A customer is standing in your aisle, comparing two products. Or they have a few tabs open, trying to decide which one to order.

They’re looking at price, features and reviews. But there’s another question that could decide the sale:

Where was it made?

That’s the question I kept coming back to while reading Caddle’s August consumer research on tariffs. 79% of Canadians say they are more likely to choose a Canadian product when its origin is visible.

Those last words matter. 

You can stock Canadian products and still miss the opportunity if customers have to hunt for that information.

According to the report, 86% of Canadians are concerned about tariffs. Among engaged respondents, 93% have taken or plan to take some action in response.

That includes avoiding U.S. products, switching brands and choosing Canadian-owned retailers.

Among engaged shoppers, 40% report avoiding U.S. products and 38% report switching to Canadian alternatives. These are reported behaviours, rather than measured changes in market share. Even so, they give retailers a reason to pay attention.

Customers are reconsidering familiar purchases. Can they find a suitable alternative in your assortment?

Do your store teams know which products to recommend? Can someone browsing your website find Canadian options without searching product by product?

That’s where I would start.

The pricing findings caught my attention, too.

77% say they are open to paying more for Made in Canada products, and 30% indicate a willingness to pay a premium of 10% or more.

I wouldn’t read that as permission to raise prices across the board. What someone says in a survey and what they can afford at checkout can be different things.

But it does challenge the assumption that the cheapest option always wins.

If a Canadian product costs more, explain what the customer is getting. Talk about the product, where it is made, and the people behind it. Give them something concrete to weigh against the price difference.

A flag can get their attention. The product still has to make sense.

The age differences are worth a closer look.

Among Boomers, 86% say they are more likely to choose Canadian, and 50% report switching away from U.S. brands. That suggests an audience already willing to reconsider its usual purchases.

Gen Z tells a different story. Reported switching is lower at 25%, yet 34% say they would pay a premium of at least 10% for Made in Canada products.

That doesn’t make every younger shopper a premium buyer. It does suggest that a lower switching rate shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of interest.

Use these findings to shape what you test. Your own customers will tell you whether the message works.

Start with a walk-through of your stores and a review of your website.

Pick a few categories where you offer Canadian alternatives. Look at the shelf signs, product pages, search results and filters. How easy is it to identify those products and compare them?

Be precise with the language. Canadian ownership and Canadian manufacturing are different claims. Make sure customers can understand what you’re telling them and that you can support it.

Then test whether clearer origin information changes behaviour. Watch product engagement, conversion and sales mix. Ask store teams what customers are saying.

The report also finds that 36% actively choose Canadian-owned retailers. If that describes your business, make sure customers know. Tell them something about the business and the people behind it.

Make the products easy to find. Explain their value. See whether customers respond.

Data Snapshot

The Retail Rewired Team