Illustration by Kat Frick Miller
Sylvain Charlebois wants Canadians to pay closer attention to their grocery bills. From sale items that ring up at the wrong price, to meats and prepackaged produce that are weighed incorrectly, he says many shoppers may not realize they are paying more than they should.
As a professor at Dalhousie University, Charlebois has spent his career researching food distribution, security and safety. He has studied topics such as the 2008 listeria outbreak at Maple Leaf Foods and the socio-economic significance of independent grocers in Canada. He is also the director of Dalhousie’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, a global hub for research on fisheries, agriculture, aquaculture and food.
All of this has made him an expert on groceries and led to him hosting the Food Professor Podcast. He now considers a grocery store a laboratory. With each trip, he says he studies the prices and looks for new items stocking the shelves.
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In March, Charlebois commented on the rise in cottage cheese prices – up from about $3.20 in 2020 to over $5 a tub today – as it became a popular high-protein product on TikTok.
The trend of increasing prices extends beyond cottage cheese and buzzy items. Food inflation remains one of Canadians’ biggest concerns, Charlebois says. According to Statistics Canada’s latest Consumer Price Index, inflation rose to 3.2 per cent in May, while food inflation reached 3.8 per cent.
Food inflation has outpaced the overall inflation rate for 15 consecutive months, Charlebois says. The Liberal government announced plans in June to spend more than $1-billion over the next decade through its National Food Security Strategy to strengthen Canada’s food supply and address rising prices. But Charlebois says Ottawa still lacks a clear vision for tackling food inflation.
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Without a stronger response, he says, Canadians with the least financial flexibility will bear the brunt of higher grocery prices, whether by cutting back on fresh foods or taking on debt to cover the cost of eating.
“Investments in processing capacity, greenhouse production, logistics infrastructure and internal trade are all worthwhile objectives. But despite its title, this is not really a food security strategy,” he says. “A strategy requires a clear vision, measurable objectives and a long-term commitment. What Ottawa has unveiled is better described as a collection of investments.”
At his home in Halifax, where he and his wife typically shop for themselves and their son – while occasionally stocking up for visits from his three other children and their families – Charlebois says the members of his household have become savvy grocery shoppers.
He also double-checks his receipts to ensure his items are scanned correctly. Under the Scanner Price Accuracy Code, retailers must compensate customers when an item scans at a higher price than advertised by providing the product free if it costs less than $10, or discounting it by $10 if it exceeds that price threshold.
“By not checking it, a lot of people leave money on the table,” he says.
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How I save money on groceries: We’re not married to any store, and by keeping our options open, we’re able to shop around for the best deal. We go out of our way to go to independents because I find that they have good deals on produce.
How I splurge on groceries: Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, honey and maple syrup. I’ll buy those no matter the price, because everyone in our family really enjoys them.
The hardest habit to keep up: We try to make dinners together mandatory in our house, and on top of that, we have a no-phone mandate at dinner.
How I’ve changed my eating habits recently: I used to really enjoy desserts such as cake and pies, and we ate them often. But we’ve cut down on that.
Five items always in our cart
- Plain Greek yogurt – President’s Choice – $6 for 750 grams: For me, heaven is Greek yogurt with mixed nuts. My wife buys nuts in bulk and puts them in a bucket so we can easily put them on our Greek yogurt and top that with maple syrup.
- Pickles – Bick’s – $6.49: Pickles are really big in our house because they work well on the side of pretty much anything, including barbecued meats (which I usually cook).
- Rotisserie chicken – Kirkland – $7.99: There’s no way you can beat the price of Costco’s rotisserie chicken. It’s a great price, and easy to throw together with a salad and some sides for an easy meal.
- Camembert – Castello – $8.49: We’re big cheese people. The brand varies. We usually buy our cheeses from Pete’s Market. They have an amazing cheese counter with European cheeses.
- Gala apples – $7.49 for a 3-pound bag: I eat apples every day. I enjoy the taste. They’re a delicious treat and of course, high in fibre and nutrients.
