With inflation pinching household budgets, the Government of Canada has introduced a temporary two-month GST holiday on select goods and services.. While restaurant meals are included, diners are unlikely to notice much of a difference, says Yu Ma, Associate Professor of Marketing at McGill Desautels. On a $20 restaurant tab, the 5% GST amounts to only one dollar. "I don't know how many people will notice the change in their final bills," Ma told CTV News.
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Good gravy! Quebec鈥檚 rotisserie chicken chain St-Hubert has frozen prices for all main courses on its menu and reduced prices on appetizers鈥揳ll while maintaining portion sizes. This is part of a broader trend toward value in quick-service restaurants. 鈥淔ood price inflation has hit both grocery stores and restaurants, but it鈥檚 more noticeable in restaurants,鈥� Associate听Professor Yu Ma tells CTV News. 鈥淭here is the cost of food, but also labour, taxes, and tips.
Across programs and subject areas, the McGill Desautels Faculty of Management recognizes the vital role that research, teaching, service and media engagement play in enriching the student experience and inspiring the next generation of leaders through the annual Faculty Awards. This year we recognize the following outstanding members of our faculty:
Research
Authors:听Yu Ma, Kusum L. Ailawadi, Mercedes Martos-Partal and 脫scar Gonz谩lez-Benito
Publication:听Journal of Marketing
Articles in advance 鈥� published online: August 8, 2023
Abstract:
Yu Ma, Associate Professor at the McGill Desautels Faculty of Management, discusses the consumer implications of aspartame being listed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), potentially increasing scrutiny and concerns about the safety of food additives. Professor Ma suggests that consumers may become more cautious about processed foods and seek out "clean label" options with recognizable ingredients.
Discount department store Zellers hopes to make a comeback next year, a decade after the Canadian chain shuttered most of its locations. Hudson's Bay Co. says Zellers will debut a new e-commerce website and expand its brick-and-mortar footprint within select Hudson's Bay department stores across the country in early 2023. The company says the relaunched Zellers will offer "a digital-first shopping journey that taps into the nostalgia of the brand." ()
COVID-19 caused massive shifts in the way we do even the most mundane of things. Take grocery shopping, for example. This past October, Dr. Yu Ma, Associate Professor of Marketing and Academic Director of the Master of Management in Retailing (MMR), spoke at Grocery Innovations Canada. Here, he shared his insights on how COVID-19 has transformed the grocery shopping environment and what retailers can do to mitigate shopping anxiety and provide a positive shopping experience for consumers.
A smart city鈥攕upported by digital solutions to enhance food access and mobility鈥攊s a healthy city. That鈥檚 the thinking behind the Implementing Smart Cities Interventions to Build Healthy Cities (SMART) Training Platform co-led by McGill, the University of Guelph and the University of Manitoba. Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of $4.95 million over six years for SMART.
Authors: Yu Ma, P.B. Seetharaman and V. Singh
Publication: Journal of Business Research, Volume 124, January 2021, Pages 152-162
Abstract:
In episode 3 of听The听鈥�New Normal鈥� hosted by听Dave Kaufman,听Professor听Yu Ma discusses how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our relation to grocery stores, how shopping has changed in the last year, and what can be done from a technological perspective to improve the shopping experience and perhaps even help the consumer make more informed and healthier choices at the store.
Professor Yu Ma, Academic Director of the Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) program, weighs in on the ongoing impact of the pandemic on Canadian retail trends, particularly the steep rise in e-commerce. From his perspective, the convenience of online shopping comes at the expense of the social aspect that encourages customers to spend their money in-store.
Only 30 percent of Canada鈥檚 small business are hitting normal sales numbers as the second wave of the pandemic crashes into their bottom line. According to Professor Yu Ma, Academic Director of the Master of Management in Retailing, nothing short of digital transformation will equip these businesses to survive.
The retail industry is rapidly evolving under emerging technologies and shifting consumer demands. Discover how the new McGill-Bensadoun Master of Management in Retailing will prepare the next generation of retail leaders to shape the future of this exciting, in-demand industry.
The new Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) program is the latest offering by the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM) at McGill University.听
Yu Ma, Academic Director, and Anwar White, Program Director, discuss the MMR program ahead of its launch in fall 2021.
New research from Prof Yu Ma suggests there are opportunities for marketers to encourage healthier shopping among warehouse store customers.
This article is brought to you by Delve, the official thought leadership publication of McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management.
