Grocery cart economics hits home
Stretching a dollar and feeding your family — it’s something shoppers are finding harder to do these days.
“When I came to Canada in 2018 I can do groceries for just $100 in one month, and now it’s almost double,” said Prem Peep who just stocked up at his local No Frills in East London.
Brandy Shaw was out for her weekly shopping as well. She said she’s also seeing the upward trend in food prices and she’s none too pleased about it.
“Probably by 25 per cent I noticed, compared to this time last year,” said Shaw.
It’s not just shoppers with the bottom blues. At Berries Market in south London, CEO and President Husam Mohammad said he gets hit with bigger bills from suppliers, which he in turn has no choice but to pass along to consumers.CEO and President of Berries Market, Husam Mohammad, Jan. 25, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell / CTV News)“Which is unbelievable for the customer,” he said. He added that he understands their frustration. “Usually in the market there’s five per cent, 10 per. cent, but for time being sometimes 100 per cent.”
And whether temporary or longer term, some items appear to be in short supply.
A quick tour through a major chain grocery store in London Tuesday revealed a number of nearly empty shelves — something most Ontario shoppers aren’t accustomed to seeing.
Mohammad said the problem is often worse for smaller grocers that don’t have the same buying power as their mega-sized competitors. He said many factors are at play.
“Lot of labour they don’t like to work at this time because of their health. Lines of production going down at a lot of factories. They have two, three lines, they have 50 per cent or less than that, even for Canadian factories too.”
At Brescia University College in London, professor Peggy O’Neil said while it may seem like it, the higher prices didn’t happen over night.
O’Neil, who teaches Food, Leadership and Social Change said the issues affecting food prices and availability have been simmering for some time.Dr. Peggy O'Neil speaks with CTV News London via Zoom, Jan. 25, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell / CTV News)
“Prices of feed were higher for farmers and we saw labour interruptions at processing facilities, as well as increase in wages.
”Further, O’Neil said what we may not always see in shopping cart economics is how food inflation affects those living on a lower income.
“If you’re struggling economically, it already adds another factor, so nutrition is an important factor when food prices do go up. You’ve got to look at food as an investment and not a transaction.”
Back at No Frills, shopper Brandy Shaw said to look for the deals.
“Try to get as many discounts as you can and build up your points and try to buy stuff on sale when you can because it’s going to affect everything.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.