Food inflation rate reaches 40-year high, forcing Maritimers to modify buying habits

The price of food purchases from Canadian stores was up 9.7 per cent in April compared to last year, making it the largest increase since September 1981.

Some Nova Scotians say it's easy to see the negative impacts inflation is having on their bank account. 

“I got four bags (of groceries) and it cost me $90 and I didn’t buy any meat at all,” said Halifax resident Jocelyne Doucette.

Despite the increase in food costs, there appears to be no relief from the inflation and it’s hurting the customers - especially those already struggling to make ends meet.

Doucette says she's had to adjust her spending habits and diet, like cutting out buying red meat altogether.

“I always ate red meat,” she said. “A nice big steak.”

Compared to a year ago, Statistics Canada says the cost of fresh fruit was up 10 per cent, fresh vegetables gained 8.2 per cent and meat rose 10.1 per cent. The cost of bread rose 12.2 per cent, while pasta gained 19.6 per cent and rice added 7.4 per cent.

“It means your disposable income is going to shrink because more of it is now going towards food,” said Janet Music, a Dalhousie University food industry researcher.

Music says supply issues and labour shortages are driving up the cost of food. She also points to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a factor.

The skyrocketing price of oil and gas has directly impacted food inflation as well.

Music suggests an answer to that might be to shorten the supply chain and manufacture more food here at home.

“We do get a lot of our food from global trading partners,” said Music. “And manufacturing in Atlantic Canada has gone down significantly.”

Music says there is a role government can play in all of this, but adds there’s no short-term solution to inflation.

She says it could be quicker for the major food suppliers to step up and help ease some of the impacts by offering more food discounts inside the store and bringing forward more food coupon programs to offer more savings back to customers.