Rendering of REFORMD at The Commons at Calabasas. Image: supplied
Toronto-based fitness concept REFORMD is expanding into the United States with a new location at The Commons at Calabasas in Southern California, scheduled to open in January 2027. Developed by Canadian fitness and wellness company Sweat and Tonic, the new studio will feature 37 Lagree EVO PRO machines alongside an extensive range of wellness and recovery services.
The company describes the location as the world’s largest Lagree studio, building on its original Toronto concept launched in June 2025. The California expansion is being undertaken through a partnership between Sweat and Tonic founder David Ingram and Heather Perren, a senior figure in the Lagree fitness community who will principally own and operate the new location.
Building on REFORMD’s Toronto Success
REFORMD opened its first studio in Toronto in June 2025, introducing a large-format facility dedicated to the Lagree Method, a high-intensity, low-impact workout focused on strength and muscular endurance. The Toronto studio features 31 MegaPro Megaformers and has recorded more than 126,000 guest bookings since opening, according to the company.
The concept was developed by Sweat and Tonic, which Ingram founded in Toronto in 2019. The company has since expanded its fitness and wellness offerings to include yoga, Pilates, strength training, indoor cycling and recovery services, reporting more than 3.4 million guest bookings across its operations since launching.
Sweat and Tonic operates at The Well in downtown Toronto and has been preparing another location in Yorkville, part of its continued expansion in the city. The planned Yorkville club, at 11 Yorkville Avenue, spans approximately 18,000 square feet and will offer several fitness disciplines alongside wellness amenities. Retail Insider previously reported on the Yorkville expansion.
Rendering of the studio space at REFORMD at The Commons at Calabasas. Image: supplied
Partnership Brings REFORMD to California
The Calabasas studio is being developed in partnership with Heather Perren, a Lagree Senior Master Trainer and Director of Events at Lagree HQ. Perren has nearly a decade of experience in the Lagree community, including instructor education, certification and fitness programming, and grew up in the Calabasas area.
“Our mission at Sweat and Tonic has always been to elevate the fitness and wellness experience,” said Ingram in the announcement. “We pushed the boundaries of what a Lagree studio could be with our flagship location in Toronto, creating one of the largest and busiest studios in the world.”
Ingram said the partnership will build on the Toronto operation while introducing additional wellness services to the California market. Perren’s involvement provides a local operating partner with established connections in the Lagree community, while Sweat and Tonic brings experience developing and managing large-format fitness facilities.
Rendering of the retail area in REFORMD at The Commons at Calabasas. Image: supplied
Large-Format Studio Combines Fitness and Recovery
The new REFORMD location will have 35 EVO PRO machines in its main group-training studio, with two additional machines in a dedicated private training and education space. The main studio will include an instructor stage, audiovisual technology, programmed spotlighting and colour-changing lighting designed around the group workout experience.
The facility will also contain six wellness and recovery treatment rooms, offering services including massage therapy, Zerobody dry flotation, electric cryotherapy, compression therapy and the Ammortal Chamber. A separate recovery lounge will feature Therabody equipment, lymphatic massage rollers and other recovery tools.
These services will be available to customers regardless of whether they participate in Lagree classes, giving the location a broader wellness offering beyond scheduled group workouts. The arrangement follows Sweat and Tonic’s approach in Toronto, where fitness programming is offered alongside spa and recovery services.
“We’re creating something that goes far beyond a traditional fitness studio,” said Perren. “Our vision is to bring together world-class Lagree training, innovative wellness and recovery, and an elevated experience that makes people genuinely excited to walk through our doors.”
Rendering of the entrance to REFORMD at The Commons at Calabasas. Image: supplied
Opening at an Upscale California Shopping Destination
REFORMD will occupy space at The Commons at Calabasas, an upscale open-air shopping centre developed by Caruso. The property features a mix of retail, restaurants and services, with tenants including lululemon, Sephora and Zimmermann, alongside luxury watch retailers and other businesses serving the surrounding Calabasas community.
Caruso is also undertaking a broader expansion of the shopping destination, with plans for additional shops, restaurants, pedestrian areas and residential units. The addition of REFORMD brings a large-format fitness and wellness use to the property’s existing mix, providing another reason for customers to visit the centre beyond shopping and dining.
The California opening will not be Sweat and Tonic’s first involvement in the Los Angeles market. The company expanded into the region in 2023 with Silver Springs, a sister fitness studio, while continuing to develop its operations in Toronto.
REFORMD Calabasas is scheduled to open in January 2027, with advance registration and information about opening promotions available through REFORMD’s California website. The location will be the first U.S. studio operating under the REFORMD brand.
MTY Food Group is accelerating plans to reduce its corporate-operated restaurants, review its extensive portfolio of brands and return to a predominantly franchise-based business model following a strategic review that considered alternatives for the company.
The Montreal-based restaurant operator, which has nearly 7,000 locations worldwide, has decided to remain independent and concentrate on improving its existing operations. The changes come as its Canadian business shows signs of stabilization, with same-store sales declining just 0.2% in the third quarter ended August 30, compared with a 2.7% decline in the United States.
Management also reported stronger performance among Canadian mall-based restaurants, breakfast concepts and sushi brands. While customer traffic remains challenging, average transaction values are increasing across many of the company’s restaurant concepts.
MTY CEO Eric Lefebvre said Canadian consumers have remained comparatively resilient despite continued pressure on restaurant spending. During the company’s October 9 earnings conference call, he described improving conditions in Canada, although overall performance remains below management’s expectations.
“Canada in general is doing well. Consumers are very resilient,” Lefebvre told analysts, adding that the company’s restaurant portfolio remains relevant to current consumer demand.
The improvement has been particularly noticeable in shopping centres, where MTY operates numerous quick-service restaurant concepts. Lefebvre said Canadian mall-based restaurants performed well during the quarter following several periods of more difficult trading conditions.
“Our mall concepts had a really good quarter in Q3 in Canada,” he said. “In general, our breakfast places are doing well, our sushi concepts are doing exceptionally well.”
Canadian organic system sales increased 0.7% during the quarter, even as comparable sales at existing restaurants remained slightly negative. The results point to improving conditions within MTY’s Canadian operations, although the company continues to face challenges attracting customers more frequently.
Lefebvre said average transaction values have been rising across many of the company’s brands, helping support sales despite weaker restaurant traffic. Increasing customer visits and purchase frequency remains a priority as restaurant operators compete for consumers who are increasingly selective about discretionary spending.
The stronger performance among mall-based concepts is also relevant to shopping-centre operators, where foodservice tenants contribute to the overall tenant mix and customer experience. MTY did not disclose separate sales figures for its mall restaurants, but management identified the category as an important contributor to its improved Canadian performance.
MTY Targets Return to Franchise-Focused Operations
MTY is working to reduce the number of restaurants it operates directly, allowing management to concentrate on franchising, brand development and supporting restaurant operators.
At the end of the third quarter, MTY operated 6,966 restaurants worldwide, including 6,782 franchised or operator-managed locations and 184 corporate-owned restaurants. Approximately 35% of its network was located in Canada, with 57% in the United States and the remaining 8% in international markets.
Lefebvre told analysts that MTY ultimately wants corporate-operated restaurants to represent approximately 1% of its network, compared with about 2.6% at the end of the quarter. The shift would reduce the company’s exposure to direct restaurant operating costs while simplifying its management structure.
The company has identified 75 underperforming corporate restaurants for closure, an increase from the 68 locations previously announced. Fifty had already closed by the end of the third quarter, with the remaining closures expected to take place primarily over the following two quarters.
Many of the affected restaurants had previously been taken over from franchisees experiencing financial or operational difficulties. MTY attempted to improve their performance but ultimately determined that certain locations were unlikely to generate acceptable returns.
Lefebvre said the restaurants closed or identified for closure generated approximately $2.5 million in operating losses during the third quarter, excluding exit costs. CFO Renée St-Onge said the company expects an estimated $2.5 million improvement in corporate-store profitability next year directly attributable to the closure program.
MTY is also transferring profitable corporate-operated restaurants to franchisees as part of its longer-term strategy. The company has already refranchised its first two Sauce locations, a concept that had previously been entirely corporate-operated.
Lefebvre emphasized that MTY intends to proceed carefully with these transactions, seeking qualified franchisees and appropriate valuations for restaurants that continue to generate positive earnings.
Restaurant Brand Portfolio Under Review
MTY is examining its collection of restaurant brands to determine which concepts offer the strongest opportunities for future growth and which might be better suited to different ownership.
The company’s portfolio has expanded substantially through acquisitions over several decades, encompassing quick-service, fast-casual and casual-dining concepts across multiple foodservice categories. Management now intends to assess each brand’s performance, growth prospects and strategic relevance as it works to simplify the business.
“The goal here is not to sell the crown jewels, for sure,” Lefebvre told analysts during the earnings call. “There’s no strong desire to divest of good brands.”
He explained that potential divestitures would not necessarily be restricted to underperforming concepts. A brand could be considered for sale if MTY does not see a compelling opportunity to develop it further, while a weaker-performing brand could be retained if management believes its results can be improved.
MTY already reduces its brand count through the natural closure or conversion of smaller concepts, with approximately four to six brands disappearing through that process annually. The current review could lead to additional changes, although no specific brands have been identified for sale.
Lefebvre indicated that some portfolio decisions could emerge in 2027 but declined to establish a firm timetable. Any transactions would also need to account for existing franchise agreements and MTY’s obligations to restaurant operators.
Franchise Expansion Continues Despite Closures
MTY continues to pursue expansion through new franchised locations while reducing its corporate restaurant portfolio. The company opened 72 restaurants and closed 146 during the third quarter, resulting in a net reduction of 74 locations. The closures included 50 restaurants from the corporate-store rationalization program.
New restaurant development was also affected by delays, with 27 planned openings moving from the third quarter into the fourth quarter because of permitting requirements, inspections and other construction-related challenges.
Lefebvre said the fourth quarter could be MTY’s strongest ever for restaurant openings. The company has also identified much of its anticipated development pipeline for 2027, although actual openings will depend on project completion and regulatory approvals.
More than half of the locations in the company’s development pipeline are being pursued by existing franchisees. Management views that continued investment as evidence of confidence in the economics of its restaurant concepts, despite pressure on sales and operating costs.
The expansion plans reflect MTY’s approach to managing its restaurant network. Underperforming corporate locations are being removed, profitable restaurants are being transferred to franchisees where appropriate, and new development is focused on concepts with sufficient franchise demand.
MTY reported third-quarter revenue of $277.7 million, down 7.1% from the same period a year earlier. Normalized adjusted EBITDA declined 17.8% to $60.8 million, reflecting weaker profitability in corporate-operated restaurants and other operating challenges.
System-wide restaurant sales, which include sales generated by franchised locations, were approximately $1.46 billion and remained essentially unchanged from the previous year. MTY’s reported revenue does not include the full sales generated by its franchise network.
The franchising segment remained comparatively stable, with revenue increasing 1.6% to $102.4 million. Normalized adjusted EBITDA margins in that segment held at approximately 54%, reflecting the relative stability of MTY’s franchise-based operations.
Digital sales across the restaurant network reached $279.2 million during the quarter, representing 19.8% of system sales, compared with 19.3% a year earlier. Management identified additional opportunities to expand digital sales in Canada as part of its efforts to improve restaurant performance.
Following the strategic review, MTY announced an increase in its quarterly dividend from $0.37 to $0.50 per share and plans to resume share repurchases. The company is also evaluating a potential substantial issuer bid, although no transaction size or timetable has been announced.
While acquisitions have historically played an important role in MTY’s growth, management indicated that improving its existing business and returning capital to shareholders are currently higher priorities.
Focus Turns to Restoring Growth
MTY expects the benefits of its corporate restaurant closures to become more apparent in 2027, while additional refranchising and potential brand divestitures could further reduce operating complexity. Management will also be looking for stronger performance from its existing restaurant network as the company works to reverse recent declines in profitability.
Lefebvre acknowledged that MTY has struggled to maintain the growth achieved during 2022 and 2023, with weaker results over the past two years. He identified a return to consolidated EBITDA and free cash flow growth as the central measure of success for the company’s strategy.
The company enters this next phase with improving Canadian sales trends and a substantial restaurant development pipeline, although customer traffic remains a concern across several brands. The pace of new openings, franchisee profitability and performance of its remaining corporate restaurants will be important indicators of progress as MTY implements its plans.
Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Photo: Craig Patterson
Vancouver’s Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages event on Thursday evening, October 15, bringing together members of the city’s fashion and luxury retail community for a runway presentation hosted by Canadian fashion personality Joe Zee. Grammy Award-winning musician John Legend performed live following the fashion show, providing a musical finale to the evening.
The presentation took place in the shopping centre’s North Atrium, less than five months after Oakridge Park opened its first major retail phase on May 28. Developed by QuadReal Property Group and Westbank, the property is part of a major mixed-use redevelopment of the former Oakridge Centre site at West 41st Avenue and Cambie Street.
Ahead of the fashion show, some guests attended a private cocktail reception in the development’s Presentation Centre, where food and beverages were served. The gathering included affluent local residents, social media influencers and retail representatives, who subsequently made their way downstairs for the runway presentation.
The event brought together designer fashion, celebrity involvement and an invited audience at Vancouver’s new luxury shopping destination. It was also an opportunity for Oakridge Park to introduce a major fashion event as the centre continues to develop its retail and cultural programming. The evening concluded with an after-party at Time Out Market on the second level.
Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Photo: Craig Patterson
Fashion Through the Ages
The Front Row was conceived as a retrospective exploring fashion across different decades, with designer ready-to-wear and influential silhouettes forming the basis of the presentation. Joe Zee, whose career spans more than three decades in fashion editorial, celebrity styling and brand storytelling, served as host.
Zee grew up in Canada before establishing an international career that included senior editorial positions at major fashion publications. He is also involved in developing The Style Office at Oakridge Park, a planned styling service intended to connect customers with fashion professionals for personalized advice and assistance.
“Style has always been about far more than just clothes to me: it’s about confidence, identity and connection,” Zee said in a statement announcing the event. He described the opportunity to work with Oakridge Park as particularly meaningful given his Canadian background and international fashion experience.
Following the conclusion of the runway presentation, John Legend took to a piano positioned in the stage area and performed several songs for the assembled guests. The American singer-songwriter’s live appearance provided the evening’s musical finale, with audience members smiling, applauding and enjoying the performance.
John Legend sings: Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Photo: Craig Patterson
Connecting Fashion and Luxury Retail
Oakridge Park connected access to the fashion show with a promotional program based on qualifying purchases made at the shopping centre. Customers spending $10,000 could receive one Tier C seat, while purchases of $20,000 and $30,000 qualified for Tier B and Tier A seating, respectively. A $50,000 spending threshold provided access to two Tier A seats.
The centre also offered opportunities to attend through promotional giveaways, providing an alternative to the spending-based program. The arrangement connected a high-profile fashion and entertainment event with Oakridge Park’s luxury retail offering.
“We see Oakridge Park as a place where the boundaries between retail, culture and entertainment can be blurred,” said Chrystal Burns, Executive Vice President, Canadian Retail Experience at QuadReal Property Group, in a statement announcing the event. Burns said The Front Row was designed to bring people together around fashion and creativity while providing experiences different from those typically found in shopping centres.
She described the programming as part of establishing Oakridge Park as a cultural hub for Vancouver. The event is among the property’s efforts to bring fashion and cultural activities into its retail setting.
Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Photo: Craig Patterson
Oakridge Park opened approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space in May, with the completed shopping component expected to encompass about 650,000 square feet. The development’s tenant mix includes international luxury fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Miu Miu, Brunello Cucinelli, Moncler, Versace and Max Mara, alongside other fashion and lifestyle retailers. A Canadian-first Giorgio Armani boutique and café opens Friday October 23, and a new 9,000 square foot Kith store, the second in Canada, is also expected to open soon.
The shopping centre forms part of a larger mixed-use project that will incorporate residential towers, office space, cultural facilities and community amenities. Plans also include a major public park and additional entertainment venues, with development continuing beyond the initial retail opening.
Oakridge Park intends to establish The Front Row as an annual fashion event, providing an ongoing platform for designer presentations and related programming. Further retail openings and the completion of additional development components are expected to expand the range of shopping, cultural and entertainment activities available at the property.
Retail Insider will follow up with a more in-depth article about the impressive Oakridge Park evening spectacle next week.
Oakridge Park hosted its inaugural The Front Row: Fashion Through the Ages on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Photo: Craig Patterson
Groupe Marcelle Inc. has partnered with Dentsu Creative Canada to support the growth and development of its beauty brands, bringing together the Montreal-based manufacturer’s Canadian market expertise with the creative agency’s capabilities.
The partnership will focus on building the company’s Marcelle, Watier and Annabelle brands, according to an announcement issued Thursday. The agreement comes as Dentsu Creative Canada names Dimitra Georgakis President in addition to her existing role as Chief Client Officer.
Groupe Marcelle, which describes itself as Canada’s largest beauty manufacturer, said the collaboration reflects a shared goal of developing brands that remain relevant to Canadian consumers.
“As we look to the future of our brands, we’re excited to partner with Dentsu Creative, bringing together our deep Canadian roots and expertise with the creative ambition and global perspective of its network,” said Julia Geissen, Vice-President of Marketing at Groupe Marcelle.
“From the outset, we’ve been impressed by the team’s understanding of our business, their collaborative approach and the ambition we share for the future. We look forward to what we will create together.”
Dimitra GeorgakisJulia Geissen
Canadian manufacturing and brand development
Groupe Marcelle said its operating model, which brings research, manufacturing, design and marketing teams together in Montreal, has been central to its Canadian identity and understanding of local consumers.
The company has invested in Canadian talent and expertise for more than 75 years. Its operations include research, development, production and marketing for a portfolio of more than 1,200 products under the Marcelle, Watier, Annabelle and CW Beggs and Sons brands.
The company employs more than 350 people and distributes its products through more than 3,500 stores across Canada, according to the announcement.
Its brands cover several beauty and personal care categories. Marcelle offers cosmetics and skin care products, while Watier sells cosmetics, skin care and fragrances. Annabelle focuses on cosmetics, and CW Beggs and Sons offers men’s skin care products.
The partnership with Dentsu Creative Canada is intended to combine that portfolio and knowledge of Canadian consumers with the agency’s creative capabilities and international network. The announcement did not disclose financial terms or provide a timeline for specific campaigns or other initiatives.
Dentsu leadership change
The agreement coincides with Georgakis taking on the presidency of Dentsu Creative Canada while retaining her Chief Client Officer responsibilities.
Based in Montreal, Georgakis has nearly 14 years of experience with Dentsu and previously served as managing director for Quebec. In her new role, she will continue to advocate for Quebec as an important market within Dentsu Creative Canada.
Georgakis said the partnership would draw on Groupe Marcelle’s understanding of Canadian beauty consumers to develop creative work tailored to the company’s brands.
“Great creative starts with really understanding people; what matters to them, what moves them and how a brand can meaningfully show up in their lives. Groupe Marcelle knows Canadian beauty consumers incredibly well, and that’s what makes this partnership so exciting. Together, we have a huge opportunity to build on the strength of Marcelle, Watier and Annabelle, creating work that feels distinctly Canadian, culturally relevant and true to each brand. We’re incredibly excited to get started and help grow these iconic Canadian brands,” said Georgakis.
Source- Groupe Marcelle
Company operations and global network
Groupe Marcelle is headquartered in Montreal and operates across the research, development, production and marketing functions of its beauty business. Its portfolio includes products distributed throughout Canada, with the four brands serving different segments of the cosmetics, skin care and fragrance markets.
Dentsu, founded in Tokyo in 1901, operates in approximately 120 countries and regions. The company works with organizations on growth and transformation through services spanning media, customer experience management and creative work.
Recipe Unlimited Corp. has signed an agreement to acquire Evergood, a Greece-based food services business operating more than 575 restaurants, as the Canadian restaurant company expands its international presence.
The Vaughan, Ont.-based company said it had entered into a definitive share purchase agreement to acquire all shares of Evergood from Vivartia Holding S.M.S.A. The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
Evergood operates five restaurant brands across Greece and regional markets, with a network spanning franchised street-level and shopping mall locations, as well as transportation hubs and passenger travel routes. The acquisition would give Recipe an established operating presence in Greece as it pursues further international expansion.
“Evergood is a market leader with a talented and experienced management team, making this an ideal partnership to drive our international expansion,” said Frank Hennessey, chief executive officer of Recipe Unlimited. “We look forward to collaborating with the leadership team to build on this strong platform to capture compelling growth opportunities across Greece and beyond.”
Frank HennesseyRecipe photo
Evergood operates five restaurant brands
Evergood’s portfolio includes Goody’s Burger House, Everest Cafe, Flocafe Espresso Room, La Pasteria and Jackaroo. Its more than 575 restaurants operate through a combination of franchised street and mall locations and food service operations serving Greece’s travel sector.
The company has a presence at major airport terminals, along motorways and on passenger maritime routes, extending its operations beyond traditional restaurant locations.
Recipe said the agreement would combine its restaurant operating experience with Evergood’s established position in Greece and surrounding regional markets. The company described the transaction as a step in its efforts to expand internationally, although it did not disclose the purchase price, expected closing date or other financial terms in the announcement.
The deal would add a portfolio of five brands and more than 575 restaurants to Recipe’s existing operations, subject to completion of the transaction.
Recipe photo
Canadian restaurant operator expands international reach
Recipe Unlimited operates more than 1,100 restaurants across Canada, with an international presence that includes the United States and the Middle East. Its portfolio spans full-service dining, quick-service restaurants and fast-casual concepts.
Canadian brands operated by the company include Swiss Chalet, St-Hubert, Harvey’s, Montana’s BBQ & Bar, Olive Garden Canada, New York Fries, Kelseys Original Roadhouse, East Side Mario’s, Original Joe’s, State & Main, Añejo Restaurant, The Burger’s Priest, The Landing Group, Elephant & Castle, Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar, The Pickle Barrel, Blanco Cantina and Bier Markt.
Recipe operates through a portfolio of restaurant brands and has established itself as a franchisor in Canada. The proposed acquisition would extend its reach into Greece through an operator with an existing network of restaurants and food service locations.
Evergood is the food services business of Vivartia Holding S.M.S.A., a Greece-based group operating in food manufacturing and food services. Vivartia describes its business as focused on quality, innovation and maintaining market positions across its portfolio.
Welcome to the Daily Synopsis by Retail Insider. We hope you enjoy the 8 articles we published covering key developments in Canadian retail. Here are a couple highlights with a full list of the day’s articles thereafter.
Toronto-based apparel brand mini mioche has reopened a flagship store in Leslieville as a strategic response to trade tensions and a reassessment of online-only sales. The store integrates retail with community experiences and supports expanded wholesale, international markets, and Canadian manufacturing. Similarly, Golf Town is investing $15 million in a 40,000-square-foot flagship in Oakville, which blends retail with immersive golf technologies including custom fitting, simulators, and dedicated brand spaces, aiming to enhance customer engagement and reflect a strategic evolution in store design.
Hudson’s Bay’s former women’s apparel shoppers were affluent, older, culturally diverse, and selective consumers who valued quality and value over low price, now dispersing their spending among multiple fashion and value retailers. Meanwhile, Canadian consumer spending grew in September, mainly in discretionary services like education, entertainment, and travel, while spending on discretionary goods remained flat. Rising fuel prices affected purchasing power, but essentials excluding gasoline, including groceries and utilities, showed growth, indicating resilience amid economic pressures.
World Food Day falls on Friday, October 16. For Canada, the occasion exposes an uncomfortable contradiction. We are an agricultural powerhouse, with productive farms, extensive trade networks and internationally respected research. Yet millions of Canadians struggle to afford the food our economy helps produce.
The latest global agri-food benchmarking from MNP and Dalhousie University places Canada seventh among the G20 countries assessed. Meanwhile, Statistics Canada reports that 24% of Canadians lived in households experiencing some form of food insecurity in 2024. Agricultural influence clearly does not guarantee affordable meals at home.
How can a wealthy food-producing country tolerate such widespread financial difficulty around something as fundamental as eating?
Answering that question requires looking beyond grocery prices. Food affordability depends on what households earn, what governments transfer and tax, and what remains after other expenses. The grocery receipt captures only one part of a much larger household-budget problem.
Our calculations, using 2015 as a baseline, reveal two distinct pressures.
Among households in the lowest income quintile, average disposable income increased by 43.4% between 2015 and 2025. Grocery prices increased by 37%. On this comparison alone, the lowest-income households appear to have gained ground.
But disposable income is not the same as wages. It includes government transfers and is measured after taxes. Benefits and tax credits therefore form part of the explanation. These figures cannot support the claim that the poorest Canadians received wage increases exceeding grocery inflation.
Nor does faster income growth mean their budgets are adequate. A large percentage increase from a very low starting point can still leave households unable to cover basic expenses. Their financial position also depends heavily on housing, utilities, transportation and other costs.
To illustrate that pressure, we subtracted selected non-food expenses from average disposable income for the bottom quintile. These expenses include housing and utilities, transportation, health and communications.
The resulting annual balance turned negative in 2023 and reached a shortfall of $979 per household in 2025, before groceries and other omitted expenses. An illustrative 2026 scenario produces an annual shortfall of $742.
These estimates require careful interpretation. They are accounting proxies, rather than literal household cash budgets, and include imputed rent and vehicle purchases. They also describe averages, concealing considerable differences between households.
Nevertheless, they illustrate why income growth can coexist with hunger. When other costs absorb available resources, food purchases become difficult even if income has risen faster than grocery prices.
Households can postpone purchases, choose cheaper products or reduce portions. They cannot indefinitely shop their way out of an inadequate budget.
For the middle class, the squeeze takes another form. We define this group as the middle 60% of households by income, excluding the highest and lowest quintiles. In 2025, that represented approximately 10.34 million households.
Between 2015 and 2025, their average disposable income increased by 32.3%, from $68,098 to $90,096. Grocery prices increased by 37%, leaving a gap of 4.7 percentage points.
Their incomes bought less against the grocery-price benchmark, while other household obligations continued competing for the same dollars. Many middle-income households receive less targeted support than those at the bottom, without enjoying the financial flexibility of those at the top.
This does not establish that all middle-class households are food insecure. It does explain why affordability anxiety extends well beyond households traditionally associated with poverty.
Employment alone cannot guarantee financial security. Working households can still face difficult choices between food and other bills. That vulnerability deserves attention before financial strain becomes a crisis.
A resilient economy needs a middle class capable of saving, absorbing emergencies and spending beyond necessities. When essential expenses consume more income, businesses and communities feel the consequences.
Governments therefore need to address food security through the entire household budget.
Grocery competition, productive food manufacturing and efficient supply chains remain essential. So does sustained income growth. But slowing inflation will not erase the price increases Canadians have already absorbed.
Policy should also leave households with more purchasing power. Targeted tax relief, effective income supports and fewer punitive benefit clawbacks can help. Housing supply, transportation efficiency and stronger productivity require sustained action across governments.
Measures should be judged by the dollars households retain after unavoidable expenses. Relief that disappears into another rising bill offers little lasting security.
Canada’s agricultural strength gives us an advantage many countries would welcome. Turning that advantage into better lives requires households with enough money to purchase nutritious food consistently and with dignity.
On World Food Day, celebrating our capacity to feed the world is appropriate. Governments must also answer a question much closer to home: after Canadians have paid their other essential bills, how much is actually left for dinner?
Mini Mioche at 1184 Queen Street East in Toronto. Image supplied
Toronto-based apparel brand mini mioche has returned to brick-and-mortar retail with the opening of a new flagship store in the city’s Leslieville neighbourhood, marking another stage in the company’s transformation under owner and CEO Jacquelyn Corbett.
Located at 1184 Queen Street East, the new store, called The Shop, brings the Canadian apparel brand back into physical retail following the closure of its previous Toronto locations. The opening comes as mini mioche expands its wholesale distribution, introduces new product categories and develops international markets, while maintaining its longstanding commitment to domestic manufacturing.
In an interview with Retail Insider, Corbett said the Canada–U.S. trade war prompted her to reassess the company’s distribution strategy, ultimately leading to the decision to reopen physical retail alongside its growing online and wholesale operations.
“When the trade war hit last February, I was like, ‘We need to rethink the strategy here. What are we doing?'” Corbett said. “We were really focused online.”
Trade Uncertainty Prompts Retail Reassessment
Founded in Toronto in 2008 by Alyssa Kerbel, mini mioche developed a following for minimalist children’s apparel made with certified organic cotton. The brand previously operated stores on Queen Street West and in Toronto’s Distillery District, with those locations closing in 2022 and 2020, respectively.
Corbett subsequently acquired the business and began broadening its operations, developing wholesale relationships, expanding its product assortment and reaching customers outside Canada. By 2025, the company had been investing in both Canadian and American markets, including efforts to build its U.S. wholesale business.
Trade uncertainty prompted Corbett to reconsider the risks of relying heavily on direct-to-consumer sales. She spent much of the second half of 2025 evaluating whether the time was right to reopen a physical store before committing to the idea in January 2026.
“I started getting really caught on the fact that we have one distribution channel, really, and that’s D2C,” she explained. “I love retail, I always have, and I started to think, ‘Is it time for us to open retail again?'”
Corbett considered Leslieville and Roncesvalles, two Toronto neighbourhoods with established family populations that align with the brand’s customer base. A Leslieville resident herself, she discovered the Queen Street East property while walking her dogs. The premises were undergoing renovations, providing an opportunity to design the space around the company’s evolving retail requirements. Mini mioche secured the location in May and completed the buildout over the summer.
The company’s American business has also experienced fluctuations as tariffs and trade policies have changed. Corbett said U.S. sales declined and recovered several times, including another downturn following tariff changes in August, although the business has since stabilized.
Mini Mioche at 1184 Queen Street East in Toronto. Image supplied
A New Model for Physical Retail
The Leslieville flagship has been designed to serve several purposes beyond conventional retail sales. Its front section functions as a showroom displaying the brand’s collections, colours and seasonal styles, while the rear accommodates shopping, children’s activities and community programming.
Corbett said the company has arranged visits from Canadian authors for children’s readings, along with musicians who will participate in afternoon events. The intention is to establish the store as a neighbourhood destination for families rather than simply a place to purchase clothing.
“The original stores were amazing and beautiful, really good vibe, nice place to visit for families,” she said. “A thing we’re doing differently this time is running it as a shop, but as well as a community space.”
The location also supports the company’s e-commerce operations, with online orders fulfilled from the store. Corbett pointed to larger retailers such as Aritzia, which use physical locations alongside other fulfillment infrastructure to manage inventory and serve online customers.
For mini mioche, the approach allows its retail space and inventory to support multiple sales channels while creating a consistent experience for customers shopping online or in person.
The physical environment also reflects the company’s emphasis on playfulness. Children can use an interactive magnetic display to create outfits from different clothing pieces, while an art area toward the back of the store provides space for drawing and other creative activities.
Mini Mioche at 1184 Queen Street East in Toronto. Image supplied
Wholesale and International Expansion
The flagship opening is one part of a broader effort to diversify mini mioche’s business. Under Corbett’s leadership, the company has developed wholesale relationships, expanded into adult apparel and school uniforms, and opened international shipping markets, creating additional opportunities for growth beyond its original direct-to-consumer model.
Corbett said mini mioche now supplies nearly 100 boutiques, compared with having virtually no wholesale accounts several years earlier. The brand also launched with Canadian baby and children’s retailer West Coast Kids during the summer, providing additional exposure through an established national retail business.
“We built out the wholesale business a lot,” Corbett said. “We’ve got boutiques across the country now. I think we’re in nearly a hundred boutiques at this point.”
International markets have become another component of the strategy. Mini mioche now ships to customers in the United Kingdom, Australia and across Europe, broadening its reach beyond Canada and the United States.
The company has also expanded beyond its original focus on baby and children’s apparel. An adult collection began with T-shirts in 2025, followed by a holiday capsule after early customer response exceeded expectations. The assortment has since grown to include additional everyday essentials based on popular designs from the children’s collection.
Corbett emphasized that the adult offering is intended to stand independently rather than function primarily as coordinated clothing for parents and children.
“Basically, we took our best sellers in kids and turned them into really beautiful upsized versions,” she said. “These are not mommy and me. They’re beautiful adult pieces, just as beautiful as our kids’ pieces.”
School uniforms and spirit wear represent another part of the business. Introduced approximately two and a half years ago, the programs provide an organic cotton alternative to the polyester-cotton blends commonly used for school apparel. Corbett said initial interest came from American customers, prompting the company to develop the offering further.
Together, these initiatives have broadened mini mioche’s customer base and distribution network, creating a business with multiple product categories and sales channels.
Mini Mioche at 1184 Queen Street East in Toronto. Image supplied
Canadian Manufacturing Remains Central
Despite the company’s changing distribution strategy, Corbett said mini mioche has no intention of abandoning Canadian manufacturing, even as trade tensions complicate cross-border business.
According to the company’s published manufacturing information, approximately 95 per cent of its assortment is made in Canada. Core clothing production includes fabric milling, dyeing, cutting and sewing domestically, although raw organic cotton is sourced internationally, including from India and Korea. Certain specialty products are manufactured overseas.
Corbett said maintaining Canadian production was a principal reason she acquired the company.
“When I bought the business, I bought it because of the Canadian manufacturing,” she said. “The local manufacturing is something I feel really strongly about. Sustainability is something I feel really strongly about.”
She explained that the trade war prompted suggestions that mini mioche should consider moving manufacturing overseas to simplify its operations. Corbett rejected that approach, arguing that supporting Canadian employment and retaining domestic production were fundamental to the company’s identity.
“We mill our fabrics here as well,” she said. “That’s a really unique thing in Canadian manufacturing because there’s not a lot of fabric mills left in Canada for the types of things that we produce.”
Mini mioche says its core apparel collections are produced using GOTS-certified organic cotton, reflecting the company’s emphasis on environmental standards and ethical production practices. Corbett also welcomed the increased interest in buying Canadian products, describing the movement as an opportunity for domestically manufactured brands to connect with consumers paying closer attention to where their purchases are made.
Mini Mioche ‘Lake Ontario’ shirt. Image supplied
Community Partnerships Support Brand Identity
Mini mioche’s community engagement extends beyond its new retail space. The company has developed partnerships with Canadian organizations, including True North Aid and Rethink Breast Cancer, incorporating charitable initiatives into its product development and marketing.
Corbett said mini mioche donated approximately $40,000 worth of clothing to children in northern and remote Indigenous communities affected by wildfires during the summer. The company also created an “It’s Lake Ontario” T-shirt collection, directing net proceeds to True North Aid. The initiative generated an unexpectedly strong response, with Corbett saying the adult version sold out within 24 hours of its initial release, prompting the company to produce additional inventory.
Mini mioche also partnered with Rethink Breast Cancer on a hoodie and jogger collection, with net proceeds supporting the organization’s work with young women affected by breast cancer. These initiatives form part of the company’s broader positioning around people, planet and play, which Corbett said guides its approach to manufacturing, product development and community involvement.
Additional Retail Locations Under Consideration
With the Leslieville flagship now operating, Corbett is considering whether mini mioche could support additional physical stores as the company looks toward 2027.
She said the early customer response has exceeded her expectations, particularly from existing customers reconnecting with the brand and new shoppers discovering it for the first time.
“I’ve been pretty blown away by the response in the community and our existing customers and new customers also discovering the brand,” Corbett said.
She has been working regularly in the store, observing customer behaviour and learning how the new format performs. Those experiences will help inform the company’s next decisions about physical retail.
Although no additional locations have been confirmed, Corbett said further expansion is something she intends to explore.
“I think there’s a lot of potential in this brand,” she said, pointing to what she sees as a shortage of Canadian-owned alternatives in the children’s apparel market.
For now, Corbett is focused on the Leslieville location, where the initial reception has encouraged her to consider how physical retail could contribute to mini mioche’s next stage of growth.
Former women's fashion department on the fourth floor of Hudson's Bay, Queen St., Toronto, March 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson/Retail Insider
By Tanishah Nathoo and Anna Racovali
A new audience analysis reveals that Hudson’s Bay’s women’s clothing shopper was among the more affluent consumer segments in Canadian retail, leaving behind significant purchasing power that no single retailer has yet fully captured.
A year after Hudson’s Bay closed its doors, much of the discussion has focused on real estate. Less attention has been paid to the customers themselves.
This article is the second in a series examining displaced HBC audiences by department. While the men’s apparel shopper reflected Canada’s growing suburban family market, the women’s apparel shopper tells a different story. She is older, more affluent and more likely to represent an established household with significant spending power. Understanding who she is helps explain why replacing HBC’s role in the market may be more difficult than replacing its real estate.
We developed a profile of Canadians most likely to purchase women’s apparel at Hudson’s Bay using a combination of Environics Analytics (EA) data assets. The analysis draws on demographic insights from DemoStats, consumer attitudes from Social Values and retail purchasing behaviour from Opticks Powered by Vividata. The resulting portrait challenges some perceptions of the traditional department store shopper and offers insight into one of the more affluent consumer segments in Canadian retail.
An Affluent Customer Base and Established Shopper
The defining characteristic of the HBC women’s apparel shopper is affluence. More than half of households associated with this audience earn over $100,000 annually. Nearly one quarter earn more than $200,000 annually, making them 34 percent more likely than the average Canadian household to fall into this income bracket (Index: 134). Households earning more than $300,000 annually are even more overrepresented (Index: 150). Average household income reaches $156,304, compared with a Canadian benchmark of $136,319.
This represents a consumer with meaningful discretionary income and the ability to spend across apparel, beauty, footwear and household categories.
Compared with the previously profiled men’s apparel customer, the HBC women’s apparel shopper skews mature and more established. The average age of this shopper is 44.4 years compared with 42.1 nationally, while household maintainers average nearly 58 years old. Households led by consumers aged 75 and older are significantly overrepresented (Index: 129) as well.
This is an established life-stage consumer with brand affinity and long-term shopping habits. That helps explain why Hudson’s Bay remained relevant to this audience even as department stores struggled to attract younger shoppers.
Former women’s fashion department on the fourth floor of Hudson’s Bay, Queen St., Toronto, March 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson/Retail Insider
Value Over Price
Compared with the average Canadian, HBC women’s apparel shoppers place greater importance on brands, status and how purchases reflect personal identity. They over-index for variables such as Importance of Brand (Index: 113), Consumption Evangelism (Index: 111) and Ostentatious Consumption (Index: 110).
This audience also appears to distinguish between value and price. While shoppers strongly over-index for Saving on Principle (Index: 126), they under-index for Importance of Price (Index: 77). They appreciate a good deal but are not simply looking for the lowest possible price.
This insight helps connect the shopper profile to the retail affinity data. The retailers most closely associated with HBC women’s apparel shoppers tend to offer recognizable brands, consistent assortments or strong value propositions. These shoppers appear to be seeking confidence that a purchase will be worth the money spent.
Income, housing and family structure reinforce the picture of a financially established customer.
More than 73.4 percent of households in this audience own their homes, compared with 65 percent nationally (Index: 112). Family households with children are also overrepresented (Index: 107).
Taken together, age, income, home ownership and household size point to an audience that is financially established rather than emerging. These consumers manage larger household budgets and spend across a range of categories.
For Hudson’s Bay, women’s apparel was rarely an isolated purchase. It existed alongside beauty, footwear, accessories, home décor and gifting. The spending opportunity extended well beyond clothing alone.
Former women’s ‘The Room’ designer fashion department on the third floor of Hudson’s Bay, Queen St., Toronto, March 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson/Retail Insider
Diverse consumers account for 44.5 percent of these shoppers, significantly higher than the national average of 29.2 percent (Index: 153). South Asian consumers represent the largest diverse segment at 11.5 percent of the audience, followed by Chinese consumers at 8.9 percent, Black consumers at 5.5 percent and Filipino consumers at 4.8 percent. First-generation Canadians account for nearly half of the audience, with an index of 153 against the national benchmark.
The result is a customer base that is simultaneously affluent, established and reflective of Canada’s increasingly multicultural consumer market.
Where HBC Women’s Apparel Shoppers Already Shop
Retail behaviour data provides insight into which retailers already had meaningful relationships with HBC shoppers purchasing women’s apparel before the chain’s closure. These relationships offer clues about which banners have an existing connection with this audience.
Several retailers attract a substantial number of HBC women’s apparel shoppers and show stronger-than-average appeal among this group. Aritzia (Index: 118), Zara (Index: 112) and Gap (Index: 112) all demonstrate stronger-than-average relationships with this audience.
Larger retailers capture even greater shopper penetration. Winners (12.4 percent) and Walmart (12.8 percent) have the largest reach among retailers in this audience. Costco’s reach is also notable, outperforming both H&M and Old Navy and reinforcing that value-oriented retailers are central to this audience alongside fashion-focused specialty chains.
No retailer appears positioned to fully replicate the role Hudson’s Bay once played. Instead, the HBC women’s apparel shopper hasn’t found a single replacement retailer. She’s assembled a replacement portfolio.
The pull of smaller retailers such as Laura/Laura Petites (Index: 123) and Northern Reflections (Index: 139) reinforces the finding that older, established female shoppers remain an important segment within the audience. At the other end of the spectrum, Melanie Lyne (Index: 82) shows below-average affinity with this audience, suggesting it serves a different customer base.
Former women’s fashion department on the fourth floor of Hudson’s Bay, Queen St., Toronto, March 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson/Retail Insider
Implications for the Market
The profile of the HBC women’s apparel shopper reveals a consumer segment that is affluent, established, family-oriented and culturally diverse. Despite the attractiveness of this audience, there is no obvious single successor to the role Hudson’s Bay once played.
The challenge extends beyond replacing a fashion retailer. Hudson’s Bay served as a convenient destination for a broad range of household purchasing needs. Apparel may have brought these consumers into the store, but the broader relationship extended into beauty, footwear, accessories, home and other categories.
This fragmentation creates an opening for retailers seeking to attract former Hudson’s Bay shoppers. Retailers offering relevant brands, service, convenience and value may be positioned to capture a greater share of this audience over time.
While Hudson’s Bay has left the market, its former customers and their spending power remain. Building relationships with these consumers will depend on understanding the combination of merchandise, service and value that made the department store relevant to them.
Methodology
This analysis draws on three data sources from EA, applied to the audience of confirmed HBC women’s clothing shoppers identified through Opticks Powered by Vividata.
Opticks Powered by Vividata is one of Canada’s leading syndicated studies for single-source data on print readership, non-print media exposure, product usage and lifestyles, giving users access to comprehensive consumer insights across media, retail, lifestyle and behavioural topics. We defined HBC women’s clothing shoppers as respondents who confirmed purchasing women’s clothing at Hudson’s Bay in the prior twelve months.
DemoStats features variables, including both averages and distributions, on population, family structure, household size and type, ethnic diversity, labour force participation and income. For this analysis, household type, family structure, immigration status, language, housing tenure and income were used.
SocialValues is a Canadian psychographic product that measures the propensity to hold underlying beliefs, motivations and personal mindsets that influence consumer and community behaviour.
All index values compare the HBC women’s clothing audience to the Canadian national average. An index of 150, for example, indicates that a given characteristic is 50 percent more prevalent in this audience than in the general Canadian population. Index values are calculated using Opticks Powered by Vividata, Social Values, DemoStats and PRIZM®.
Former women’s ‘The Room’ designer fashion department on the third floor of Hudson’s Bay, Queen St., Toronto, March 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson/Retail Insider
Want to understand who these shoppers are in your market? Reach out to Tanishah Nathoo (Tanishah.Nathoo@environicsanalytics.com) or Anna Racovali (Anna.Racovali@environicsanalytics.com) at Environics Analytics to explore a deeper analysis of the HBC women’s apparel shopper. We can help uncover where these consumers live, how they shop and identify opportunities to better align your strategy.
Executive Perspective
“What stands out most about this audience is the combination of affluence, household influence and established shopping behaviour. The Hudson’s Bay women’s apparel shopper is not simply buying clothing. She often makes purchasing decisions for her household across multiple categories and has the financial means to be selective about where she shops. The data shows a consumer who values trusted brands, quality and perceived value over chasing the lowest price. That helps explain why replacing Hudson’s Bay is so difficult. Retailers can replicate parts of the experience, whether through assortment, service, value or convenience, but very few replicate the entire proposition. The opportunity is not simply to capture a clothing shopper. It is to earn a place in the shopping journey of one of Canada’s most affluent and influential consumer segments.”
Woman shopping in a store while on her phone. Image: Unsplash/licensed
Canadian retailers have invested heavily in mobile applications, loyalty programs, e-commerce platforms and digital services designed to improve convenience and strengthen customer relationships. However, new research from Samsung Canada suggests consumers are experiencing considerable frustration managing technology, raising questions about whether some digital shopping experiences have become unnecessarily complicated.
According to Samsung Canada’s Productivity Gap research, released September 22, 75% of Canadians say technology helps them get things done faster, while 68% say it also gives them more to manage. The findings reveal a tension between the convenience technology provides and the additional tasks involved in managing multiple applications, information and digital communications.
Although the survey examined Canadians’ everyday experiences with technology rather than retail specifically, Samsung says the findings have implications for businesses developing digital customer experiences. The research was conducted through an online survey of 1,547 Canadian adults between August 31 and September 2, 2026, with results weighted by age, gender and region.
“More technology doesn’t automatically make the customer experience simpler. Apps, accounts and loyalty programs can all add value, but if each one piles on new tasks for the consumer to manage, the technology can start working against the convenience it was intended to create,” said Tarik Akad, Vice President of the Mobile Experience Division at Samsung Canada, in written responses provided to Retail Insider.
Retail Apps and Loyalty Programs Under Scrutiny
Retailers increasingly use digital platforms to encourage repeat purchases, deliver personalized promotions and connect physical stores with online shopping channels. Mobile applications and loyalty programs can provide benefits, including access to discounts, rewards and purchasing information, but they also require consumers to manage accounts, passwords and offers.
Samsung’s research found that 57% of Canadians agree the more digital tools they use, the more they have to manage. Meanwhile, 70% reported that searching for information they had previously received or seen creates unnecessary effort or slows them down at least a few times per week, while 62% reported similar difficulties when switching between applications or services.
While these findings do not specifically measure retail shopping experiences, they raise questions about the cumulative demands of managing multiple retailer accounts and loyalty memberships. A digital coupon, for example, may provide savings, but customers must first locate the offer, understand its conditions and ensure it is available when completing a purchase.
Akad said retailers should examine how their digital services work together and identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary steps. He suggested evaluating whether applications make shopping easier, customer accounts simplify transactions and loyalty benefits are readily accessible.
For retailers, the challenge is ensuring digital services deliver sufficient practical value to justify the interactions they require. Ease of use deserves consideration alongside personalization, loyalty participation and other measures of digital engagement.
Notification Overload Raises Questions for Retail Marketing
Digital communications represent another potential source of customer frustration, particularly as retailers use email, mobile applications and loyalty platforms to deliver promotional messages. Samsung’s survey found that 77% of Canadians experience unnecessary effort or delays from managing messages and notifications at least a few times per week, although the finding covers digital communications generally.
“Every notification is a request for a customer’s attention, so it needs to earn that attention,” Akad told Retail Insider. He said businesses should prioritize the relevance and timing of communications, ensuring messages provide useful information without unnecessarily adding to consumers’ daily demands.
Personalized offers, loyalty reminders and promotional announcements can provide value when they address an immediate need, but frequent contact does not necessarily translate into a better customer experience. For retail marketers, the issue is balancing engagement objectives with the risk that excessive or poorly timed messages become another source of frustration.
Akad said retailers should consider whether each communication helps customers accomplish something or simply gives them another task to manage. That assessment can inform how retailers manage promotional frequency, notification preferences and the relevance of messages delivered through different channels.
Digital Friction Has Commercial Consequences
Independent research into e-commerce usability suggests complicated digital experiences can interfere with completed purchases. The Baymard Institute, which studies online shopping behaviour and checkout design, has identified required account creation and lengthy checkout processes among the reasons consumers abandon transactions.
In Baymard’s 2026 research, 18% of surveyed US online shoppers who abandoned purchases for reasons other than simply browsing cited required account creation, while 17% cited checkout processes that were too long or complicated. Although these findings are not specific to Canada, they illustrate how unnecessary requirements can become barriers during online purchasing.
For Canadian retailers operating physical stores and e-commerce platforms, similar usability considerations can extend across the shopping journey. Customers may research merchandise online, check store inventory, access loyalty benefits and complete purchases through different systems, with each interaction potentially requiring additional information or effort.
Improving the connections between those services could help retailers reduce customer frustration while making better use of existing digital investments. The opportunity is particularly relevant for businesses pursuing omnichannel strategies that depend on customers moving between online and physical shopping experiences.
Artificial Intelligence Could Reduce Repetitive Tasks
Samsung believes artificial intelligence could help address some of the frustrations associated with managing multiple applications and digital services. Its research found that 66% of Canadians selected at least one AI-enabled feature they considered potentially valuable for completing tasks with less effort, although the results do not measure actual productivity improvements.
Akad said AI could help make shopping feel less like a series of separate digital tasks and more like a connected experience. He pointed to opportunities for AI to assist consumers with product research, comparing merchandise, identifying offers and tracking purchases.
As these capabilities develop, they could help users move between activities without repeatedly searching for information or switching applications. Samsung is developing AI-enabled mobile features intended to make information and suggested actions more accessible across supported services, including its Now Nudge functionality.
The research also found that 58% of Gen Z respondents agreed they spend too much time completing manual steps simply to make technology work. Akad said the finding challenges the assumption that familiarity with digital technology necessarily means consumers experience fewer frustrations.
For retailers, the potential application of AI extends to improving how customers interact with existing digital services. However, adding AI capabilities will not necessarily resolve problems created by complicated account requirements, disconnected loyalty programs or poorly designed purchasing processes.
Making Existing Technology Work Better
Samsung’s findings arrive as retailers continue exploring AI, personalization and connected digital services to improve customer experiences. For businesses already operating multiple digital platforms, there may be opportunities to improve convenience through better integration and simpler interactions.
“Rather than adding more AI-enabled features for the sake of it, retailers should start with the customer need and work backward,” Akad said. His comments suggest that decisions about mobile applications, loyalty programs, checkout requirements and customer communications should begin with the tasks consumers are trying to complete.
Retailers can evaluate those investments against practical measures such as completed transactions, customer support requests, account participation and the steps required to access benefits. Identifying where customers encounter unnecessary effort could help businesses prioritize improvements to existing systems before committing additional resources to new features.
