Walmart rollback includes 3,000 grocery items

Just ahead of the Canada Day weekend, Walmart Canada is rolling back prices on 10,000 products. Walmart is calling it the largest rollback campaign it has ever done.

The campaign, which runs throughout July, will include lower prices on 3,000 grocery items, including some fresh produce items.

“Customers have told us summer is an extremely important period to save money for things like family vacations, staycations at home or trips to the cottage,” Lee Tappenden, Walmart’s chief merchandising officer, said.

“The common theme we hear is everyone is looking and needing to save money now, before the autumn back-to-school season begins,” he added.

In a press release, Walmart provided several examples of lower prices: Gillette Mach-3 razor cartridges are being dropped to $9.46 from $14.49; Brita 3-Pack filters are going to a flat $16 from $18.77; and Lays XL salty snacks are being reduced a buck to $1.97.

Walmart rollback campaigns normally run a month to three months. This summer, prices are being cut throughout July–and in August and September on certain products.

Walmart is promoting the campaign through flyers, in-store signs and TV ads.

The rollback comes as Walmart Canada pays more attention to the grocery side of its business. The retailer is in the midst of its biggest expansion year to date and it is opening more supercentres, a format that carries a full selection of grocery items including fresh.

On the supercentre front, the retailer even reached a certain tipping point this year. More than half its Canadian stores (177) are now supercentres. The remaining 156 are traditional discount outlets.