No impact on P.E.I. as 22 Loblaws stores set to close

There will be no impact on P.E.I. and it's unlikely any grocery stores in the Atlantic region will close, said a Loblaws spokesperson after it was announced that 22 stores in Canada will be closing over the next few months.

"As part of our normal course of business, we routinely identify stores that are consistently underperforming and unprofitable," said Mark Boudreau, director of Corporate Affairs with Loblaw Atlantic, in an email.

• Loblaws plans to close 22 unprofitable stores
• Loblaws to lay off 500 office staff in drive to cut costs

Loblaws on Wednesday announced the the closures, which includes select discount and market grocery stores, wholesale club locations, pharmacy and home health care locations.

Loblawshas severalgrocery chains, including No Frills, Extra Foods and Real Canadian Superstore. The company also owns the Shoppers Drug Mart chain.

Locations not disclosed

The announcement comes almost a month after the company said it was cutting approximately 500 corporate and store support positions.

Out of respect for their many stakeholders, Loblaws is not disclosing specific locations at this time.

Despite the closures, Loblaws is still on track to grow the number of stores and retail footprint throughout this year, Boudreau said.

Loblawssaid it will begin rolling out an online home delivery service, beginningDec. 6 in Toronto. The service will launch in Vancouver in January 2018, with expansion to additional Canadian markets next year.

The company said it expects the closures will be mostly done by the end of the first quarter of 2018.

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