Overview:
In-store signage is essential to the LCBO customer experience. It reflects our brand values while guiding and engaging customers in a safe, responsible, and inclusive environment.
These guidelines ensure a consistent and effective visual language across LCBO locations, outlining clear standards for:
CONSISTENCY Standardized design and messaging to support a cohesive brand across stores. |
| CLARITY Clear, accessible communication that enhances customer experience and supports informed, responsible choices. |
| COMPLIANCE Alignment with AGCO and AODA regulations to meet legal and accessibility standards. |
| EFFICIENCY Streamlined processes for signage creation, approval, and installation. |
These guidelines are for LCBO supplier partners involved in signage and merchandiser planning, production, and execution.
Adhering to them reinforces our shared commitment to quality, compliance, and customer service excellence.
Marketing & Brand Integrity
1. LOGO USAGE
Supplier brand logos, sponsorship logos, etc. must be displayed clearly and comply with their specific brand identity rules – Merchants are accountable for facilitating legal documentation for rights usage.
2. TYPOGRAPHY
All fonts used must be clear and legible (avoid complex designs that compromise readability).
3. COLOUR
A minimum of one of the current LCBO thematic promotion colours must be included as the primary colour. Promotion colour swatches and signage visual references are available upon request.
4. IMAGERY
All imagery must be in accordance with LCBO Social Responsibility mandates (see below).
5. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
• Two versions of the display are to be produced – English and Bilingual (for FLS-designated LCBO stores).
• In the bilingual version, all copy must be visible and the same size/prominence in both English and French.
• Translation services are available upon request.
6. MESSAGE
For optimal customer experience, layout design and content copy should be clear and concise. This is especially important in bilingual formats where English and French must share the same space without compromising the design or hierarchy.
Regulation Requirements
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MANDATES
• Age restrictions (no minors, models must appear a minimum of 25 years of age).
• Responsible drinking messages (no intoxication, no images depicting physical activity, irresponsible consumption, or consumption in public places). Include “Must be legal drinking age” statement where possible.
• Must meet AGCO requirements: www.agco.ca
• Must meet Ad Standards Canada (Ad Standards – Canada) guidelines.
ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS
AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) is legislation enacted into law in 2005, governing accessibility standards for provincially regulated entities. Supplier signage must meet AODA compliance regarding font size, color contrast and legibility.
Using easy-to-read typefaces and highly contrasting colors ensures text is distinguishable from its background. Minimum contrast standard for compliance is WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Contrast ratio must be 4.5:1 or greater for large (display headlines) and regular text (body copy).
AODA website compliance checklist for 2025:
https://accessibe.com/blog/knowledgebase/aoda-compliance-checklist
AODA colour compliance contrast checker (contrast ratio guidelines to the right):
https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
DESIGN & FILE DELIVERY SPECIFICATIONS
Layout
File format: Hi-Res PDFx1a with crop mark and bleeds + Adobe InDesign collected files (preferred format for pre-press check and potential troubleshoot measures at print stage)
– LCBO InDesign artwork templates available upon request
Safety Area: Allow 0.5"-1" artwork/copy safety boundary from fixture frame (specific margins set within InDesign templates)
Bleed: 0.125" (1/8") set all around trim edge
Versions: English & Bilingual
Colours
CMYK 4-Colour Process (no PMS spot colours or RGB files) If possible, tie-in to current LCBO thematic colour-palette (available upon request).
Fonts
• All fonts must be supplied or outlined in layout.
• Supplier must secure licensing rights for all fonts used.
• Display and body copy font size must be larger than 30 pts.
• Legal copy must be a minimum of 12 pts.
• If supplier wishes to leverage LCBO brand font (Acumin Pro) for better in-store alignment, font is available as free download with Adobe Creative Suite license: https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/acumin
Images
• Minimum 300 dpi full-size resolution print output (effective PPI).
• Raster images should be TIFF or PSD file formats (no JPGs).
• Supplier, partnership and sponsor logos should be provided as vector art (EPS or SVG). PNGs allowed only if minimum full-size effective resolution and print quality requirements are met.
• Supplier must secure licensing rights for all royalty-free or rights-managed stock images used in layout.
• LCBO logo should not be included in supplier artwork.
Final Art
• InDesign collected folder (fonts & links must be included). ZIP folder to ensure files are not corrupted in transfer.
• Include Adobe Acrobat PDF for visual reference.
File Delivery
Dropbox, WeTransfer or FTP secure file transfer (e.g. Fetch).
Timing
Draft of signage must be sent to marketing contact for review a minimum of 8 weeks before the start of the promotional period.
LCBO requires a minimum of two weeks to review and approve.
SUPPLIER MERCHANDISERS
Suppliers are reminded that the Value-adds displayed inside the merchandisers may not extend beyond the dimensions noted below to allow for signage to always be clearly visible (i.e. value-adds for End Aisles may not exceed 10” in height when placed inside the merchandiser).
Maximum Supplier Merchandiser Dimensions:
Display | Version | Dimensions |
End Aisles | End Aisle Shelf | · 18’’w x 10’’h (including signage) x 10’’d |
Excitement Zone 21A | End Aisle Shelf + Plinth Display (both versions required) | · 18’’w x 10’’h (including signage) x 10’’d w · 18”w x 18”d x 50” h |
Excitement Zone 21C | End Aisle Shelf + Plinth Display (both versions required) | · 18’’w x 10’’h (including signage) x 10’’d w · 18”w x 18”d x 50” h |
Excitement Zone 21D | End Aisle Shelf | · 18’’w x 10’’h (including signage) x 10’’d |
Block Piles A, B | Value-add and Stand-alone Product Merchandisers | · 42’’- 58’’h (including signage) x 36’’w x 30’’d |
Block Pile D | Value-add and Stand-alone Product Merchandisers | · 30” w x 30” d x 72” h |
NOTES:
• Promotions for Excitement Zone 21A and 21C require merchandisers in both the Plinth AND End Aisle sizes
• In cases where 3 products are participating on the display, the merchandiser must accommodate one of the products to be merchandised within the display itself, with space allocated for the value-add placed on the top. See example.
• The merchandiser creative and details on how LCBO product signage (i.e. 8" x 7" Pricer Cards) are displayed on the merchandiser must be submitted at time of application.
Value-Add Message:
• Preferred message to communicate a VA is “FREE WITH PURCHASE.”
• Value-Add messaging should always be accompanied with “While Supplies Last” and "Must be legal drinking age" statements.
• Ensure messaging around what a customer needs to purchase, is as clear as possible (avoid vague language such as 'participating products').
• The legal/fine print must include the SKU number(s) of the products that qualify a customer for the VA.
• “GIFT WITH PURCHASE” is also permitted.
• Value-Adds on Supplier Produced Display/Merchandisers should be attached to the product, or a merchandiser should be supplied within the allotted space to hold the Value-Add
Supplier Produced Merchandisers
The purpose of this display is to enhance our customer experience in-store. It tells a strong brand story that may be associated with a tactical occasion occurring within the period; the display/merchandiser must be relevant to the period. (e.g. Halloween merchandiser during P8, Mother’s Day merchandiser during P2). The merchandiser creative must be submitted for approval at the time of the initial application.
Please ensure the material used to produce the merchandiser is strong enough to support any product displayed.
Merchandiser Set Up:
• Merchandisers must be delivered on the first Monday of the promotional period and fully assembled and merchandised by agents
• Displays must also be removed on the first Monday of the next period by agents
• LCBO Retail Employees are not responsible for merchandiser assembly or take-down.
Please contact LCBO for more information.
Document Downloads
LCBO Guidelines for POP Supplier Signage
