driven a broad rise in revenue for specialty food retailers. Industry revenue expanded at an estimated 4.7% CAGR over the five years to 2024 to reach $5.3 billion in 2024, including a 1.2% boost during this year. While favourable shifts in consumer preferences have helped boost industry revenue, rising external competition has also constrained the performance of specialty food stores. Retailers have endured high competition from the specialty food aisles of mainstream supermarkets and grocery stores, in addition to unconventional retail channels, like online food retailers and convenience stores. Traditional grocery stores account for most of the Canadian retail food market and there's little room for other food retailers. Whole Foods is perhaps the most prominent example of this sharp rise in competition from supermarket chains; the major natural food chain currently has 14 Canadian locations and is expanding, threatening the market position of small stores. The industry will face greater competition from natural food stores and regular supermarkets moving forward, as both retail segments focus on offering the same products sold at specialty stores. Since larger stores are generally able to sell products at lower prices than specialty retailers, stores will be forced to lower prices and focus on niche markets. Nonetheless, specialty retailers differentiate themselves on their ability to provide a tailored experience and stock items that have low throughput. The industry will ultimately benefit from the expanding economy, with rising disposable income and consumer spending driving spending on more expensive goods. Industry revenue is forecast to increase at a CAGR of 1.3% over the next five years to reach $5.6 billion in 2029.

In 2022, Loblaws held the top spot with an estimated ** percent share of the grocery retail industry in Canada. Walmart, which is an American multinational retail company, owned roughly ***** percent of the Canadian market. Loblaws’ competitor: Metro Inc. One of Loblaws’ top competitors in the past few years has been Metro Inc. In 2022, Metro generated a net income of approximately *** million Canadian dollars, the highest amount the company has seen in the past ten years. That year, most of the company’s store properties could be found in Québec, one of the more populated provinces within the country. Most popular stores in Canada In 2019, the most popular store in Canada for purchasing food and beverages was Walmart: in August of that year, roughly **** of Canadian consumers stated they regularly shopped for food and drink products here. Real Canadian Superstore and Costco ranked second and third respectively in that year.

Retail Trade, sales by industries based on North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), monthly.

Contains annual sales values for all perishable and dry grocery (food) categories for all retail channels in Alberta from 2009 to 2014. Also included in this record is 2012 and 2013 sales data for major retail grocery categories for the cities of Edmonton and Calgary. Alberta retail data is purchased from The Nielsen Company of Canada.

Contains annual sales values for all perishable and dry grocery categories for all retail channels in Alberta for the years 2013 to 2018 inclusive. Alberta retail grocery sales data is obtained from Nielsen Company of Canada.

This statistic shows the distribution of the supermarket and grocery store industry in Canada from 2010 to 2015, by market share. The market share of the top three players in the Canadian supermarket and grocery industry stood at **** percent in 2015.

Food retail in Canada - additional information

The Canadian food retail trade has been constantly growing since 2010. Food retailers include supermarkets and grocery stores, convenience stores, discounters and specialty stores. In 2015, retail store sales of food generated approximately ***** billion Canadian dollars. Leading Canadian food retailers include Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro.

With the decline of the Canadian dollar, the average retail price of most food categories has increased. Quality red meats such as sirloin steak and prime rib saw the greatest price inflation, while staple foods such as white sugar saw a reduction in price. In response, ** percent of Canadian households are choosing cheaper, less healthy food options. Retail sales of candy and confectionary generated approximately *** million Canadian dollars in December 2015, with sales forecast to reach almost *** billion Canadian dollars by 2018.

Healthy food is important to Canadian consumers, a survey finding ** percent believe food and nutrition can prevent illness. Free-from food and beverages claiming to be trans-fat free were the most purchased by consumers in 2015, with gluten-free retail sales forecast to exceed *** million Canadian dollars by 2017.

Canada Retail Sales: sa: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data was reported at 7,561.565 CAD mn in Jan 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,554.463 CAD mn for Dec 2017. Canada Retail Sales: sa: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data is updated monthly, averaging 6,775.722 CAD mn from Jan 2004 (Median) to Jan 2018, with 169 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,672.166 CAD mn in Jul 2017 and a record low of 5,395.616 CAD mn in Apr 2004. Canada Retail Sales: sa: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.H006: Retail Sales: NAICS 2012: Seasonally Adjusted.

Retail trade sales, price, and volume, for Canada, includes all members under North American Industry Classification System. Data is seasonally adjusted, available on a monthly basis in dollars x 1,000,000.

Canada Retail Sales: FB: GS: Supermarkets & Other Grocery Stores, excl Convenience Stores data was reported at 6,495.057 CAD mn in Jan 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7,590.284 CAD mn for Dec 2017. Canada Retail Sales: FB: GS: Supermarkets & Other Grocery Stores, excl Convenience Stores data is updated monthly, averaging 4,973.187 CAD mn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Jan 2018, with 325 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,601.377 CAD mn in Dec 2016 and a record low of 2,785.956 CAD mn in Feb 1991. Canada Retail Sales: FB: GS: Supermarkets & Other Grocery Stores, excl Convenience Stores data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.H003: Retail Sales: NAICS 2012.

This data set contains annual sales values for all major groups of grocery products for all retail channels in Alberta from 2015 to 2020.

Canada Retail Sales: British Columbia: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data was reported at 1,085.552 CAD mn in Feb 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,116.639 CAD mn for Jan 2020. Canada Retail Sales: British Columbia: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data is updated monthly, averaging 942.438 CAD mn from Jan 2004 (Median) to Feb 2020, with 194 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,211.278 CAD mn in Jun 2017 and a record low of 695.105 CAD mn in Feb 2005. Canada Retail Sales: British Columbia: FB: Grocery Stores (GS) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.H005: Retail Sales: NAICS 2017: by Province and Territory.

The Convenience Stores industry in Canada has withstood heightening competition by offering convenience, value and a variety of fresh and healthy products. The small size and accessibility of convenience stores allow them to adapt to changing environments and consumer preferences, making them more resilient than supermarkets and other food retailers. Convenience stores have increasingly shifted product mixes to include food service products that are more profitable than items such as cigarettes, focusing more on satisfying demand for quick and easy meal options. However, continued competition from supermarkets and gas stations with convenience stores has pressured industry growth. Consequently, industry revenue is expected to inch down at a CAGR of 0.5% over the past five years to reach $11.3 billion in 2025, despite a 0.3% gain in 2025 alone. Nonetheless, the quick speed of transactions at convenience stores has proved valuable to busy individuals. Other retailers have also begun competing with the industry for convenience-seeking customers. In particular, credit card use and interchange fees have increased in recent years, placing downward pressure on industry profitability. Wages have also increased as stores extended operating hours to satisfy consumers' needs. The ability of larger retail stores to maintain lower costs has forced convenience store businesses to alter product mixes and advance their food options faster to remain competitive. High competition has also negatively affected industry profit despite consolidation and the sale of higher-margin goods. As the economy grows and disposable income levels strengthen, consumers will increasingly turn to the convenience of industry establishments. However, cigarette sales will deteriorate over the next five years as health concerns and higher prices deter consumers from smoking. Despite dwindling cigarette sales, smokeless tobacco use is growing and will aid revenue growth over the coming years. While this industry's leading product segment sales are expected to drop, a greater focus on convenience and fresh food will help boost industry revenue. Regulations of relaxed liquor laws in some provinces will benefit convenience stores. Revenue is expected to increase at a CAGR of 0.5% over the next five years to reach $11.6 billion in 2030.

Monthly sales of supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores in Canada hit a high of **** billion Canadian dollars in March 2020, an increase of over two billion compared to the previous month. The spread of coronavirus in early March 2020 and consequent panic buying can explain this jump in sales. By December 2023, grocery store sales amounted to approximately **** billion Canadian dollars.