Costco is the ‘most respected grocer’ in Canada—again

For the second consecutive year, Costco is Canada’s most respected grocery retailer.

Consumer research group Maru Public Opinion surveyed almost 3,000 Canadians about which grocers they had the most respect for, according to reporting from Yahoo. 

The warehouse retailer also claimed the top spot in 2021. (There was not a poll in 2022.) The rankings are part of Canada’s Most Respected Awards Program.

Costco received a total score of 68.8,  higher than 14 other retailers. The average score was 57.

Metro, which is still dealing with a worker strike in the Toronto area, was the second-most respected grocer, with Walmart placing third. Food Basics, a discount retailer owned by Metro, finished at No. 4, with Loblaw’s’ No Frills brand rounding out the top five. The survey was conducted before the Metro Toronto workers strike. 

Loblaws, however, dropped from eighth to 13^th this year. The grocer who took the biggest nosedive was Your Independent Grocer, a chain  owned by Loblaw. After finishing as runner-up in 2021, Your Independent Grocer fell to No. 10 in 2023. Sobeys went from No. 5 in 2021 to No. 9.

“Since last evaluated in September 2021, much has occurred to affect grocery and food retailer organizations, including COVID-19, supply chain challenges and inflation-spurred price increases,” Jeff Munn, executive director of the Canada’s Most Respected Awards Program, said in a statement.

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“The significant changes in this year’s rankings compared to 2021 demonstrate that corporate respect is an attribute consumers harbor, particularly when they have a choice as to where to put their pocketbooks in tough economic times.”