The Government of Canada has announced the launch of a promotional campaign to raise consumer awareness and sales of food produced and processed in Canada, according to a news statement from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).
The move follows a pilot project on the in-store promotion of Canadian food products, conducted by AAFC in March2010, which simulated an online buying experience to learn about consumer behaviour.
According to AAFC, that experience increased consumer awareness of the excellence of food products from Canadian producers and processors.
“Our Canadian farmers produce the best foods in the world, and it is important to actively promote them. For this reason we have decided to launch an initiative to promote the Canadian brand as a means of raising the awareness of Canadian consumers,” explained Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Canada’s Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture).
“Our government is making the most of every opportunity to showcase Canadian agriculture, because we know it will translate into profits on the farm, stimulate economic growth and benefit all Canadians.”
Using banners, posters, shelf displays and brochures in stores and on the Internet, this initiative is designed to help consumers identify, and encourage them to eat, Canadian products.
AAFC will use the lessons learned from these pilot projects to determine the best way to promote Canadian products in stores and to guide future activities in support of Canadian agriculture.
“The Government of Canada is making a substantial investment, at home and abroad, to promote Canada's agri-food sector as a reliable supplier of quality products,” concluded Minister Blackburn.
“The preliminary results of the pilot project are extremely positive and clearly indicate a way forward. It is our belief that initiatives like these will help Canadian producers and processors become more competitive on Canadian markets and enhance their profitability.”
