Everyday hundreds of thousands of litres of milk and cream leave Maritime store shelves, and now changes are coming to how the popular grocery item is merchandized.
On Wednesday, Agropur and Saputo, both companies based out of Quebec, announced they are laying off 346 full and part-time Maritime employees who work in distribution.
Business owners say they rely on those workers to order and stock the milk in their stores.
“The problem will be eliminating jobs from people we've known for 25 years that we've been in business,” says convenience store owner Leno Ribahi. “That will be an issue for us.”
The layoffs mean significant changes for grocery stores across the Maritimes.
Store staff will now be responsible to ensure the shelves are stocked, the product is fresh, and that there is enough to meet customer demands.
"We believe this is the right decision for our business,” said Agropur Dairy Cooperative representative Véronique Boileau in an email Wednesday.
The companies involved say the changes will also put Maritime grocery and convenience stores in line with retail practices happening across the country.
The organization that represents dairy farmers of Nova Scotia worries the change could reduce milk sales.
“The concern with the change in procedure with who is doing that stocking that it is done in the same way so not to limit access to the product for consumers,” says Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia general manager Brian Cameron.
The cost to customers remains to be seen, and the changes will take effect in April.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl
