By Christopher Daniel, Joe Aversa and Dr. Tony Hernandez

The report is part of an on-going series of CSCA Research Reports that focus on emerging trends within specific sectors of the retail industry. In the past the CSCA has reported on the Fashion sector and the Home Improvement sector; this report turns its attention to the Grocery sector. Over recent years this sector has experienced significant structural change and as a result a new set of retailers engaged in the retail of grocery products has emerged. This report provides an overview of the changing size and composition of the industry in Canada (with comparisons to the U.S. provided). Data on changing retail sales, market shares and store location strategies are examined. The report details a series of corporate case studies of four major retail conglomerates that operate chains in Canada that offer grocery product: specifically, George Weston Ltd/ Loblaw Companies Ltd, Empire Company Ltd, Metro Inc. and Wal-Mart Inc. These corporate activities are grounded in analysis of the locational shift in grocery store locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) marketplace. The report concludes by discussing the trajectory of change in the industry and points to the emergence of four different types of retailer offering grocery products. Maps showing the store locations of the major grocery chains are provided at the end of the report.