Nine out of 10 (89%) parents with children under 13 say they have changed their food shopping habits as a result of increased prices. Three in five (60%) said they had shifted to cheaper supermarket brands, and three in 10 (30%) said they were cutting back on alcohol.
Meanwhile, only two in five parents who do not have young children (42%) have moved to less expensive brands. And only one in four (24%) said they were drinking less.
Very few people in Saskatchewan (53%), Manitoba (53%) and Atlantic Canada (56%) say it is too difficult to feed their families.
As inflation continues to strain Canada’s household finances, grocery bills add to financial concerns. However, the coming year is not expected to be any different. Rising food prices have already strained Canadians’ wallets.
Statistics Canada reported in January that grocery bills had risen 6.5% last year, the fastest rate since 2009. Many Canadians have modified their food-buying habits to adapt to rising food prices.
