Persistent inflation concerns continue to influence behaviours, with roughly nine in 10 Canadians reporting food is more expensive than it was three months ago, and more noticing the practice of “shrinkflation.”
Caddle conducted a representative survey of over 3,000 Canadians in July 2023.
It found that meat still dominates as the food category the public feels is the most expensive, though only 42% believed that this year, compared to 50% in a similar survey conducted in 2022. There has also been a drop in the amount of people who believe dairy (3%) and seafood (1%) have risen, though categories like fruit and bakery are still seen as more expensive than a year ago. […]
While food price spikes are abating in some areas and climbing in others, consumers are taking more note of “shrinkflation,” the practice of maintaining a product’s price, but reducing its size. In fact, 44% of consumers report “shrinkflation” among baked goods, compared with 39% in 2022.
“Shrinkflation” is not a new phenomenon, Charlebois says, but more buyers are taking note, especially in categories like meat, baked goods and dairy.
Related from @FoodProfessor – “If Statistics Canada is significantly underestimating our nation’s population, it implies that many of our food policies are, at best, founded on unreliable data.”
I think there should be a special hell for restaurants that sell “sleeves” of beer rather than actual pints.
Admittedly I had to Google “sleeve” as I had no idea what you were talking about. Interesting. I learned something today.
If it was just food then families could probably absorb the price increase but all essential products have increased: food, heat, electricity, fuel, house prices, mortgage rates.
And taxes and fees have increased: carbon taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes (CPP), various fees on utilities and government services.
Those aren’t optional products or optional taxes, those are all things you need to live and work.
Yet, the government in Ottawa in its obliviousness to the economic desperation of Canadian people continues lecture Canadians about environmentalism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, white supremacy, plastic bags etc. What a bunch of arrogant, condescending assholes. The Trudeau Liberal-NDP government has been the worst government in my lifetime, and it’s not even close.
But I’m sure picking fights with Alberta and Saskatchewan and their energy industry will be a vote winner. There’s always abortion, anti-americanism, privatized healthcare and the conservatives have a scary “secret agenda” cards to play if anti-energy/anti-Alberta rhetoric doesn’t work for the Trudeau Liberal-NDP government. /s
Remember Justin and Jagmeet get big raises every April.
Inflation doesn’t affect them b
You’d think that politicians would skip at least one annual pay raise to show symbolic solidarity with Canadians that are now forced to use food banks. Or skip a carbon tax increase. Or take fewer taxpayer funded trips. Or cut back on giving billions to foreign countries. Or stop flaunting their wealth with lobster dinners and Rolex watches.
These politicians governing in Ottawa are all but dismissively waving their royal hand and saying “Let them eat cake”, Marie Antoinette style.
“Let them eat bugs.”
– Marie Sophie Gregoire Antoinette
“You’d think that politicians would skip…”
Your statement is doing an awful lot of work; and from what I’ve seen, it’s doing a piss-poor job. The politicians all answer “We’re entitled to our entitlements”, after all…
Yes, if only the peasants understood how difficult it is being rich and powerful. The selfless sacrifices they endure while having to use private jets to go to exotic locations and stay in expensive accommodations. The heart wrenching choices of deciding whether to eat wagyu beef or caviar, Cuban or Honduran cigars, which thousand plus dollar wine to drink. The agony of deciding which lobbyist will give them the most kickbacks.
All regular Canadians need to do is choose between paying for rent or food.
Isn’t it funny how it’s “racism”, but when it comes to sexual perversions, it’s apparently a phobia?
Phobias and -isms are what the Trudeau Liberal-NDP government uses to deflect attention away from their incompetence, corruption and malice. They are using these minority groups as human shields to hide from any criticism of their shitty economic policies.
The initial response to the lockdowns instituted during the pandemic was almost gleeful; people seemed overjoyed at the prospect of being paid not to work or working from home. But all that had a cost as venues, restaurants and office space atrophied from lack of revenue for renewal and improvement of capital structures. Now we are paying the price, literally. There’s a cost to all that forced idling of capital that few seem to grasp.
Supply chain disruptions thanks to the Ukraine adventure have also had a devastating economic impact which is only going to get worse the longer the war drags on.
L – If we had a free press, this would be a nation-wide scandal, which it is.
I predict that Pierre Polievre and the C.P.C. will not mention it. This even
though, it would wake ordinary Maritime voters to the true cost of voting
Liberal. That they (and the rest of Canada) subsidize Quebec political
corruption. Isolating it from the consequences of it’s mistakes.
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“Once you spook a customer base, they are spooked for a while,” he says, especially in certain regions, where food prices reflect “different realities.” For example, in the Atlantic provinces, the food inflation rate is 15%, while in Quebec, it’s minus 1.2%.
Don’t worry , they will just print more money and fix it. Because it’s different this time and everyone is doing it. Took a little longer than I expected for the crap to hit the fan, but I was told it was different several times by people and media when I expressed fears. I think they are right. It is different this time. I think we have lost a minimum of 30% of any cash savings purchasing power and it is likely closer to 50% in many cases. And what is coming, well there aren’t many people alive in Canada who have experienced it.
Classic case of third world countries devaluing their currency, only this time it’s worldwide and it’s done by raising the prices on everything, instead of making the currency less valuable, the effect is the same. They are seeking to eliminate tangible currency, to stem the flow of private transactions, because, esp after Covid, most countries are broke and need every cent in taxes to fund their socialist schemes and bloated wages..
They’ve had a go in Canada already, when they made the old bills non legal tender anymore, which included the modern 1000 bills and the older 1000 and 500’s. You could turn them in for face value, before a certain date. Want to bet they were monitoring those transactions?
It was said to have been done to stem organized crime, the government does hate competition!
Just wait till CBDC, etc, is forced upon us!
PLEASE don’t mercilessly mock me.
We very seldom buy roasts — or steaks for that matter tho we have a steak out once in a while.
But yesterday, seeing that there was a quality meat store on my errand route my wife suggested I get a roast.
SO, I selected a Tomahawk Prime Rib roast in the showcase.
It was about 3 lbs.
It was quickly wrapped and had the pay amount sticker affixed.
$154 !
Wow….
I’m heading off to NoFrills. Chicken …. $1.88 a pound. And I’ve been getting 25 pounds of Roma tomatoes for less than $10.
I’ve been eating 10 a day. I enjoy them. Single guy. I’m not a fancy eater…
Prime rib roast is the most expensive you can buy, but over $50/lb? Holy crap.
Shrinkflation has been happening for years. Dozens of food products are sold in the same size containers they have always been sold in. However, the quantity in said container is less than it used to be. This includes; cream, pasta, chips, condiments, and more. In the case of canned veggies or beans, there is more water or fluid in the can and fewer veggies.
Foods like meat, fruit, produce have all risen in price but it’s not “shrinkflation.” It’s inflation.