U.S. products pile up in Canadian grocery stores as Trump’s tariff vendetta turns neighbor against neighbor

Going to the grocery store used to include casually strolling through aisles and picking out little treats (and fine, essentials like produce), but rising food prices have made that fun errand fairly stressful. Now, thanks to Donald Trump‘s tariff threats, purchasing lettuce and apples has become a nightmare, and Canadians are already buying local.

A Redditor shared a video in the Buy Canadian SubReddit of a No Frills supermarket where the shelves of produce are “empty except ones made in USA.” One user commented, “Great work Canada!” Several others said they have seen similar things at their own No Frills locations or other local grocery stores. One wrote, “Those broccoli were 50% off at my No frills and people were putting them back after seeing the made in USA tag.”

It wasn’t only Canadians posting in the thread. Some Americans shared their support and one user wrote, “THANKS Canada, keep the pressure. We love you neighbors.” This conversation has been ongoing, and while some are talking about getting ready for “war,” the truth is no one is excited about these tariffs, except for, you know, that one person.

It’s a scary time, that’s for sure, especially since Trump said on Feb. 3, 2025 that the tariffs wouldn’t come into effect for 30 days, meaning they’re still a reality, and it goes beyond food, too. Associate McMaster University Professor Greig Mordue told CBC.ca, “Whether or not they ever be put into place, the damage is done,” because companies might not want to put money into the auto industry in Canada. As Trump explained on Feb. 18, he’s thinking about placing tariffs on the auto industry “in the neighbourhood of 25 per cent.” So… that’s great.

As shown in the Reddit thread, many Canadians are getting ready for the promised tariffs by purposefully buying products made in Canada. Agricola Cooperative Farm owner Natalie Childs said sales of her CSA harvest boxes have gone up by 20% as a result of people buying more locally. One Redditor suggested buying Canadian produce, freezing it, and enjoying it in the future.

On a personal note, as a Canadian, there are so many products that are tough to find alternatives for. As someone with gluten and dairy allergies, I love the Siete brand of tortillas and chips that are made with almond or cassava flour, and those are already around $16 and $6, respectively. I don’t want to stop purchasing those (or stop supporting an awesome family company), but it might be tough to spend even more for those products, at least regularly. On an unrelated note that has nothing to do with the economy, eating less chips seems like a terrible idea.

Sure, buying local is never a bad idea, and people tend to want to show pride in where they live, but Canada and the U.S. are part of North America for a reason, right? Both countries have always enjoyed a nice relationship. No one wants a trade war. In an ideal world, North Americans could buy products from both places like they always have, but, as Trump’s 30-day time frame gets closer and it becomes more than likely he will impose his 25% tariffs, it’s hard not to feel powerless. Sorry to sound like a stereotypical Canadian, but can’t we all just get along?!