As a new bylaw comes into effect putting stricter regulations on home-delivered advertising, TC Transcontinental has developed a new flyer format for the Montreal market.
The new flyer format is a leaflet folded into four sections, combining flyers from different retailers into one printed product with fewer pages. It will launch alongside a digital platform that will provide more promotional offerings.
Besides printing fewer, thinner pages, the flyers are also part of an established system for reducing paper waste and reusing materials. Newsprint in Quebec is made from sawmill residues, meaning no trees are cut for its production, and 86% of newsprint in the province is collected by local recycling programs.
The company says the new format will reduce the volume of paper in flyers by roughly 60% from current levels, while also completely eliminating the plastic in the bags previously used to deliver flyers with TC Transcontinental’s Publisac service.
While the new flyer is in line with evolving perspectives on waste, there is also a regulatory motivation. Last year, the City of Montreal adopted a new bylaw that is set to end universal distribution of advertising materials in the city, switching Montrealers from an opt-out system for flyers to an opt-in one, largely in response to public feedback about receiving unwanted flyers and the amount of waste they create. In addition, for those customers who do opt-in, flyers will no longer be allowed to be distributed in plastic bags. The bylaw comes into effect this May.
TC Transcontinental says the new flyer format meets the expectations of consumers and exceeds the City of Montreal’s waste reduction objectives, while still serving the desire for locals to keep household costs down.
“Flyers help Montrealers fight inflation and save up to $1,500 a year,” said Patrick Brayley, SVP of premedia, distribution and in-store marketing at TC Transcontinental. “We have paid close attention to the dialogue surrounding our offering in recent years and trust this innovation, together with our new digital platform, will deliver on the expectations of all stakeholders.”
Despite the growth of digital options for deal-hunting and promotional options, printed flyers still remain relevant for a significant portion of Canadian consumers. According to the latest figures from Vividata, 56% of local newspaper readers use flyers to make their shopping decisions.
TC Transcontinental says the distribution model, launch date and brand identity for the new flyer will be announced before the end of April.
