Canadian grocers report generic semaglutide lifting pharmacy volumes

Canadian grocery chains with pharmacy operations are reporting that generic versions of semaglutide are pushing up prescription volumes, even though the same generics are pushing prices down. The pattern, described in a Canadian Press report on grocery-chain earnings, is being watched closely because Canada is the first G7 country to approve generic semaglutide products ^[1].

Loblaw Cos. Ltd., which owns Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix, reported roughly 40% growth in GLP-1 sales in each of its last two quarters, and its drug retail same-store sales grew 4.6% in its latest quarter ^[1]. Metro Inc., which owns Jean Coutu pharmacies, reported pharmacy same-store sales up 4.8%, also outpacing its food sales growth, with outgoing CEO Eric La Flèche citing "increased patient adoption and higher prescription volumes" ^[1]. Analyst Kathleen Wong of Veritas said Metro's results suggest "higher volumes should more than offset a meaningful portion of the price pressure from generalization," though price deflation is still expected to weigh on pharmacy sales measured in dollars ^[1].

Health Canada has approved three generic semaglutide products so far and continues to review at least six more submissions, according to a tracking site that follows Health Canada's approval timeline ^[2]. The first two approvals, from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories in April 2026 and Apotex in May 2026, referenced Ozempic and covered only the Type 2 diabetes indication ^[2]. In June 2026, Apotex won approval for Sevmia, the first generic referencing Wegovy and the first cleared in Canada for chronic weight management, for patients 12 and older with obesity or overweight plus a weight-related condition ^[2]. As of this tracker's most recent update, Sevmia's price had not yet been published, though Health Canada has said generic medicines are typically 45% to 90% cheaper than brand-name versions once competition builds ^[2]. Canada's tiered generic-pricing framework caps prices at roughly 75% of the brand list price with one generic in its first three months, dropping toward 35% of brand price once three or more injectable generics are on the market ^[2].

A Leger poll cited in the report found that half of respondents said insurance coverage or a lower-cost generic would make them more likely to use a GLP-1 drug, and at the time of that survey about 8%, or three million Canadians, were already on a prescription GLP-1 ^[1]. Kantar's Amar Singh expects uptake to rise to about 20% over the next one to two years as generics spread ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Canada is functioning as an early test case for what happens to a branded GLP-1 franchise once generics enter a developed market, something US patients do not yet have direct experience with since generic semaglutide is not currently sold in the United States. The Canadian data suggest that lower prices do not necessarily shrink the overall market: more people start or continue treatment even as the price per prescription falls, which is one reason grocers with pharmacy units are treating this as a growth opportunity rather than a threat ^[1]. For US readers, the practical takeaway is that pricing and access dynamics can shift quickly once generic competition begins, and the scope of coverage matters — Canada's earliest generics covered only diabetes use, while broader weight-management coverage arrived later and separately ^[2]. Anyone comparing costs across countries should also note that Canadian list-price caps do not include pharmacy dispensing fees or markups, so retail prices are higher than the framework's percentage reductions imply ^[2].

What happens next

Health Canada continues reviewing six or more additional generic semaglutide submissions, with decisions expected in the coming weeks and months ^[2]. Sevmia's retail pricing had not been published as of the tracker's last update and is expected to be confirmed once the product reaches pharmacies ^[2]. Loblaw executives are projecting double-digit growth in GLP-1 sales into 2027 ^[1].