Aliments du Québec and Aliments préparés au Québec BIO (organic) labels make their debut in Metro, Metro Plus and Super C stores

MONTREAL, Nov. 18, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Metro is proud to extend its efforts with respect to promotional material for Quebec products by being the first to introduce into all of its stores a new label specific to Aliments du Québec organic products. The new blue Aliments du Québec BIO (organic) and Aliments préparés au Québec BIO (ORGANIC) labels are coming to our stores, sporting the word BIO in the middle of the logo. This new marking will make it easier for Metro, Metro Plus and Super C customers to identify local products that are certified organic.

Even back in 2009, blue shelf labels made it easier for Metro and Metro Plus clientele to find Quebec products. As soon as they were implemented, you could also distinguish Aliments du Québec from Aliments préparés au Québec, thanks to two separate labels that are associated with those products. In 2012, Super C became the first discount banner to identify Aliments du Québec products by also using blue shelf labels.

"The organic certification of products will be validated by the Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants (a key player in the recognition of agri-food designations in Quebec, known as CARTV). In order for a product to receive organic certification, 95% of its ingredients must be of organic origin. The list of certified products continues to grow, with over 450 certified products! We are pleased to be able to rely on our partners to make it easier to identify and therefore to buy these Quebec products in-store", pointed out Marie Beaudry, Executive Director, Aliments du Québec.

"Our support for Aliments du Québec and its various initiatives, including advertizing campaigns, or the contest called Les Aliments du Québec dans mon panier (Food from Quebec in my basket), goes back fifteen years. That visibility gets added to our own campaigns, the most recent of which is called Le Québec on en mange, which highlights the various incoming Quebec products", said Marie-Claude Bacon, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs Department, Metro Inc.

Metro's efforts to contribute to the notoriety, visibility and appeal of Aliments du Québec products is in keeping with the local purchasing policy that was announced last May, of which one of the three guiding principles consists of making Metro the privileged partner of Aliments du Québec. Metro's local purchasing policy can be consulted on the corporate website. The 2013 update with respect to the progress of all of Metro's corporate responsibility initiatives is also available. Click here to see it.

Metro inc.
With annual sales of over $11 billion, METRO INC. (TSX: MRU), founded in 1947, is the only major Canadian food distribution company to have its head office in Quebec. Along with its affiliates and franchisees, METRO INC. employs in Quebec and Ontario over 65,000 people, whose mission is to satisfy their customers every day and earn their-long term loyalty. METRO INC. operates a network of almost 600 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as over 250 drugstores under the Brunet, The Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners.

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SOURCE: METRO INC.

Metro Inc.
Marie-Claude Bacon
Senior Director, Corporate Affairs Department
[email protected]
514 643-1086