The Nova Scotia head office location of Sobeys played a significant role in securing an unadvertised contract in 2024 under a new government initiative promoting local purchases, members of the legislature committee were informed on Wednesday. Chris Morrissey, the deputy minister of growth and development, highlighted the advantage of having executive decision-makers in close proximity for swift communication and collaboration.
Morrissey emphasized that the familiarity of the public with Sobeys’ Scene+ points program was another key factor in the awarding of a $950,000 contract as part of the Nova Scotia Loyal program last year. In a similar vein, officials revealed that in 2022, all major retailers were presented with the same opportunity simultaneously to participate in the program.
Melissa Quinn, the project executive for Nova Scotia Loyal, noted that Sobeys showed the most interest and readiness to engage first, citing their existing promotion of local products in stores. Comparing Sobeys to other major retailers, Quinn pointed out that Sobeys had 162 local suppliers, while Loblaws had 75, and Walmart’s local product details were not readily available.
The contract with Sobeys allowed the government to offer additional Scene+ points to customers purchasing Nova Scotia products, along with bonus Air Miles points for shoppers at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation. Following the conclusion of the rewards component of Nova Scotia Loyal after a year, the government redirected funds towards increasing $10 farmers’ market vouchers for students and newcomers.
Addressing concerns about the program’s impact, Morrissey explained that data indicated an initial sales boost for Nova Scotia products, which eventually stabilized. The program then shifted focus from rewards to providing vouchers, distributing 135,000 vouchers to grade school students in 2024 and expanding to 215,000 vouchers for post-secondary students and newcomers this year. Additionally, the government introduced a branding assistance component to help local companies enhance product visibility on store shelves.
Despite the positive developments, opposition members expressed reservations about the government’s monitoring efforts to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in benefiting Nova Scotians and local producers. NDP MLA Lisa Lachance stressed the importance of assessing the program’s impact thoroughly.
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