According to a report released on Wednesday by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, Canadians are increasingly prioritizing cheaper food options over considering the nutritional value of their groceries. This shift in shopping habits comes as a result of more than a year of high food inflation, which has made trips to the grocery store more expensive.
The survey conducted by Caddle in September of over 5,500 Canadians reveals that 64.1% of respondents have changed their grocery shopping habits in the past year, with 86.4% now being more price-conscious. Additionally, 45.5% of Canadians are now prioritizing cost over nutritional value when grocery shopping to a greater extent than last year. However, around three in five Canadians express concerns about compromising on nutrition due to high costs and worry about the long-term impact on their health.
Sylvain Charlebois, the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, finds this concerning. He states, “There are a lot of people out there who feel vulnerable when they go to the grocery store.” While it is possible to eat well and save money simultaneously, the current inflationary environment has created a “frugal market” where Canadians are prioritizing price over nutritional information.
The survey also reveals that lower-income Canadians and millennials are most likely to make trade-offs due to food inflation. Lower-income respondents are more likely to prioritize cost over nutrition, and millennials express the most concerns about the trade-offs between nutrition and cost. This demographic is particularly affected by higher food prices as they are starting families and have young mouths to feed.
In addition to compromising on nutrition, Canadians are also changing where and how they shop. Three out of five shoppers have visited discount stores more frequently in the past year, about half say they have bought from supermarkets more often, and 47.3% report shopping at dollar stores more than last year.
Furthermore, due to higher costs, almost half (49.2%) of respondents have reduced the amount of meat or other protein sources they buy. However, shoppers are wasting less food at home compared to a year ago (79.1% of respondents), and almost half (49.7%) have considered growing their own food to offset costs.
To stretch their food dollar further, Canadians are adopting various strategies such as visiting the grocery store more frequently to take advantage of last-minute deals (52.8% of shoppers have explored using “food-rescue” apps) and actively seeking out marked-down foods with shorter shelf lives (41.4% of shoppers are looking for “enjoy tonight” deals).
Sylvain Charlebois suggests that how often shoppers should go to the store to save money depends on the individual’s situation. Going every two or three days allows for more deal-hunting, but this option is typically only feasible for those who live near a grocery store. Buying in bulk is another option to save money in the long run, although it requires upfront costs and ample storage space.
Overall, the report sheds light on Canadians’ changing shopping habits driven by the rising cost of living and high food inflation. Canadians are now prioritizing cheaper food options and making trade-offs between cost and nutrition. It remains to be seen how these shifts will continue to impact the grocery industry in the future.
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