More Shoppers Focused on Cost, Not Nutrition Due to Rising Grocery Prices: Survey

A woman carries bags of groceries from an IGA store in Montreal in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

More than three in five Canadians are concerned that they are compromising on nutrition because of high food prices and could suffer long-term health consequences as a result, according to a new survey.

Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab provided The Epoch Times with a report on Oct. 4 that examined how Canadians are being affected by rising food prices, using data compiled by survey company Caddle in September.

More than 5,000 Canadians were surveyed on a variety of grocery shopping habits, and 64.1 percent reported they had substantially altered their behaviour. A majority (86.4 percent) said they now consider themselves more price-conscious compared to one year ago, and more than 55.1 percent said they were using more cost-saving methods than 12 months previously, including using coupons (74.8 percent), apps (52.8 percent), loyalty programs (79.2 percent), and comparing flyers.

Over 40 percent of Canadians said they were actively shopping for “enjoy tonight” discount deals, and 49.7 percent said they had considered growing their own food to help deal with food inflation.

The survey also asked Canadians where they are shopping, with 59.3 percent of shoppers now reporting they are more likely to visit a discount store, with another 47 percent stating they have increased their visits to dollar stores to save on grocery expenses. A little more than 18 percent are going to farmers’ markets, while 17 percent reported using online transactions for food purchases over the last year.

Private store labels are also gaining popularity over name brands as Canadians try to become more frugal. More than 63 percent are now more likely to buy generic brands over national brands compared to one year ago, to try and save money.

Increasing grocery bills are influencing what Canadians shop for as well, with almost half of respondents (49.2 percent) reporting they are buying less meat or protein sources due to surging food costs.

“While 45.5 percent of Canadians prioritize cost over nutritional value when grocery shopping, a larger proportion than last year, 63.3 percent of Canadians are apprehensive that compromising on nutrition due to high food prices may have adverse long-term effects on their health,” the report said.

“Millennials [born 1981–1996] have the highest percentage (68.7%) of respondents expressing concern about compromising nutrition due to high food prices, making them the generation most concerned about the potential health impacts of prioritizing cost,” said Sylvain Charlebois, head of the Agri-Food Lab, on Oct. 4.

The oldest Canadians, those in the Greatest Gen (born 1900–1945), are the most likely, at 54.7 percent, to prioritize cost over nutritional value. Boomers (born 1946–1964) are the least likely, at 34.6 percent, to prioritize cost over nutritional value when grocery shopping.

By province, there are also variations in how Canadians are approaching their trips to the grocery store. For example, shoppers in New Brunswick and Alberta are more inclined to prioritize saving money over nutritional value, but those in Alberta and B.C. are most worried about the health implications of not prioritizing nutrition. Those who earn higher incomes are less likely to worry about cost over nutrition.