Why Buying Local is the Smartest Choice in 2025: How Greenbriar Market Helps You Save and Stay Sustainable

With the potential for increasing global trade disruptions, increased tariffs, and continued growing environmental concerns, buying local has become more than just a preference—it is a strategic financial and sustainable decision. 

As of 2025, Canadians are facing new economic challenges that are making imported goods more expensive, prompting many consumers to turn toward buying local in Canada.

Greenbriar Market + Refillery is committed to ensuring that high-quality, Canadian-made products remain accessible, affordable, and sustainable. By supporting Canadian eco-friendly brands, Greenbriar is helping consumers avoid price hikes, reduce environmental waste, and invest in a stronger local economy.

“With rising tariffs on U.S. imports, Canadians have a real opportunity to reassess where their money goes. Instead of absorbing higher costs on foreign goods, this is a perfect time to invest in locally made products that support small businesses, reduce environmental impact, and keep our economy strong,” Shawn Kearns, the co-founder of Greenbriar Market + Refillery, said. “Conscious consumerism isn’t just about sustainability—it’s about making choices that are better for our communities long-term.”

How Tariffs Are Increasing Prices and Changing Consumer Habits

The Rising Cost of Imports

It’s looking like February 2025 will bring new tariffs on imported goods, which will increase costs across industries, including groceries, personal care products, and household essentials. These tariffs, aimed at reducing American reliance on foreign goods, will have a direct impact on retail prices and supply chains.

According to TD Bank, tariffs function as a tax on imported goods, making them more expensive for both businesses and consumers. A Bank of Canada study indicates that these tariffs will disrupt supply chains and create long-term price inflation, forcing major retailers to adjust pricing structures to compensate for rising costs.

As a result, large retailers such as Walmart, Costco, and Sobeys will likely increase prices, passing additional costs onto consumers. This will make Canadian-made alternatives more competitive, further strengthening the local business landscape.

Political Leaders Encourage Canadians to Buy Local

Government officials have publicly urged consumers to support Canadian-made products to mitigate the effects of these tariffs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated: "When you look at 'made in Canada' or 'made in Ontario' products — buy them. Make sure we send a message to big retailers. Costco, Sobeys, Walmart, Metro and Loblaws. Buy Canadian products."

Similarly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has emphasized the importance of consumers having domestic alternatives to avoid excessive costs associated with tariffs: "Having Canadian consumers have alternatives... is part of how we make sure that Canadians do not bear undue costs around tariffs."

With imported products becoming more expensive, consumers have a greater incentive to shift to refillery stores near them, sustainable shopping options, and to support small businesses in Calgary and in Canada to offset rising costs.

"People often don’t realize the power of their purchasing decisions. These tariffs may feel like a challenge, but they also present a huge opportunity to rethink how we shop,” Mathew Beaudoin, co-founder of Greenbriar Market + Refillery, spoke on this looming economic shift.

“By choosing Canadian-made and locally sourced goods, we’re not only avoiding unnecessary price hikes—we’re creating new habits that support ethical production, sustainable materials, and businesses that care about more than just profit."

The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses

Strengthening the Canadian Economy

Buying from small businesses directly impacts the local economy. According to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, small businesses employ 70 percent of private-sector workers in Canada, making them a cornerstone of economic stability.

A report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) found that for every $100 spent at a local business, up to $68 stays within the local economy, compared to just $43 when spent at large chain retailers.

This reinvestment in local economies leads to:

• More stable employment opportunities

• Greater financial support for local suppliers and service providers

• Increased innovation within Canadian industries

By choosing to support small businesses in Calgary and beyond, consumers play an active role in fostering long-term economic resilience.

Reducing Waste and Carbon Emissions

Imported goods often require extensive transportation, contributing significantly to carbon emissions. By choosing local alternatives, consumers can reduce their environmental impact while supporting more sustainable shopping in Calgary.

A recent CBC News report highlights that reducing reliance on imports helps lower Canada’s overall carbon footprint, as locally produced goods eliminate the need for long-haul transportation and excess packaging.

Supporting refillery options and purchasing refillable beauty products in Calgary allows consumers to:

• Reduce plastic waste by opting for zero-waste alternatives

• Minimize transportation-related carbon emissions

• Support businesses that prioritize sustainable production methods

Greenbriar Market + Refillery: A Leader in Sustainable and Affordable Shopping

Affordable and Sustainable Alternatives Through a Refillery Model

A common misconception is that sustainable shopping in Canada comes at a higher cost. However, Greenbriar Market challenges this notion with a refillery model, allowing consumers to:

• Purchase refillable skincare products in Calgary at a lower cost by eliminating single-use packaging

• Buy everyday essentials in bulk or just as needed—without the high price tag—because Greenbriar Market purchases in bulk, passing the savings on to their consumers.

• Access high-quality, Canadian eco-friendly brands that prioritize both affordability and sustainability

By allowing customers to refill their existing containers instead of purchasing new packaging, Greenbriar Market helps individuals save money while reducing environmental waste.

Luxury and Sustainability Can Coexist

Greenbriar Market is redefining what it means to shop sustainably by offering an elevated shopping experience. Unlike traditional eco-friendly stores, Greenbriar combines premium customer service with ethical shopping, ensuring that consumers do not have to choose between quality and sustainability.

Also unlike other stores, Greenbriar Market + Refillery takes shopping for local products a step further — by also offering their own product lines, which have been thoughtfully crafted and produced by Shawn and Mat’s Calgary-based lab and production team.

"Building Greenbriar Market has given us the chance to create our own product lines, which means constantly questioning what ‘local’ and ‘sustainable’ really mean,” Shawn commented ahead of the recent launch of their second Aspera Cosmetics line. 

“It’s not just about where something is made—it’s about how it’s made, who it supports, and whether it aligns with the values we want to promote. That’s why we stock so many Canadian brands—we know that a strong, local supply chain helps build a more resilient and responsible economy."

The Greenbriar Market + Refillery approach includes:

• A curated selection of high-quality, locally made products

• An upscale, welcoming shopping environment with many refillery options

• Educational workshops to help customers make informed, sustainable choices

This balance of luxury and sustainability is setting a new standard for the eco-conscious retail experience.

Why Now? The Case for Local Shopping in 2025

The economic landscape is shifting, and rising import costs are making Canadian alternatives more attractive than ever. With supply chain disruptions, price increases, and sustainability concerns growing, there has never been a better time to prioritize buying local in Canada.

Greenbriar Market provides a solution for those seeking:

• High-quality, Canadian-made alternatives to expensive imports

• A cost-effective way to embrace sustainable living

• A community-driven shopping experience focused on ethical consumerism

As tariffs continue to reshape the retail industry, businesses like Greenbriar Market offer consumers a stable and sustainable shopping alternative that is both practical and impactful.

Take the Next Step: Support Local and Shop Sustainably

Consumers looking to make more informed purchasing decisions can explore Greenbriar Market’s extensive selection of sustainable and locally sourced products.

• Shop Canadian eco-friendly brands to find high-quality, sustainable alternatives.

• Join a sustainability workshop and become part of the growing conscious consumerism Calgary movement.

• Find a refill store near you and start making cost-effective, environmentally responsible choices today.

"One of the most rewarding parts of Greenbriar is seeing it evolve into more than just a store. It’s a hub where local business owners, makers, and customers all connect. We get to introduce people to brands they may not have discovered otherwise—brands that align with their values and their desire to shop responsibly,” Mat said.

“When people walk into Greenbriar, they’re not just making a purchase; they’re becoming part of a community that empowers small businesses and makes sustainability accessible."

Conclusion: The Future of Shopping is Local

As import costs rise, environmental concerns grow, and consumers seek more ethical shopping options, buying local in Canada is becoming the most practical and sustainable choice. 

Greenbriar Market + Refillery is at the forefront of this movement, offering affordable, high-quality, and sustainable alternatives to imported goods.

By making the shift to local and refillable products, consumers can protect their budgets, support Canadian businesses, and reduce their environmental impact. Now is the time to embrace a new era of conscious consumerism—one that prioritizes community, sustainability, and long-term financial benefits.

Explore Greenbriar Market today and take the next step toward sustainable and affordable shopping.