Natural retailers are facing new challenges and opportunities when it comes to educating their customers. In this final part of the retailer roundtable series from 2024, we will share insights on consumer education and its impact on natural health retailers.

 At the 2024 CHFA NOW, held in Vancouver, retailers were encouraged to participate and share their experiences in an idea exchange during a retailer roundtable. Attending retailers were split into five groups and each group was asked a question about a pressing issue impacting the natural health retail industry—rent inflation, vendor relations, supply chain, ethical initiatives and sustainability practices, and consumer education. This issue’s summary is the last of those five discussions.

 In the March-April 2025 issue of CNHR, we discussed the topic of “ethical practices and sustainability initiatives” in detail. In this final part of the retailer roundtable series, we will share insights on consumer education and its impact on natural health retailers.

Despite the cold, CHFA’s Calgary Industry Night Out brought together over 100 industry professionals including retailers, health practitioners, manufacturers, and businesses operating in the natural, organic, and wellness (NOW) space. The event was held at the Sub Rosa in downtown Calgary in February.

The National Summit on Health, Movement, and Community will be held on June 7 at Zoomer Media Studios in Liberty Village, Toronto, Ontario. The Summit will build on the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute’s (CHFI) groundbreaking 2024 Forum in West Vancouver, BC, which featured 21 distinguished experts including Canada’s first Minister of Physical Activity, Carla Qualtrough.

In this column, Ellen introduces you to Tracy Creighton, national sales director at Bioforce Canada (A.Vogel). She has over 30 years of experience in the health and wellness industry as a sales executive and business leader. Tracy has successfully managed high-performing sales teams, developed effective sales strategies, and fostered strong collaboration with retail partners.

As we go to press, the US-imposed tariffs are ever evolving, causing confusion and concern in Canada, Mexico, and other US trading partners worldwide.

 CNHR reached out to some leading industry members to get their thoughts on what type of impact tariffs could have on the Canadian natural health industry.