Canadian Grocers Narrowing Gap With Big US Chains Costco & Walmart

While international retailers Costco and Walmart have gobbled up a growing share of Canadian food sales for more than a decade, further gains are expected to be tougher to eke out as the country's traditional grocers mount an improved defence.

Industry watchers say the price gap between the two sides has narrowed and the traditional stores' loyalty programs are helping support sales.

"Every point of market share is hard fought over in the grocery market," said Kenric S. Tyghe, a consumer and retail analyst at Raymond James. "The traditional grocers have done a better job defending share than, I think, a lot of observers expected."

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