Retailers in Canada of all Sizes Set Record Straight on the Strong Canadian Dollar and its Impact on Retail Pricing in Canada
Toronto, October 19, 2007 – Retail Council of Canada (RCC) continued to speak out on behalf of retailers from coast to coast who have been unfairly criticized for their prices on imported consumer goods. The commentators have failed to fully recognize the business facts facing Canadian retailers in this current economy.
"Canadian retailers will always do their best to keep their prices competitive and customers satisfied," said Diane Brisebois, president of the Retail Council of Canada. "However, the reality is that in most cases, retailers have not been able to reduce their prices because their merchandise costs have not declined. Canadian manufacturers, importers and wholesalers, in most cases, have retained the benefits of the appreciation of the dollar and have not passed the savings on to retailers and their customers."
A great number of retailers of all sizes from regions across Canada report that their merchandise costs for identical national-brand products supplied by brand owners and their Canadian representatives, are anywhere between 20 and 50 per cent higher than prices offered to U.S. retailers.
"Retailers are in business to give the best possible deal to their customer, and they have simply had enough of this unfair criticism," Brisebois added. "They are fed up with the excessive and unjustified cost of their nationally branded merchandise and they will no longer accept the blame for price differentials that are forced on them by the cost practices of many suppliers."
Retail Council of Canada has requested a meeting with the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and Canadian Importers Association to demand that they acknowledge their role in the prices that customers pay and accept their responsibility to provide fair value to customers and retailers in Canada. RCC has also requested a meeting with the Minister of Finance and other government officials to brief them on these steps and discuss how the government can support retailers' efforts to reduce the cost of merchandise in Canada.
About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail. It is a not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants.
For further information:
David Day
Pipeline Communications Inc.
Tel.: (416) 694-2777, ext. 222; (416) 917-2871
E-mail: david@pipelinecommunications.ca