Sponsored By

Shoppers Drug Mart goes national with Instacart grocery delivery

Loblaw Cos. now offers same-day service at 735 stores overall

Russell Redman

September 20, 2019

3 Min Read
Shoppers_Drug_Mart_storefront[1].png
Shoppers Drug Mart

Following up a launch in Ontario early this summer, Loblaw Cos.’ Shoppers Drug Mart has rolled out Instacart delivery service across Canada.

The companies said yesterday that same-day delivery of groceries, daily staples and over-the-counter medicines via Instacart is now available in another 299 Shoppers Drug Mart stores.

Toronto-based Shoppers Drug Mart said the latest Instacart launch includes locations in Halifax, Nova Scotia (11 stores); Regina (five) and Saskatoon (three), Saskatchewan; Calgary (13) and Edmonton (14), Alberta; Moncton, New Brunswick (three); Vancouver, British Columbia (37); Winnipeg, Manitoba (eight); and St. John’s, Newfoundland/Labrador (four), among other areas.

“For decades, Shoppers Drug Mart has been a destination for health and beauty products, food staples and general convenient shopping to help make life a little bit easier,” Matt Carr, vice president of merchandising at Shoppers Drug Mart, said in a statement. “Working with Instacart allows us to serve our customers wherever they need us, whether that’s in a store or delivered right to their door.”

Shoppers Drug Mart_Instacart personal shopper.png

Instacart service made its debut at Shoppers Drug Mart in June at about 60 stores in Ontario, covering more than 30 communities across the province, including Toronto, Ottawa, Waterloo, Cambridge, Hamilton and London. Plans call for Mississauga, Ontario-based Loblaw and Instacart to bring same-day delivery to more Shoppers Drug Mart stores through the end of this year. The drug chain operates 1,338 stores under the Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix across the country.

Related:Loblaw gets Q2 lift from Shoppers Drug Mart

Currently, Instacart home delivery is offered at 361 Shoppers Drug Mart stores overall, as well as at 374 Loblaw food and drug stores across Canada. Loblaw announced its partnership with Instacart in November 2017 and began delivery from Loblaws, Real and T&T stores in Toronto the next month, which was followed by a launch in the greater Vancouver area in January 2018.

“We’re proud to expand our partnership with Loblaw to deliver groceries, household essentials and over-the-counter medications from Shoppers Drug Mart to customers across Canada in as fast as an hour,” commented Andrew Nodes, vice president of retail accounts for Instacart. “Together, Instacart and Shoppers Drug Mart are helping busy people and families stock their pantries and medicine cabinets with household essentials from a local retailer they love and trust.”

To use the service, Shoppers Drug Mart customers go online to instacart.ca/store/shoppers-drug-mart/ or open the Instacart app on their mobile device. They then select their city and store and add products to their virtual cart. Instacart personal shoppers pick, bag and deliver the items within the designated time window, which can be as soon as one hour or up to five days in advance.

Related:Instacart grocery delivery kicks off at Shoppers Drug Mart

Delivery costs $3.99 for orders of $35 or more. Customers also can sign up for Instacart Express membership for $9.99 per month or an annual fee of $99 and get unlimited delivery on all orders over $35. In support of Shoppers Drug Mart’s Instacart launch, first-time users are being offered $10 off their first order of $35 or more if they enter the code “INSTASDM10” at checkout.

San Francisco-based Instacart now partners with over 300 retailers in North America, providing delivery from more than 20,000 stores in 5,500-plus cities. The service reaches more than 70% of Canadian households and over 80% of U.S. households. Instacart currently has five retail partners in Canada covering over 500 stores, including Walmart Canada, Loblaw (12 retail banners), M&M Food Market, Pusateri’s and Staples.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like