The average Canadian household will spend an extra dollar a day on groceries this year, a new report projects.. Picture courtesy of Flikr user I-5 Design and Manufacture.
Britnei Bilhete
When the price of cauliflower in Canada rose to an $8 high in earlier weeks it was a glimpse of what’s to come for food inflation in 2016 – and consumers are concerned.
The Food Price Report by the University of Guelph’s Food Institute says the increase is at about 4 per cent which means the average Canadian household will spend an extra $345 this year.
Sylvain Charlebois, who co-authored the report, says the rise in prices is because of the the dollar’s fall and climate change and has caused some Canadians to rethink the way they shop.
“More and more people are actually looking at prices,” said Charlebois “Ten years ago people barely looked at them and now they’re looking more diligently.”
He advises people strategize before they grocery shop.
“Before getting into a store you should have a good idea of how much you need to spend to get certain products,” he said.
“Second, if there is an item that is too expensive look around. You can go to other grocery stores or go to the freezer aisle in the case of fruits and vegetable.”
In communities across the territories where food prices are already shockingly high, the struggle to buy produce becomes even more overwhelming.