{"id":994804,"date":"2022-09-29T15:19:16","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T19:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/?p=994804"},"modified":"2026-04-14T22:26:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:26:23","slug":"food-prices-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/savings-accounts\/food-prices-in-canada","title":{"rendered":"Food prices in Canada for 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grocery shopping is a jaw-clenching, budget-busting experience these days. Even when you shop the sales and scan the flyers, food shopping is expensive.<\/p>

According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household spent $10,265 on food in 2019.<\/strong>(1)<\/a><\/sup> Even with shortages during the pandemic lockdowns, Canadian families still spent less on groceries. Based on Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household now spends $14,767<\/strong> on groceries in 2022 \u2014 a whopping 36% increase in just three years. (2)<\/a><\/sup><\/p>

Why is food so expensive in Canada in 2023?<\/h3>

There are many factors that impact food prices in Canada \u2014 from rising interest rates to supply-chain bottlenecks to consumer preferences and the push for corporate profits.<\/p>

\u201cThe astonishing price discrepancies observed among different stores highlight the need for improved monitoring and vigilance,\u201d explains University of New Brunswick, Department of Economics Associate Professor, Murshed Chowdhury. \u201cIn many instances, the price increases may stem from inadequate monitoring and a lack of corporate social responsibility. To determine whether these policies are driven by demand or supply factors, the Bank of Canada could employ surveys as a means of obtaining clear insights.\u201d<\/p>

At Finder, our aim is to help you make better money decisions, so we dug into the factors that impact food prices in Canada. To help illustrate the growing grocery prices, here are 13 food inflation statistics:<\/strong><\/p>

Food prices in Canada: 13 key statistics<\/h3>

5% <\/b><\/strong><\/b> \u2014 Average food inflation between 2020 and 2021, across Canada<\/strong> (3)<\/a><\/sup>
$14,767 <\/b><\/strong><\/b> \u2014 Average annual food costs, per household, in 2022<\/strong> (4)<\/a><\/sup>
70%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 The typical grocery bill increase between 2000 and 2020<\/b> (5)<\/a><\/sup>
23%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Average year-over-year price increase for cannabis products<\/b> (6)<\/a><\/sup>
13.2%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Average year-over-year price increase for fresh fruit<\/b> (7)<\/a><\/sup>
6.5%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Average year-over-year price increase for meat<\/b> (8)<\/a><\/sup>
26.9%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 The portion of a food budget spent on eating out<\/b> (9)<\/a><\/sup>
$560<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Typical per kilogram weight-loss cost, based on the cheapest popular diet <\/b> (10)<\/a><\/sup>
$1,962.51<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Per person average annual cost of eating dinner out<\/b> (11)<\/a><\/sup>
1 in 4<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Canadian shoppers will continue online grocery shopping<\/b> (12)<\/a><\/sup>
$29.8<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 How much the Canadian fast food industry is worth in 2022 in billions of dollars<\/b> (13)<\/a><\/sup>
1.5%<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 GDP contribution from restaurants, bars and caterers in Canada, as of 2019<\/b> (14)<\/a><\/sup>
$1,300<\/b><\/strong> \u2014 Cost of the food waste the typical Canadian household throws away, each year<\/b> (15)<\/a><\/sup><\/p>

What is food inflation and is it the same as rising food prices?<\/h4>

Food inflation:<\/strong> The progressive increase in the value of all food goods.
Food price rise:<\/strong> The increase in the price of a product at the retail level.<\/p><\/div><\/article>

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By the end of 2021 and going into 2022, the general inflation rate was the highest it has been since the most recent peak in the early 2000s, right after the dot-com bubble burst.<\/p>

According to data collected by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, the lead author and project lead for the Dalhousie University\u2019s Food Price Report<\/em>, food inflation outpaced general inflation over the last 20 years \u2014 with a typical grocery bill increasing by 70% between 2000 and 2020<\/strong>. (16)<\/a><\/sup><\/p>

So, what is causing food inflation in Canada? Increased food prices are due, in part, to:<\/p>

  • Higher fuel and transportation costs<\/li>
  • Labour market challenges<\/li>
  • On-going supply chain issues<\/li>
  • Impact of climate change<\/li>
  • Prolonged food insecurity<\/li>
  • Higher living expenses, in particular, high housing costs throughout Canada<\/li><\/ul>

    Unfortunately, the factors causing food inflation in Canada didn\u2019t pop up when the pandemic hit in early 2019. Research from Dalhousie University analysts found that food inflation in Canada began well before the pandemic stressed supply chains and prompted staple shortages. According to data from Dalhousie University, Canada\u2019s median income grew 6.6% between 2015 and 2019 <\/strong>but national average food expenditure increased by 16.3% <\/strong>during the same time-frame. (17)<\/a><\/sup> Even before the pandemic hit and before the rapid increase in pricing in 2022, Canadians were already allocating a larger portion of their income to higher grocery prices. (18)<\/a><\/sup><\/p>

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