Retail Insider Canada
Canadian retail news and analysis.
Combating Rising Store Theft in Canada: A 2026 Local Guide
Retail shrink in Canada has surged to roughly $9 billion CAD (about $6.7 billion USD) in 2026, nearly double the 2018 level. Violent theft incidents have spiked 300%, turning ordinary shoplifting into organized, high‑risk crime. Retailers are urged to replace reactive loss‑prevention with proactive security—HD cameras, smart access control, and compliance‑driven alarm systems—especially in high‑traffic regions like the Niagara Peninsula. The shift reflects a broader trend where criminal networks use retail theft to fund larger operations, forcing merchants to rethink margins and employee safety.
SEO for Skincare, Beauty & Cosmetic Brands: Key Tips You Need to Know
Beauty and skincare brands face a research‑heavy consumer journey, where shoppers evaluate ingredients, compare products, and read reviews before purchasing. Search engines reward sites that provide transparent ingredient information, detailed usage guidance, and authoritative educational content. Visual assets and user‑generated...
Canada’s Mall Redevelopment Boom Hits a Wall
Canada’s mall‑redevelopment boom is stalling as a weak condo market, rising construction costs and tighter credit curb mixed‑use projects. High‑profile plans such as Cloverdale Mall’s 4,000‑unit tower have been cancelled after pre‑sales fell below the 70 % threshold. Lenders are pulling...
MBI Brands Taps New President to Lead Next Phase of Strategic Growth and Global Expansion
MBI Brands, the parent of Mary Brown’s Chicken and Fat Bastard Burrito, has named Karen Tam as its new President. Tam, who joined the company in July 2025 as CFO and Chief Development Officer, will steer overall strategy and daily...
The Thrift Shift: Majority of Canadians Plan to Shop Second-Hand This Year
A Habitat for Humanity ReStore survey of 1,536 Canadians shows 60% plan to shop second‑hand this year, driven chiefly by cost‑of‑living pressures. Sixty‑eight percent thrift to save money, while 83% view it as both economically and environmentally sensible. Thrifting is...
Kits Eyecare Appoints Tai Silvey as President
Kits Eyecare Ltd. promoted Tai Silvey to President, tasking him with day‑to‑day oversight of supply chain, customer experience and commercial execution. Silvey, who joined in 2022 and previously led business development, brings two decades of scaling experience at Red Bull and...
Why Imports Won’t Fix Canada’s Beef Price Problem
The Canadian Cattle Association has petitioned Ottawa to limit beef imports as Mercosur trade talks advance, warning that cheaper South American beef could flood the market. Canadian beef prices have risen about 13‑14% year‑over‑year and sit roughly 40% above their...
From The Desk: Strategic Expansion and Evolving Consumer Engagement Define Retail in April 2026
Retail leaders are sharpening growth tactics in April 2026, with Empire Company buying Mayrand Food Group to enter Quebec's discount grocery market and Vessi opening its first U.S. store while integrating e‑commerce. Peavey Mart is scaling back to a seven‑store...
Expanding Retail Business From Canada to the UK: The Market Landscape, Legal Complications for Relocating Businesses, and Opportunities in 2026
Canadian retailers eyeing the UK in 2026 face a market that rewards value and affordability. While luxury segments grow, mid‑tier brands struggle amid cost‑of‑living pressures and high operating expenses. Success hinges on mastering UK immigration rules, securing a sponsor licence,...
Why More Retailers Are Turning to Product Visualization to Win Online Shoppers
Retailers are increasingly adopting 3D and augmented‑reality product visualization to bridge the trust gap inherent in online shopping. Interactive models let shoppers view items from any angle, see true scale, and even place virtual copies in their homes. The technology,...
Reitmans Reports Q4 and Year-End Results
Reitmans (Canada) Limited posted a modest 1.2% rise in fourth‑quarter net revenue to $207.2 million CAD (≈$153 million USD) and a 0.4% increase for the full year to $776.8 million CAD (≈$574 million USD). Comparable sales edged up 0.4% in Q4 but slipped 0.7%...
Righteous Gelato Enters $900M Frozen Novelty Category with National Sorbetto Bar Launch Across Premium Canadian Grocers
Calgary‑based Righteous Gelato, a leading dairy‑free pint brand, has entered Canada’s frozen novelty segment with the national launch of Righteous Sorbetto Bars at Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Whole Foods, Sobeys and Metro. The move targets the roughly $666 million USD frozen novelty...
Reitmans Unveils “Bold New Era” For Canadian Fashion
Reitmans, Canada’s century‑old women’s apparel retailer, is marking its 100th anniversary with a refreshed logo, high‑profile brand ambassadors and an upgraded retail concept in the Greater Montreal area. The company also completed a migration of its e‑commerce platforms to Shopify,...
Happy Belly Accelerates Expansion as U.S. Entry Nears
Happy Belly Food Group, a Canadian fast‑casual operator, is accelerating its national rollout, opening 10 stores in Q1 2026 and targeting 35‑50 new sites this year to reach 100 locations by mid‑2026. Its franchise‑heavy, multi‑brand platform—Heal Wellness, Rosie’s Burgers, Yolks—has delivered strong same‑store performance...
MINISO Hello Kitty Pop-Up to Debut at Scarborough Town Centre
MINISO is launching Canada’s first Hello Kitty and Friends pop‑up at Scarborough Town Centre, opening on April 25 and running through May 24. The temporary shop will showcase more than 500 Sanrio‑licensed items, including an exclusive Racing Club Collection plush surprise box. The...
Must Société Opens Flagship Jardin De Ville Store in Laval (Photos)
Must Société opened a 30,000‑square‑foot flagship Jardin de Ville store in Laval, its largest to date. The location consolidates the brand’s full outdoor furniture range, featuring designers such as Talenti, Fast, Kettal and Gloster. It offers dedicated designer assistance, commercial‑project...
Gen Z Canadians Reviving Mall Culture with Focus on Social Shopping: Lightspeed Commerce
Lightspeed Commerce’s new research shows Gen Z Canadians are reviving mall culture by seeking social, community‑focused retail experiences. Eighty‑three percent say stores with social features make them feel connected, and 68% are more likely to spend and return to venues offering...
Maison Territo Named Official Address for Montréal Design Week 2026
Montréal Design Week 2026, running April 28‑May 7, will be the city’s first large‑scale, multi‑day design celebration, featuring exhibitions, panels, tours and open studios. Maison Territo’s 11,000‑square‑foot Royalmount showroom has been named an official address, placing it among the event’s key destinations....
Gray Collection Unveils Metcalfe Montréal
Gray Collection has opened its second Metcalfe property, Metcalfe Montréal, in downtown Montreal. The boutique hotel features 119 rooms, an urban outdoor pool, and a signature restaurant, Benjamin, a modern Parisian steakhouse. It also offers light‑filled meeting spaces for up to...
Daily Synopsis: Apr 7, 2026
Canadian retail is seeing a wave of strategic partnerships, highlighted by Skip’s nationwide grocery‑delivery deal with Loblaw and T.LINE’s expansion through U.S. boutique collaborations and limited‑edition drops. PÜR Gum’s founder Jay Klein credits brand transparency and retail alliances for rapid...
Jacquard Fabrics Journey From Silk Road
Jacquard fabrics trace their lineage to ancient Silk Road trade routes, where woven textiles spread across cultures. The 19th‑century Jacquard loom revolutionized production by automating intricate patterns, boosting speed and consistency. Today, digital weaving and custom jacquard services let brands...
The Retailer’s Guide to the Best 3PL Fulfillment Partners in the USA (2026 Edition)
E‑commerce brands facing capacity constraints are turning to third‑party logistics (3PL) to scale. The 2026 guide ranks seven U.S. providers, highlighting Simpl Fulfillment’s flat‑rate model for 1‑500 orders, ShipBob’s 50+ centers for two‑day delivery, Red Stag’s heavy‑item expertise, and niche...
Wholesale Resurgence Reshapes Retail Growth Strategy
Retail brands are reversing the past decade's direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) focus, with wholesale emerging as the primary growth engine. Lightspeed’s 2026 State of B2B eCommerce report shows 78% of brands now rank wholesale as their top investment channel, while only 18%...
Skip Partners with Loblaw for Grocery Delivery
Skip, the Canadian delivery platform, announced a partnership with Loblaw Companies Limited, integrating 13 of Loblaw's banners—including No Frills, Loblaws, and Real Canadian Superstore—into its grocery delivery network. The collaboration enables coast‑to‑coast, on‑demand grocery fulfillment for a broad range of products,...
Clutch Opens Ottawa Customer Hub at Bayshore
Toronto‑based Clutch launched its first Ottawa Customer Hub at Bayshore Shopping Centre, its second physical location nationwide. The hub, opening April 11, serves as a pickup, drop‑off and support centre for the company’s online vehicle buying and selling platform. Clutch, which...
PÜR Gum Founder Jay Klein on Growth and Dragons’ Den
Jay Klein’s PÜR Gum has evolved from a Toronto startup in 2010 to a global better‑for‑you confectionery brand, now available in over 50 countries and 50,000 retail locations. The sugar‑free gum, which uses xylitol and avoids artificial additives, drives annual...
New Headquarters for Calgary Developer Truman Includes Well-Known Brands
Calgary developer Truman opened its new headquarters in the West District, creating a mixed‑use hub that houses popular local brands such as Alforno and Village Ice Cream. The building also includes Hula Poke, a dermatology clinic, a salon, and a...
Fake Product Reviews Surging in AI Era: Omnisend
Omnisend’s latest study finds that 82% of Canadian shoppers trust online product reviews, a 22% increase over the past two years, even as AI‑generated content proliferates. External research from Capital One estimates that roughly 30% of reviews are fake or...
Walmart Canada Launches Scintilla Digital Landscapes to Deliver Deeper E-Commerce Shopper Insights
Walmart Data Ventures has introduced the Scintilla Digital Landscapes solution in Canada, expanding its Scintilla platform beyond Channel Performance and Shopper Behaviour modules. Powered by first‑party data from Walmart.ca and its mobile app, the new tool maps shoppers’ online paths...
How to Buy Authentic Luxury Handbags Safely Online
The global luxury handbag market is projected to reach $36.6 billion in 2026, growing at a 6.6% CAGR. Shoppers increasingly turn to reputable online platforms such as 24S to avoid counterfeit risk and secure authentic pieces. Trusted retailers invest in rigorous...
The Small Retailer’s Guide to Construction: 5 Steps to Your First Store Renovation
Retailers are pivoting from aggressive expansion to footprint optimization, earmarking roughly $7.6 billion for store expansions and refurbishments in 2025. The guide outlines five steps for small retailers to execute a first‑store renovation, from strategic planning and zoning compliance to selecting...
Are Your Staff First Aid Certified? A Retailer’s Guide to Canadian Compliance
Canadian retailers face a complex web of provincial first‑aid regulations that, if ignored, can lead to steep penalties and costly injury claims. A recent CAD 100,000 (≈US 73,000) fine underscores the financial risk, while national injury costs top CAD 26 billion (≈US 19 billion) annually. Compliance...
How Industrial Brakes and Clutches Control in Your Machine
Industrial brakes and clutches are essential components that start, stop, and position machinery with millisecond precision. The article outlines four main families—electromagnetic, power‑off, magnetic‑particle, and pneumatic—detailing torque ranges, response speeds, and typical applications from packaging lines to CNC tools. It...
How Toroidal Transformers Eliminate the Hidden Inefficiency in Your Power System
Toroidal transformers use a solid, gap‑free ring core that keeps magnetic flux confined, delivering roughly 40% lower energy loss and up to 80% less magnetic leakage than traditional E‑I designs. The tighter flux path also reduces heat, extending service life...
Brunello Cucinelli Expanding Vancouver Flagship
Italian luxury label Brunello Cucinelli is enlarging its downtown Vancouver presence by annexing the former Thom Browne boutique at 747 Thurlow Street, creating a combined flagship exceeding 4,500 sq ft. Construction began in March with a target opening in fall 2026, coinciding with...
M&M Food Market Launches Homemade-Ish Campaign with Comedian and Busy Mom Jessi Cruickshank(Video)
M&M Food Market has rolled out a new “Homemade‑ish” advertising campaign featuring Canadian comedian and busy mom Jessi Cruickshank. The campaign highlights the brand’s frozen‑meal portfolio as a convenient alternative for families who struggle to find time for home‑cooked dishes. Research...
BYOMA Expands Retail Footprint in Canada with Launch in Sephora Stores
Global skincare brand BYOMA has entered Sephora Canada, debuting in 140 stores and the retailer’s e‑commerce platform. The launch coincides with the rollout of its new Bio‑Collagen Radiance Face Mask, priced at roughly $19 USD, offering a 20‑minute peel‑off hydration...
Groupe Dynamite Delivers Record Fiscal 2025 Results, Revenue Surpasses $1.3 Billion
Groupe Dynamite reported record fiscal 2025 results, with revenue surpassing $1.31 billion, a 36.7% increase year‑over‑year. Comparable store sales jumped 26.7% for the year and 30.4% in Q4, while gross margin improved to 63.8% and adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 36.5%....
SAIL Leadership Buyout Signals New Growth Phase
Canadian outdoor retailer SAIL Outdoors completed a management‑led buyout, placing President Isabelle Lemay, CFO Stefania Cella and VP of Marketing Catherine Venne in majority control, backed by Fonds de solidarité FTQ. The transition follows a 2020 creditor‑protection filing, operational streamlining...
Canada Post Shift Away From Home Delivery Impacts Retail
Canada Post has launched a government‑mandated transformation that will replace door‑to‑door mail with community mailboxes and close many rural post offices. The plan, currently under union consultation, aims to curb a near‑$1 billion loss and modernize operations. Retailers that rely on...
Canadian SMBs Question Strength of Buy Canadian Movement
A new Ignite Digital survey of Canadian small and medium‑sized businesses reveals a stark gap between public support for the “Buy Canadian” movement and actual purchasing habits. Roughly 79% of owners label consumers as “Faketriotic,” favoring cheaper American alternatives despite...
TradeBeyond Insights on Global Sourcing Trends
TradeBeyond’s Q1 2026 Retail Sourcing Report reveals retailers are abandoning single‑source global models in favor of fragmented, regional supply networks. Emerging Asian manufacturers, especially in India and Vietnam, will sustain modest 3.3% global growth, while container freight rates are set to...
TYPEBEA Launches in Canada Through Exclusive Sephora Retail Partnership
Australian haircare brand TYPEBEA entered Canada on March 27 through an exclusive national partnership with Sephora Canada, making its full product line available online and in stores. The launch follows the brand’s rapid expansion to 20 countries since its 2024 debut,...
Blitz Franchise Partners with Crêpe Delicious to Accelerate National Expansion
Blitz Franchise has partnered with Crêpe Delicious to accelerate the brand’s national expansion across Canada. Crêpe Delicious, a fast‑casual crêpe and café concept with over 60 locations, is now actively recruiting franchise partners. Blitz will manage franchise recruitment, site selection, and development...
Pizza Pizza Releases Q4 and 2025 Annual Results
Pizza Pizza Royalty Corp. reported modest growth in its fourth quarter and full‑year 2025 results. Same‑store sales rose 0.2% in Q4 and 0.9% for the year, while the royalty‑pool system generated $164 million in the quarter and $635.5 million annually, up roughly...
London Drugs President Clint Mahlman to Retire
London Drugs announced that longtime president and COO Clint Mahlman will retire on May 29, 2026 after a 41‑year career that began as a part‑time stock boy. The board named veteran technology executive Nick Curalli, who has spent over three decades at...
SHEIN Returning to Vancouver with Pop-Up at Metropolis at Metrotown
SHEIN is returning to Vancouver with a four‑day pop‑up at Metropolis at Metrotown from April 9‑12, unveiling its Spring/Summer 2026 collection. The event features seven curated trend installations—Boho Chic, Mermaidcore, Y3K, Poetcore, Preppy Rebel, Elevated Athleisure and Quiet Luxe—each refreshed daily to...
Costco Expands Business Centres Across Canada
Costco opened its 11th Business Centre in Winnipeg on March 27, marking the first location in Manitoba and expanding the retailer’s business‑focused format to five provinces. The 137,000‑square‑foot site repurposes a 35‑year‑old warehouse and offers a product mix that is 70%...
Understanding Mortgage Risks: A Guide for Homebuyers
Homebuyers face a maze of hidden mortgage risks that can turn a $300,000 loan into a costly long‑term burden. Adjustable‑rate mortgages, rising property‑tax and insurance costs, lender‑specific overlays, title defects, and undisclosed fees each add financial strain, with surveys showing...
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment and Management: A Comprehensive Guide
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) treatment follows a three‑phase protocol—induction, consolidation, and maintenance—to achieve remission and prevent relapse. Advanced options such as targeted therapies, CAR T‑cell immunotherapy, and stem cell transplantation are increasingly used, especially for high‑risk or relapsed patients. Long‑term...