The province of Nova Scotia recently launched the ‘Nova Scotia Loyal’ program on July 23, which has elicited mixed reactions from the community. The program incentivizes shoppers to buy local products at larger retailers like Sobeys and the NSLC by rewarding them with extra Scene+ points and Air Miles for each marked item purchased. Premier Tim Houston stated that the program was developed based on feedback from over 10,000 Nova Scotians, with 70 percent of them being active users of a loyalty program. Some residents, like Tara Perrot, feel that the program should be expanded to include smaller local businesses, not just big stores.
Local residents, such as Syd Dumaresq and market vendor Allison Tremain, expressed the importance of supporting local industry and the benefits of shopping locally. Dumaresq believes that the program should be inclusive of local markets, while Tremain emphasized the personal experience of interacting with local producers. However, Tremain also expressed confusion and dissatisfaction with the fact that only certain businesses, like Sobeys, were contracted for the Nova Scotia Loyal program, rather than having a direct business-to-customer approach.
On the other hand, Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia (FMNS) views the points incentive as a positive step forward in supporting local products. FMNS President Ashley Marlin believes that partnering with larger stores that already sell Nova Scotian products makes sense, rather than introducing a new loyalty program. FMNS collaborated with Nova Scotia Loyal to provide elementary and secondary students with ten-dollar vouchers that could only be redeemed at farmers’ markets, increasing participation among students who may not have visited otherwise.
Despite the positive aspects of the program, there is still skepticism among local shoppers regarding the focus on incentivizing purchases at big box stores. Some residents feel that smaller voices, such as those of smaller businesses, are not being adequately heard in the implementation of the program. It is suggested that the program should be more inclusive of smaller local businesses and markets to truly promote and support the local economy.Local shoppers hope for more balance and opportunities for all businesses to benefit from the Nova Scotia Loyal program.
Overall, the Nova Scotia Loyal program has generated a range of reactions from the community, with some expressing support for the initiative to promote local products and others calling for improvements to make the program more inclusive and beneficial for all businesses. The importance of supporting local industry and the positive impacts of shopping locally have been highlighted by residents and market vendors, underscoring the value of promoting local products and businesses. While the program has taken steps in the right direction, there is still room for enhancement to ensure that all businesses have the opportunity to participate and thrive under the Nova Scotia Loyal initiative.
