April 14 (Reuters) – Loblaw Corporations Ltd (L.TO) on Friday stated it would invest C$two billion ($1.50 billion) to expand its small business in 2023 and produce much more than six,000 new jobs in retail, provide chain, technologies and building in Canada.

The Canadian retailer’s investment comes at a time when it is seeing strength in its pharmacy small business, as properly as a steady demand for groceries amid increasing fears of a recession.

Loblaw also expects to use the investment to develop and boost its retailers it stated it will open 38 new or relocated retailers and renovate or convert practically 600 other people.

Presently, the retailer’s network of corporate and independent operations employs about 220,000 Canadians.

In February, the firm had forecast annual earnings above analysts’ expectations following it posted upbeat fourth-quarter outcomes, helped by steady demand for groceries, cough and cold medicines, as properly as higher-margin beauty and cosmetics items.

($1 = 1.3319 Canadian dollars)

Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru Editing by Pooja Desai

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