Grocery Competition Is Shifting

Major grocery chains are seeing flat sales growth, while regional and specialty grocers continue to expand. At the same time, brands like T&T Supermarket, already active in Alberta, highlight how culturally focused and specialty formats are gaining traction across Western Canada.

• Consumers are becoming more price-sensitive and selective

• Growing demand for ethnic, fresh, and specialty grocery options

• Independent and regional grocers expanding into neighbourhood-scale retail spaces

• Continued store growth despite limited overall sales increases

These trends point to a more competitive grocery landscape, one where format, location, and customer focus matter more than scale alone. This reinforces demand for well-located retail nodes that can support a more diverse mix of grocery tenants beyond traditional anchors.

Source: Western Investor, “Big grocers’ sales flatline in Metro Vancouver as local upstarts flourish,” accessed April 7, 2026.