Canadians cut back on groceries, while stores deal with the leftovers
Once a week, Becky Yeh makes dinner for her son.
The rest of the time, the Calgary senior is cooking for one.
"I cook only for myself so the choice is not much," she said as she loaded groceries into her car outside the Centre Street Safeway.
"Lunchtime is a salad and then at night it's only a small portion of fish and bowl of vegetables. I usually make fresh vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower."
But like many other Canadians, Yeh is noticing how much more those vegetables cost.
In fact, pretty much all groceries are going up and people are struggling to cover that bill.
A new Nanos research poll says 61 per cent of Canadians are buying cheaper food, 25 per cent are stockpiling when they find deals and 17 per cent are simply eating less.
The survey asked more than 1,000 Canadians if their household had used a cost-saving option in the past month in response to the price of food.
"People don't have a lot of discretionary income," said Simon Somogyi, an expert in food business and retail at the University of Guelph. "They are trying to survive when everything is increasing so rapidly around them – prices increased by 11 per cent in the past 12 months."
That's also raising concerns about the potential for more waste.
Fresh food won't wait for people who can't afford it, meaning more may be thrown out at the store.
For the last year, staff at Calgary Co-op have spent every morning pulling all the food hitting its best-before date off the shelves.
It's then donated to local food banks, which are also seeing a growing demand.
"It's not only produce – it's also deli, frozen foods, dairy, meat, you name it," said Sage Pullen-Macintosh with Co-op.
"We are able to provide a lot of product – we just hit over a million pounds of food given to the food bank since we launched the program."
Sobeys/Safeway and Loblaws both have similar food surplus donation programs and other groups are also redirecting soon-to-expire produce.
Spud.ca users can buy the food at a deep discount while Loop Resource directs unsold food to local farms to feed animals.
In the meantime, Yeh says she found a way around paying more – she's eating less.
"When you get older, your appetite is not so big," she said. "I'm too old right now – I'm only eating small portions anyway."
METHODOLOGY
Nanos Research is a public opinion research firm.
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,084 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between Oct. 30 and Nov. 4 as part of an omnibus survey. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land- and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.
Individuals were randomly called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs.
The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.
Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
(With files from CTVNews.ca)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.