The little train that was in its beginnings the NPO which promotes what is made in Quebec is growing and gaining speed. Les Produits du Québec adds five new retailers to the list of those displaying its logos and is increasingly convincing consumers to buy local.
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With the giants Walmart and Amazon already among its partners, the organization now adds the Mondou, Familiprix, Aubainerie and Toys “R” Us chains as well as Signé Local to the businesses where its three certification marks are visible.
“We are expanding our presence where we were not yet, in the toy and animal products sectors,” says Elfi Morin, director of Les Produits du Québec.
The NPO was born two years ago. Its verification process allows local companies to attach one of the three certification logos to their manufactured products. Retail partners, for their part, display it in their aisles and shelves.
Photo taken from the Les Produits du Québec website
The “Produit du Québec” mark is the most difficult to obtain, while “Made in Quebec” certifies that the last transformation was done here. The “Designed in Quebec” seal, for its part, lets you know that the design and conception were carried out here.
The 20 retail partners
Walmart
Amazon
Canadian Tire
Toys “R” Us
Jean Coutu
Brunet
Familiprix
Mondou
The Aubainerie
La vie en rose
Mini Mouse
Canac
BMR
Tanguay
Happiness Mattress
SAIL
Oberson
DeSerres
JC Perreault
Signed Local
Quebecers are also more sensitive to the origin of what they buy than they were before the birth of the organization, indicates a study by the firm AppEco published last week.
Up to 70% more
Quebecers are willing to pay 40% more on average for a Les Produits du Québec certified product than for the same product that comes from China, and 25% more than for one that comes from the United States, the researchers calculated.
The 2,800 participants in the study were placed in front of images of products with three price ranges (Quebec, China, United States) and had to make a choice.
Seven categories – clothing, furniture, hardware, sports equipment, garden, health & beauty, home – were studied with different results.
The willingness of Quebecers to pay more varies from 22% to 71%. The value of the object and the certification mark associated with it are the two key factors in the decision.
For a $70 sporting item, the “Made in Quebec” brand will encourage the consumer to pay 50% more than its imported equivalent. We go up to 70% for a $15.50 beauty product “Product of Quebec” and we go down to 22% for a $575 piece of furniture “Designed in Quebec”.
“We know that behavior can change in store versus the study, but it still allows us to understand the value of our brands,” says Elfi Morin.
