Loblaw winding down third-party marketplace, focusing on pharmacy and grocery online

Loblaw Companies Ltd. says it's shutting down its third-party marketplace.

Spokeswoman Catherine Thomas has confirmed in a statement that the company will be winding down the marketplace.

Loblaw launched the online marketplace in late 2019 to include new vendors through its PC Express service, offering items in the baby, toy, home, kitchen and pet categories.

The company said at the time that it would offer brands like Umbra and Lennox Furniture Inc. to provide shoppers with a curated assortment of products.

Thomas says Loblaw launched its online marketplace to understand how those products could complement the company's offerings online.

She says the company has learned a lot about what customers are shopping for online, but that given the rapid change in e-commerce over the past three years, Loblaw has decided to focus on its grocery and pharmacy online shopping experiences.