Is the Metro group owned by Quebecers? – Sylvie Allard
Although the members of the company’s board of directors are not all from here – some come from Ontario or the United States – Metro is indeed a Quebec company, believe the experts interviewed by La Presse.
And among the five major players in the grocery sector (Metro, IGA, Loblaw (Maxi, Provigo), Costco and Walmart), the company is the only one to have its head office in Quebec. The big decisions are therefore made here, indicates Pascal Thériault, agronomist and economist at McGill University.
The head office addresses of Metro’s closest competitors are in fact located outside the province. That of Empire, owner of IGA, is in Nova Scotia, Loblaw has taken up residence in Ontario, while Costco and Walmart, although they have branches in the country, are American retailers.
“We can think that the investments associated with the head office, the salaries of senior management and all that, will be spent in Quebec,” adds Maurice Doyon, professor in the department of agri-food economics and consumer sciences. from Laval University.
For the record, Metro was born in 1947 from an association of a few grocers wishing to have better purchasing power. It became a listed company in 1986. Over the years, Metro notably acquired La Ferme Carnaval – Super C (1987), Steinberg (1992), Supermarchés GP (2009), Marché Adonis (2011), Première Moisson (2014) and Jean Coutu Group (2018).
Furthermore, for consumers, is there a real difference in shopping at Metro or elsewhere? “Less and less,” replies Pascal Thériault. The brands are all fighting over our food dollar. Quebec consumers are sensitive to local products. And now even the discount chains offer a lot of local products. So, this difference is seen less and less. »
He emphasizes that Metro does not have the prerogative of Quebec products. “For example, the selection of Bœuf Québec products is much greater if you go to Loblaw [Provigo, Maxi] than if you go to Metro,” remarks Mr. Thériault.
He then adds that consumers have the impression of supporting a Quebec company when they are dealing with a franchisee, often involved in their community, regardless of the brand.
“The Metro and IGA store owners, we see them on the floor, we talk with them, they ask us how things are going. It’s a contact that we don’t have in corporate grocery stores [like Maxi]. »
Although there are other smaller players here in the world of grocery stores, like Avril or Mayrand, would there be room for another major Quebec brand? The experts consulted doubt it. “I have the impression that it would still be difficult,” replies Maurice Doyon. We have a large territory, the population is scattered. There are a lot of fixed costs. The future is difficult for general grocers,” he concludes.
