Canadian Value Retail Program

A household product supply program for a Canadian value retail chain – focused on English/French bilingual packaging, North American retail standards and multi-category consolidation.

Client Background

The Client

A Canadian value retail chain operating stores across multiple provinces, including Quebec where bilingual (English/French) packaging is legally required. The client sourced household goods from various suppliers and needed a partner who could manage the complexity of Canadian retail packaging regulations, bilingual labeling and multi-category product sourcing.

Challenge

The Challenge

Bilingual packaging requirement – Products sold in Quebec must have French and English labeling per the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101). This applies to product names, descriptions, instructions, warnings and material composition
Multi-category sourcing – The client needed household products across home organization, kitchen tools and safety categories, but existing suppliers were category-specific
North American retail standards – Blister card thickness, hanging hole placement and card size must conform to North American pegboard display standards (not Japanese or European formats)
Material compliance – Products must meet Health Canada consumer product safety requirements, including phthalate limits for vinyl products and lead content limits for painted items

Solution

What We Did

Bilingual packaging design – We designed blister cards with dual-language layout: English on the left, French on the right, separated by a vertical divider. Product names, feature lists, instructions and safety warnings were professionally translated. Barcoded SKU labels include both languages.
Multi-category consolidation – We mapped the client’s product list across our range: adhesive hooks, cable clips, door stoppers, furniture pads and kitchen utensils. Products outside our range were sourced through our partner network, all managed under one project manager.
North American retail format – Blister cards sized to standard 9?12 inch pegboard display, with Euro-slot hanging holes positioned for standard retail hooks. Card thickness: 0.3mm SBS board with full-color print.
Compliance documentation – We provided material composition reports, phthalate test results for PVC products and lead content certificates. All documentation was maintained in both English and French for the client’s compliance records.
Consolidated FCL shipping – All SKUs were consolidated into FCL shipments from Guangzhou to Vancouver, with the client handling inland distribution to their regional DCs.

Results

Program Outcomes

Metric	Result
Packaging compliance	100% bilingual (EN/FR) across all SKUs
Retail format	Standard North American pegboard (9?12 inch cards)
Categories supplied	Home organization, kitchen, safety
Compliance documentation	Phthalate/lead reports on file
Shipping	Consolidated FCL to Vancouver

Takeaway

Why This Works

The Canadian retail market has specific regulatory requirements – particularly bilingual packaging for Quebec – that many suppliers are not set up to handle. By managing packaging design, compliance documentation and multi-category sourcing through one team, the client avoids the complexity of coordinating bilingual packaging across multiple suppliers. The result is a clean, compliant retail presentation with consistent quality across all SKUs.