“It creates a better trade environment for both the supplier and the retailer, but I think at the end of the day, the consumer is winning,” said Simon Laroche in an interview with The Canadian Press.
Canada might be still finalizing its code, but Laroche has already seen what it could do for a country with a concentrated grocery market. Before moving into his current role last year, Laroche spent several years leading Kraft Heinz’s business in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea. Australia has had a code of conduct since 2015.
Consumers caught wind of these tensions in 2022, when a spat between Loblaw and Frito-Lay Canada resulted in empty shelves across the country. Laroche thinks a code of conduct will help the industry better navigate these kinds of disagreements in the future. “I think one of the big things for the entire industry is about making sure you don't rely on single source of ingredients,” Laroche said.