Designing clarity for a new national standard

The Situation

The Canada Grocery Code was established to support fairness, transparency, and accountability across Canada’s grocery supply chain. As a newly formed organization, it needed to quickly establish credibility with a wide range of stakeholders – including major retailers, suppliers, industry associations, media, and government.

However, the organization’s initial website and visual presentation leaned heavily toward a consumer-facing tone, unintentionally suggesting the Code was meant to address grocery pricing or consumer complaints. This created confusion about the organization’s role and risked undermining its authority at a critical moment.

At the same time, the organization was operating under:

• Tight launch timelines
• Significant media attention
• Evolving internal processes typical of a startup organization

The Goal

The goal was not to “refresh” a website – it was to reposition the organization clearly and confidently.

Success meant:

• Clearly communicating that the Code serves industry participants, not consumers
• Presenting the organization as neutral, authoritative, and factual
• Creating a public resource hub that explains the Code, how it works, and how organizations participate
• Designing a foundation flexible enough to evolve as the organization matured

Just as importantly, everything needed to be delivered on an accelerated timeline without sacrificing clarity or quality.

The Approach

Collaborative Discovery (Without Slowing Things Down)

• Worked closely with a small internal team
• Built on prior discussions rather than duplicating discovery
• Focused on clarity, language, and tone grounded directly in the Code itself

Designing for Authority, Not Attention

• Shifted visual language away from consumer imagery
• Emphasized restraint, hierarchy, and legibility
• Designed to feel closer to a government or regulatory body — without feeling cold

Designing in Parallel with Build

• Public website designed alongside a forthcoming member portal
• Ensured visual and structural consistency across systems
• Planned for future integrations from day one

Brand Work Across Touchpoints

The Outcome

The redesigned brand and website gave the Canada Grocery Code a digital presence that aligned with its mandate.

The new site:

• Anticipates stakeholder questions and reduces confusion
• Serves as a central hub for resources, documentation, and engagement
• Supports credibility with industry, media, and government audiences

Since launch:

• Membership has grown to over 150 organizations
• The site averages 13,000 monthly active users, despite being less than a year old
• Strong direct and organic traffic reflects clarity and discoverability