Loblaw Companies Limited and Canadian Hard of Hearing Association Expand Hearing Loop Technology, Enhancing Accessibility for Millions of Customers on World Hearing Day

BRAMPTON, ON, March 3, 2026 – On World Hearing Day, Loblaw Companies Limited and the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) proudly announce the continued, nationwide rollout of their hearing loop program. With more than 120 installations already active in some Loblaw banner stores across Canada, including Real Canadian Superstore^®, No Frills^®, Maxi^®, Your Independent Grocer^®, Real Atlantic Superstore^®, Loblaws^®, Zehrs^®, Provigo^® and Shoppers Drug Mart^®/Pharmaprix^®, this vital assistive technology is expected to reach over 80 more stores across Canada throughout 2026, reinforcing Loblaw’s commitment to inclusive shopping experiences.

This growing number of active hearing loops demonstrates meaningful progress in making retail and service spaces more accessible for customers with hearing loss. The partnership supports CHHA's national "Get in the Hearing Loop" program, which launched in June 2022. This initiative aims to educate the public about hearing loops and how this important technology helps create more accessible, hearing-friendly communities across the country.

Loblaw is committed to providing an inclusive shopping experience for everyone. Nearly four million Canadians experience hearing loss, often struggling to understand critical public information even with hearing aids. Hearing loops offer a solution by transmitting sound directly into telecoil-enabled devices, significantly improving clarity and understanding in public spaces. Ninety per cent of people with hearing loss can improve communication with hearing assistive technology. Through the “Get in the Hearing Loop” program, CHHA is working with businesses and organizations across Canada to bring hearing loop technology into everyday environments where communication matters most.

CHHA continues to advocate for communication access and inclusive design, helping to ensure that people with hearing loss can participate fully and independently in all aspects of daily life.

“We dream of a world where people with hearing loss can thrive each day with communication access, full inclusion, and equal participation in all aspects of life, everywhere they go. Through education, advocacy, and technology solutions, our “Get in the Hearing Loop” program is a national movement that is helping build accessible and inclusive spaces toward a barrier-free Canada for the hard-of-hearing community. We hope to change public spaces and lives by sharing information about hearing loops," says Ann McSweeney, National Executive Director, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association.

"Since installing these hearing loops in the first stores in 2022, they have had significant impact in increasing access to our customers with some form of hearing loss and how our team members provide better care, service and an improved shopping environment for those in need. This has been a meaningful project that has been making an impact years later,” says Paul Anthraper, Senior Director, District, Loblaw Companies Limited.

For more information on the Get in the Hearing Loop program, visit https://getinthehearingloop.ca/(Open in a new tab).

About the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA)

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to removing barriers to communication for people with hearing loss. Through education, advocacy, and technology solutions, CHHA leads the Get in the Hearing Loop program — a national movement working with businesses, communities, and governments to improve communication access and build inclusive, hearing-friendly environments across Canada.

CHHA’s mission is to create accessible, connected, and equitable communities for Canadians with hearing loss. CHHA has a vision of a barrier-free society where Canadians with hearing loss are empowered, inspired, and enjoy a full quality of life.

About Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw is Canada’s food and pharmacy leader, and the nation’s largest retailer. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, and healthcare services, other health and beauty products, apparel, general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,800 locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and Associate-owners employ more than 220,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada’s largest private sector employers.

Loblaw’s purpose – Live Life Well^® – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the company’s stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,100 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at nearly 1,400 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® locations and in close to 500 grocery stores; PC Financial^® services; Joe Fresh^® fashion and family apparel; and four of Canada’s top-consumer brands in Life Brand^®, Farmer’s Market^TM, no name^® and President's Choice^®. For more information, visit Loblaw’s website at www.loblaw.ca and Loblaw's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca(Open in a new tab).