Identifying tariffed products could be seen as attempt to mask increased margins
Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, frequent tariff threats have disrupted the economy. It is difficult to keep track of which products will be tariffed, when they will be tariffed, and how much they will be tariffed by. But Provigo stores in Quebec are taking steps that will help shoppers understand the factors that affect the price of their groceries. They are developing signage that will mark tariffed items with a “T” to explain price hikes. “It’s a way for grocers to be transparent as to why costs are rising, but some shoppers won’t buy it, says Charles de Brabant, the executive director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management. “If you’re cynical as a consumer, you can also look at it and sort of say, well, that’s just an added excuse for them to increase the cost.”