Loblaw closing No Name discount grocery stores in Ontario after just a year

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is slowly winding down its ultra-discount No Name grocery store program, with two of the three pilot locations in Ontario now closed or slated to shut down just over a year after they first opened. 

The stores were originally launched in September 2024 and gave shoppers access to even lower prices than the company's existing discount chains, like No Frills. The concept aimed to reduce operating costs through shorter store hours, a smaller assortment of products, limited marketing, no refrigeration, and fewer weekly deliveries. 

At the time, the company said that the stores would help customers save up to 20 per cent on everyday essentials; however, it looks like the concept didn't exactly land with consumers, as its reduced operating costs meant shoppers would have to shop elsewhere for refrigerated items like dairy or fresh meat products. 

The bare-bones stores carried just 1,300 products, compared to the 7,000 items typically carried in smaller-format No Frills stores. The supermarket giant introduced the new concept stores at a time when it was being boycotted for its high prices and facing accusations of shrinkflation. 

As part of the program, three stores were opened in St. Catharines, Brockville, and LaSalle, which is located just outside of Windsor. The St. Catharines store officially closed its doors in July, and now the LaSalle location is gearing up to shut down on Oct. 25, leaving just the Brockville location, which, according to the company, will remain open as Loblaw continues to assess its future. 

Loblaw is also preparing to shut down one of its long-standing locations in RioCan Empress at 5095 Yonge St. this month, which is rumoured to transition into a T&T Supermarket, which was acquired by Loblaw in 2009. 

The upcoming closure comes amid a wave of Loblaw-owned stores transitioning into No Frills locations last year as the company faced heightened criticism, including the Loblaws at Broadview and Danforth. 

Still, just a few months ago, the company announced that it was planning to spend $2.2 billion to open 80 new grocery and pharmacy stores, approximately 50 of which are slated to be smaller-format discount stores.