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The threat of American tariffs was already changing the way some New Brunswickers shop before a 30-day reprieve was announced on Monday, but even those 30 days are not enough to switch some consumers back to U.S.-made goods.

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Shoppers who spoke to Brunswick News Monday, the day before new tariffs promised by U.S. President Donald Trump were initially set to go in effect, said they were watching labels and checking to see if the items they were buying were made in Canada or in the United States.

Trump signed an executive order last Saturday imposing 25-per-cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and a 10-per-cent tariff on energy resources. An 11th-hour deal between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delayed them, but some shoppers say tariffs or not, they’ll stick with the homegrown goods.

Angela Ruthing of Charlotte County said Thursday she had never paid attention to labels before Trump made his tariff threats, but she’s now checking to see where things come from before spending her money on them.

“Whether he puts them on or not, we should be buying local,” she said as she was about to start her shopping at a Saint John grocery store. “I don’t want any of my money going into that country while Trump’s the president. The man’s crazy. I guess, maybe, what he said he was going to do was a good thing? It’s got a lot of us looking to make sure we’re buying Canadian.”

Saint John resident Peter Woodhouse said Trump’s actions have also changed his approach when spending money.

“I’m just going to try to buy all Canadian items,” he said while leaving Sobeys grocery store on Monday, as the tariff threat remained fresh. He added he also won’t be doing any travelling to the United States as he’s frustrated with Trump’s tactics.

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“He’s just a big bully,” he said, referencing the American president. “He’s nothing but a spoiled, rich kid.”

Some Moncton shoppers said they too were being selective about what they bought earlier this week when speaking to Brunswick News.

For Nevin Scott, buying products made in Canada is both a budget decision and a way to support the country.

“Everybody’s budgets are tight,” he said. “I’m not paying more for other stuff.”

Betty Keith and Lori Heffer from Havelock said they always try to shop locally. Before heading into a larger chain grocery store Monday, they said they were thinking about the tariffs.

“We’re going to be more diligent in trying to buy Canadian goods, for sure, because we want to support the government in this,” Heffer said.

Keith said when thinking about where to shop, cost is still a consideration.

“I go where the price is the best but if (there’s a Canadian option), I’m buying Canadian,” she said.

The women said they plan to check food labels and hope others will do the same.

If one of those labels says it’s made in the U.S., Rose Hall said she’ll leave it on the shelf.

“I’m all Canadian,” she said.

Hall was shopping at Rinzler’s Market on Mountain Road where she said she knows she can find Canadian-made products.

Leaving Walmart on Saint John’s west side Thursday afternoon, Alan Fence admitted he’d already fallen back on his shopping habit of not looking at labels, but said he had been earlier in the week when the tariff talks had not been settled.

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If things heat up again, he said, he’d likely stop purchasing anything made in America.

“It’s hard because I like what I like and buy what I like,” he said. “I know I was making sure it was all Canadian earlier, but I’m back to buying everything. It’s tough, right? Will he put them on after this month? Who knows? I just think the man can’t be trusted and you don’t know what he’s doing one day from the next.”

Labels being read already

In Campbellton, Gail Parker Maxwell said she picked up a few groceries Sunday and spent a little more time than usual grabbing her items to make sure they were not American.

“It took a few minutes longer than usual for me to go pick up a few groceries yesterday but I read the labels,” she said.

Andrew Wall, No Frills franchisee in Saint John, said earlier this week he’d already seen shoppers in his west side grocery store making some changes to their purchasing habits.

“We’re certainly starting to see some sentiment about buying Canadian pick up,” he said. “People are looking at labels, seeing where products come from.”

Wall said such behaviour is in line with the store’s aim as “it’s important for customers to be making smarter choices.” He said they’ve always encouraged shoppers to support local and to buy Canadian products and the potential American tariffs will likely see consumers do just that.

“I think New Brunswickers will be even more passionate about that,” he said.

Dan Cullen, owner of Dan’s Country Market in Saint John, said Monday, with the tariff cloud hanging over Canadians’ heads “it’s just too early to tell” what they could mean but, he added, he carries very few American products so he’s not overly concerned.

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However, he’d already been seeing some anti-American comments from customers.

“The thing I think we’re going to see is a little bit of hostility with people seeing an American item we still have,” he said. “I have 180 cases of a certain type of chocolate bar here that I bought before any of this stuff was even a whisper and I’ve had people in line already say ‘Oh, take that off your shelf’ but I’m not going to eat $15,000.”

Regardless, Cullen said “99 per cent of our products are Canadian already” meaning tariffs wouldn’t have a major impact on his operation or his customers. He noted certain produce, such as bananas, come from overseas or South America but do travel through the United States so he expects they would be effected.

Cullen, though, said whe isn’t expecting his customers to see any major price changes should tariffs come into play between the two countries.

“We already carry a majority of Canadian products here, we always have, with the exception of a few things that you cannot just buy because they’re just not in season here or grown here on this side of the world,” he said.

At Victory Meat & Produce Market, a local grocery store in downtown Fredericton, staff were slapping “Made in Canada” labels on products Monday so customers could easily identify where they come from.

Last weekend, the store posted on Facebook not just Canadian suppliers but items specifically from New Brunswick, more than 30 suppliers listed in total. This includes products like bacon from Chris Brothers, Sussex Ice Cream, and Coburn Farms apples.

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Victory president Alex Scholten said the counter-tariffs from Canada on American products would affect their business. He said while they have many local products, certain produce, like oranges, would likely take a price hike.

Scholten said even before the tariff talks, their weekly flyers outline local products at their stores on King Street and on Lincoln Road. He said they’ve also made an effort to source Canadian products when they can over the past couple of years.

Lisa Wilson of Fredericton has always made an effort to shop locally, but with the tariffs looming over Canadian consumers, she said she’s putting in extra effort, checking labels even closer than before.

“Mostly it’s just kind of taking a look at the packaging and seeing if it says where it’s from beforehand,” said Wilson. “I like supporting local business, so it just sort of reinforces that need.”

Back in Saint John, Rod Cox said Monday he would be changing his shopping patterns but noted the larger impact of Trump’s actions are what concerns him.

“I’m more concerned about all the people that will get hurt,” he said. “Trump is transactional. He talks like he’s thinking long-term but he’s just trying to get something out of strongarm tactics.”

Victor Roy of Nigadoo said Monday he would follow similar lines suggested by Trudeau in remarks he made last Saturday night to support Canadian businesses and buy locally.

“I will do like our country asks and buy Canadian-made products and not shop in American-owned stores,” he said.

– With files by Matthew Daigle, Payge Woodard and Trevor McNally

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