Shea McInnis used to love cooking.
But higher prices have reduced the PhD student to basic meal planning on a shoestring budget.
B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 just about what nutrition I can produce with the dollars I have,B次元官网网址� said McInnes, who attends Saint MaryB次元官网网址檚 University in Halifax. B次元官网网址淚 make a lot of decisions based on whether thereB次元官网网址檚 a sale. The enjoyment and delight are gone.B次元官网网址�
Food inflation remains stubbornly high in Canada as grocery prices climbed at the fastest pace in more than four decades last month.
While overall inflation moderated in August, the cost of food purchased from stores was up a staggering 10.8 per cent compared with a year ago.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 the fastest clip recorded by Statistics Canada since 1981.
Higher prices swept nearly every aisle of the grocery store. Even items once considered cheaper substitutes for pricier products werenB次元官网网址檛 immune to inflation.
For example, frozen and dried vegetables B次元官网网址� usually considered a budget-friendly option B次元官网网址� jumped 14.1 per cent last month compared with a year ago while fresh vegetables rose a more modest 9.3 per cent.
A similar trend appeared to unfold in the meat department.
B次元官网网址淎 few months ago when beef and pork prices were increasing significantly you could substitute for chicken,B次元官网网址� said James Orlando, director at TD Economics.
B次元官网网址淣ow the opposite is happening where beef and pork price inflation is decelerating and chicken prices are increasing.B次元官网网址�
Several basic food staples also posted significantly higher prices.
Flour prices were up 23.5 per cent in August compared with the same month last year, pasta prices were up 20.7 per cent, bread 17.6 per cent, eggs 10.9 per cent, fresh fruit 13.2 per cent and fats and oils 27.7 per cent.
Even the simple potato pulled off double digit price gains.
Sustained higher prices are prompting Canadians to adopt new shopping habits to save money, a new survey released Tuesday said.
The survey found Canadian consumers are shopping more at discount stores, buying cheaper store brands, using loyalty programs and scouring weekly flyers for deals.
B次元官网网址淔ood inflation is lingering and is really starting to shape where and how people buy food,B次元官网网址� said Sylvain Charlebois, professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, which conducted the survey along with Caddle, an online data platform.
The survey also found nearly a quarter of Canadians have cut back on the amount of food they purchased within the last year because of high grocery prices.
B次元官网网址淪ome people are actually buying less food,B次元官网网址� Charlebois said. B次元官网网址淭here are dietary compromises being made by many Canadians.B次元官网网址�
In an effort to save money, McInnis said heB次元官网网址檚 cut back on both treats and healthy foods.
B次元官网网址淚 used to really enjoy going to the bakery section and buying some cookies or a cake for a treat,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut now that IB次元官网网址檓 trying to get as much mileage as I can out of my money IB次元官网网址檝e cut that out.B次元官网网址�
HeB次元官网网址檚 also stopped eating as much salad. The rising cost of vegetables and the risk of spoilage with fresh foods makes itB次元官网网址檚 not even worth it, he said.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e definitely made sacrifices at the grocery store to try to save money,B次元官网网址� McInnes said.
Some relief from soaring food prices could be in store as easing input costs reduce pressure on food prices.
B次元官网网址淲ith transportation costs and agricultural commodity prices now off their peaks, the trend in food price inflation should start to soften towards the end of this year and into 2023,B次元官网网址� Andrew Grantham, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets, said in a client note.
Michael Medline, president and CEO of Sobeys Inc., said last week grocery store inflation may have peaked in Canada as price increases from food manufacturers stabilize.
The number and rate of cost increases being passed along to the grocery chain from food suppliers began decreasing in recent weeks, he said during an earnings call.
