Best Places To Buy Loblaws' Buck A Beer

In 2018, Loblaws participated in Ontario's buck-a-beer program, offering its PC brand beers for CA$1 per bottle. The following year, Loblaws launched its own brand of beer, No Name, under the buck-a-beer program, priced at CA$1 per bottle for a limited time. The No Name beer was available at select LCBO stores and retailed for CA$10.45 for a six-pack. Loblaws' participation in the buck-a-beer program has been met with mixed reactions, with some consumers expressing skepticism about the beer's taste and unusual branding.

Loblaws' No Name beer

No Name beer is available in 6-pack cases at select LCBO stores and on the LCBO website. The beer is packaged in the No Name brand's distinctive yellow and black design, featuring a yellow label with the word "Beer" in black font.

The regular retail price for a 6-pack of No Name beer is $10.45. However, during the promotional periods, customers can purchase it for $6.60 (including deposit) for a limited time. The beer was first introduced on a promotional basis during the Family Day long weekend in February 2019, with subsequent promotions planned for several weekends throughout the year.

The launch of No Name beer follows Loblaw's previous participation in the "buck-a-beer" program with its President's Choice brand in August 2018. The company offered select President's Choice beers for $1 per bottle for a limited time, including PC 2.5, PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey.

Loblaw's re-entry into the "buck-a-beer" market with the No Name brand was met with mixed reactions online. Some expressed skepticism about the beer's taste given its low price, while others commented on the brand's unusual name. Despite this, the company reported record-breaking sales and incredible consumer feedback for their "buck-a-beer" promotions.

President's Choice beer

President's Choice is a brand of beers by Loblaws, which was launched in 1992. The brand includes beers such as PC 2.5, PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey. These beers are brewed in small batches with natural spring water and select hops, delivering a smooth and refreshing taste.

In 2018, Loblaws participated in Ontario's buck-a-beer program, offering select President's Choice beers for just $1 per bottle. This promotion was short-lived, however, as Loblaws pulled out of the program after just one week. Despite this, President's Choice beers continue to be available at various locations in Ontario.

You can find President's Choice beers at the Millcroft Beer Store in Burlington, Ontario, according to a Reddit post from November 2024. Additionally, some Beer Stores in the Burlington area, such as the one on Appleby and Mainway, may also stock them.

If you are looking to purchase President's Choice beers, it is recommended to check local beer retailers or stores in Ontario, particularly in the Burlington area, as availability may vary over time.

Buck-a-beer in Ontario

In August 2018, Ontario's Progressive Conservative Party, led by Premier Doug Ford, reintroduced the buck-a-beer program, which lowered the minimum price for a bottle or can of beer in Ontario from $1.25 to $1. However, the program faced criticism and skepticism from some Ontario breweries and consumers, who questioned the quality of the beer at such a low price.

Loblaws' Participation

Loblaws, a major grocery chain in Ontario, announced its participation in the buck-a-beer program with its President's Choice brand beers. Starting on August 27, 2018, Loblaws offered select varieties, including PC 2.5, PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey, for $1 per bottle (plus a $0.10 deposit). The promotion was billed as "the original low-cost, great-tasting beer" and was intended to celebrate the long weekend.

Loblaws' Senior Vice President of President's Choice, Ian Gordon, highlighted the success of their previous buck-a-beer promotion in 1992, stating that customers were excited about a quality product at an affordable price. The promotion was well-received, with Loblaws reporting strong customer response and even running out of inventory in some markets.

No Name Beer

In February 2019, Loblaws launched its own brand of beer, "No Name," under the buck-a-beer program. The "Canadian-style lager" was available in 6-pack cases at select LCBO stores for $6.60 (including deposit) during the Family Day long weekend. The regular price for a 6-pack was $10.45. The beer was packaged in the No Name brand's distinctive yellow and black design, with the word "Beer" prominently featured.

Ian Gordon, the Senior Vice President of No Name, expressed enthusiasm for the new product, stating that it would stand out with its recognizable yellow label and offer customers great taste at an unbeatable price. However, the announcement received mixed reactions online, with some individuals expressing skepticism about the beer's taste and others commenting on the unusual brand name.

Withdrawal from the Program

Despite the initial success and customer enthusiasm for the buck-a-beer program, Loblaws decided to end its participation after just one week. In August 2018, the company announced that it would no longer offer $1 sales of select President's Choice beers starting on September 3, aligning with the Labour Day long weekend.

Loblaws' brief participation in the buck-a-beer program highlighted the limited availability of the promotion across Ontario, as only three breweries, including Loblaws, took part in the initiative. Beer drinkers could still find buck-a-beer options from other participating breweries, such as Barley Days brewery's Loon Lager and Cool Beer Brewing Company's Cool Lager.

Doug Ford's buck-a-beer challenge

The policy was not well-received by craft breweries in the province, who argued that it would be impossible to implement without compromising the quality of their product or suffering financial losses. Some brewers also expressed concerns about the potential impact of cheaper beer on drinking habits and public health and safety. Despite these concerns, Ford defended the policy, stating that it addressed a "kitchen table issue" for voters.

The challenge was taken up by only three breweries: Barley Days brewery, Cool Beer Brewing Company, and the President's Choice brand of beer, offered by Loblaws. Loblaws participated in the program for a limited time, offering select beers for $1 per bottle (plus a $0.10 deposit) for a week in August 2018.

The buck-a-beer challenge ultimately had low adoption, with Cool Beer Brewing being the only brewery still participating by the end of January 2019. They restricted the pricing to holiday long weekends, citing sustainability concerns.

Loblaw's participation in the buck-a-beer program

Loblaws' participation in Ontario's buck-a-beer program has been short-lived and sporadic. The grocery chain first announced its involvement in the program in August 2018, offering its President's Choice brand beers, including PC 2.5, PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey, for $1 per bottle (plus a $0.10 deposit). This promotion was billed as "the original low-cost, great-tasting beer" and was intended to celebrate "the return of buck-a-beer in Ontario."

Loblaws' initial participation lasted only a week, and the company ended its $1 sales of select President's Choice beers on Labour Day in 2018. Despite the short duration, a company spokesperson stated that they were "thrilled" with the strong response from customers and that they had even run out of existing inventory in some markets.

In February 2019, Loblaws re-entered the buck-a-beer market with a new, no-name brand of beer. This Ontario-brewed "Canadian-style lager" was sold for $1 per bottle during the Family Day weekend, with a regular price of $10.45 for a 6-pack. The no-name beer was packaged in the No Name brand's distinctive yellow and black design, featuring a yellow label with the word "Beer."

Loblaws' decision to launch the no-name beer under the buck-a-beer program was influenced by the success of their previous participation with the President's Choice brand. Ian Gordon, the senior vice president of No Name, stated that they had "record-breaking sales" and "incredible consumer feedback" during their initial pilot of the program.

While Loblaws' participation in the buck-a-beer program has been intermittent, it has generated significant interest and engagement from customers, with some reporting that the company had run out of inventory in certain markets.

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