CALGARY — The organization representing Canadian grocers says it’s not aware of any beef shortages as a result of the XL Foods closure, but at least one Calgary store is already telling customers there are fewer beef products than normal on its shelves.
A sign on the door of the Beacon Hill Safeway on Centre Street N.E. states that, “Due to the beef recall our selection of beef products today is limited.” Safeway did not return a request for comment, but David Wilkes — senior vice-president of the Retail Council of Canada’s grocery division — said his organization has no reason to fear that the continued closure of one of Canada’s largest meat-packing facilities could result in a widespread shortage of product in Canadian supermarkets.
“We certainly have not been made aware of any of those situations,” Wilkes said. “It will vary, there’s no question about it … But overall, I think the industry has been able to maintain the supply to meet the demand.”
Close to a third of Canada’s overall beef production is slaughtered at the XL Foods plant at Brooks, which has been idle since its licence was suspended by federal regulators on Sept. 27 due to an E. coli scare. More than 1,800 beef products sold by XL Foods have been pulled from store shelves since Sept. 16 in what has become the biggest recall of meat in Canadian history.
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