But given all of the headwinds, we expect 2018 will be a very difficult year,” said Galen G. Weston, Loblaw CEO, during a call with analysts following the company’s earnings report. is closing 22 stores and launching home delivery in two major Canadian cities, ahead of what it believes will be a challenging new year. Canadian grocers face increasing pressure from several fronts, including discount and online retailers, and pending minimum wage increases in some provinces. Loblaw has already made several moves in recent months that some analysts attribute, at least in part, to cost pressures. Most grocers, including Loblaw and Walmart, have opted to focus heavily on in-store pickup for online orders instead.
Source: thestar November 15, 2017 13:07 UTC