Charlebois Says Rising Canadian Food Prices Push 45.5 Per Cent to Prioritize Affordability

Rising Canadian food prices are forcing a clear trade-off: 45.5 per cent of shoppers now say affordability comes before nutrition or taste, according to Dalhousie University’s spring 2026 Canadian Food Sentiment Index. The survey found the average Canadian is paying almost $23 more a month for food than a year ago.

Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab and co-author of the report, said shoppers are responding by leaning harder on discounts and making more trips to grocery stores. For households already tracking every bill, that means food decisions are being made less by preference and more by the shelf price in front of them.

3,000 Respondents In Dalhousie Survey

3,000 people were surveyed every six months for the Canadian Food Sentiment Index, giving the report a broad read on how shoppers think about food prices and grocery behavior. The spring 2026 result puts affordability well ahead of nutrition, which drew about 25 per cent, and taste, which sat at about 15 to 18 per cent.

81 per cent of respondents said food was the price that increased the most over the past 12 months, far ahead of utilities at about 30 per cent. That gap shows where the pressure is landing: food is still the most visible household cost, and shoppers are naming it before other recurring bills.

$23 More a Month

Almost $23 more per month is enough to force a change in store habits, and Charlebois said people are seeing more discount banners in the market as they shop more often. His quote captured the shift directly: “So people are prioritizing affordability and you’re seeing in the market, there are more discount banners out there and people are actually visiting grocery stores more often, which is a good sign, but it’s more work” — Sylvain Charlebois.

18.6 per cent of respondents now believe food price inflation could increase by more than 10 per cent over the next 12 months, down from 28.5 per cent in spring 2025. Another 30.7 per cent expect inflation to rise closer to five to seven per cent, showing expectations have eased even as the current bill remains higher.

Spring 2025 To Spring 2026

4.4 per cent was the year-over-year increase in food prices from stores cited in the source context, which helps explain why the average shopper is still paying more even after expectations cooled. The practical signal for households is simple: the hunt for lower-priced items is no longer a temporary response, but part of the weekly grocery routine.