Why It Matters
We’re committed to exceptional customer shopping and food experiences every day. We strive to find new and compelling ways to engage customers as our partners towards building a more sustainable future.
Analyst Spotlight Fiscal 2023 Performance Highlight
Scene+ loyalty program in 1,200+ stores nationwide
Our Approach
Over 115 years of operation, delivering for our customers has been core to our values and our business strategy. Customers look to us for reliable value, exceptional experiences and innovative solutions that make shopping easier and more delightful. We work hard to meet these expectations and deliver on our customer commitments every day.
National Scene+ Customer Loyalty Rollout
In fiscal 2023 we unveiled a new loyalty strategy to thrill, reward and connect with customers through Scene+, one of Canada’s leading loyalty rewards programs. Along with Scotiabank and Cineplex, we are now a co-owner of Scene+, and together are transforming the Scene+ program into a preeminent lifestyle loyalty program in Canada. The Scene+ loyalty program is now available in more than 1,200 Empire banner stores from coast to coast, giving customers a wealth of options to earn and redeem points at a vast number of partners. Evolving our loyalty offering is important milestone in our customer experience journey. With the Scene+ experience, we are able to offer customers significant opportunities to be rewarded when, how and where they want.
Expanded Access to Voilà
We also continue to expand our e-commerce offerings, giving customers more choice and flexibility in how they shop. Over the last few years, we have been expanding access to our Voilà home delivery and curbside pick-up services in Central, Western and Atlantic Canada. In July 2023 we will merge Longo’s Gateway Grocery e-commerce and delivery service with Voilà, creating efficiencies while offering customers access to the best of both services. We also remain on track to open the third of our national Customer Fulfillment Centres in Calgary early in fiscal 2024, and we are excited to bring our world-class e-commerce grocery business to customers in Alberta.
Growing Our Brands Options
We remain committed to helping our customers make more sustainable choices when they shop with us. This includes growing our Own Brands portfolio with new and more innovative options for customers, helping them access foods and goods that are great value and better for our suppliers and the planet (see Food Safety & Quality, Health & Nutrition, Ethical & Sustainable Sourcing, Supplier Partners). Our initiatives include promoting sustainable seafood through partnership with Ocean Wise, making more Fairtrade products available, and a continued focus on animal welfare through partnerships with ethical suppliers such as Nagano pork.
We remain committed to helping our customers make more sustainable choices when they shop with us. This includes growing
our Own Brands portfolio with new and more innovative options for customers, helping them access foods and goods that are great value and better for our suppliers and the planet (see Food Safety & Quality, Health & Nutrition, Ethical & Sustainable Sourcing, Supplier Partners). Our initiatives include promoting sustainable seafood through partnership with Ocean Wise, making more Fairtrade products available, and a continued focus on animal welfare through partnerships with ethical suppliers such as Nagano pork.
Ongoing Customer Engagement
We maintain an ongoing focus on customer engagement and education. For example, in fiscal 2023 we continued to shine a spotlight on sustainable behaviours and options through OurPartTM, our customer-facing sustainability storytelling platform. We also delivered customer-facing campaigns focused on reducing food waste and making more sustainable purchasing choices. Additionally, we continued to expand technology-based innovations that enrich customer experience, including expanding the availability of EV chargers at our stores in Quebec.
Responsible Marketing
We also remain committed to ethical marketing and listening to our customers. Marketing material is reviewed by our legal and regulatory affairs team to ensure content and materials are marketed in a responsible manner. Our customer care channels provide an accessible mechanism to collect, record and address complaints or grievances. These lines are known and accessible to community members and allow for prompt responses from our team.
Highlights
Expanding Healthcare Options
To increase access to timely healthcare for customers in Nova Scotia, the Sobeys National Pharmacy and Lawtons Drugs partnered with Nova Scotia Health to operate five pharmacist-led walk-in clinics in Nova Scotia. The clinics offer an alternative for patients who would otherwise seek non-urgent care in an emergency department for health concerns that could be treated by a pharmacist or nurse practitioner who can assess, treat and prescribe medications for a variety of minor ailments and illnesses. The partnership is improving healthcare access in rural communities and delivering services for 1,500 patients each month. In February 2023, the walk-in clinics became the first in the province to be integrated into the NS Health electronic medical record, making collaboration with the health system much more seamless. Our clinics can now also order labs for patients to update prescriptions and modify treatments appropriately—another provincial first.
Empowering Our Teammates to CARE
In fiscal 2023 we continued to deliver our CARE (Customers Always Receive Excellence) Program nationally. CARE is one of our required training programs for teammates, including annual recertification and recognition through awards for high performers. The program is delivering results, leading to measurable improvements across a range of customer experience and engagement metrics.
IGA Helps Customers Eat Local Longer
Over 10,000 customers in Quebec and New Brunswick learned how to make fresh, local food last longer as part of the Travelling Jar Initiative—a highlight of the Fonds Éco IGA Roadshow in fiscal 2023. The Travelling Jar kiosk visited 225 IGA stores, promoting the benefits of freezing, dehydrating and canning produce to preserve its goodness.
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We’re also creating customer value through our commitment to reduce plastics, source our products responsibly, partner with local and innovative suppliers and ensure the quality and safety of every product we sell.
As a family nurturing families, we want to ensure Canadians are taken care of today, tomorrow and in the future. By doing OurPart™ for the environment, we hope to inspire our customers to do theirs. Every step we take together—big or small—can make a difference.
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