Advertisement
Canadians feel grocery inflation is getting worse, and 18% are boycotting Loblaw, according to a new poll.
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
A new Leger survey found that almost 30% of Canadians believe food inflation has been primarily caused by grocery stores trying to increase profit margins. Another 26% think it’s mostly due to global economic factors, while one in five blame the federal government.
Inflation on groceries was 1.4% in April and helped drive overall inflation lower to 2.7%, Statistics Canada said.
However, even low inflation still means prices are going up. And over the past three years, grocery prices have risen 21.4%, according to the agency.
The major grocers have said they did not unduly profit from inflation, amid political and public pressure over the rising cost of food and other necessities.
A group of consumers organized a boycott of Loblaw-owned stores in May over frustrations with higher prices and industry concentration.
Seven out of 10 Canadians polled said they are aware of the ongoing boycott, and 58% said they support it, but only 18% say that they or someone in their household have joined the boycott.
The poll highlights rural and urban residents’ differing views on the boycott, and suggests it’s more difficult for those living outside an urban area to participate in a boycott of Loblaw-owned grocery stores.
Urban residents polled by Leger were more likely to say they support the boycott than suburban and rural residents, and were more likely to be participating in it as well.
About half of Canadians say it seems unfair that the boycott targets only Loblaw, and almost two-thirds of respondents don’t think the boycott will have an effect on grocery prices. Urban residents were more likely to say they think the boycott will help lower prices, with almost three-quarters of rural Canadians polled saying they think the boycott won’t impact prices.
For those taking part in the boycott, 40% say they are turning to a “big box grocery store” such as Costco or Walmart, 31% said they are turning to another national grocery chain like Sobeys or Save on Foods, and 23% said they are shopping at an independent local grocery store.
Rural boycott participants were more likely to be shopping at an independent store than participants in urban and suburban areas.
Leger surveyed 1,519 Canadians between May 17 and May 19, asking about grocery inflation, the Loblaw boycott and grocers’ profits. Online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
Newsletter
Share this article Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Share on Reddit Share on Email
Here’s how to get your free ticket to attend two MoneyShow virtual expos.
If you’re one of the many Canadians looking for Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts, here’s how to know...
A new Desjardins report predicts rent inflation will slow in the next few years.
High demand has made it challenging to get tickets for Taylor Swift and other big artists in Canada, and...
The oilsands giant will return all excess cash to shareholders after hitting debt target early.
Shopify reports third-quarter net income of USD$828 million, and its executives aren’t concerned about how Trump’s election win will...
Experts say Donald Trump’s promised policies risk higher inflation and could weigh on the Canadian dollar.
The U.S. election made the market go up—for now. Is volatility keeping you up at night? Here are some...
Get rich quick or risky business? Options trading is accessible but not for everyone.
The former U.S. president’s second election victory sparks concerns over a ripple effect on the Canadian economy.
There is absolutely no question that Loblaws has profited tremendously from increasing its food prices. Consumers can handle this easily in large cities by heading to competitors. Costco, yes, Walmart no. Walmart is also guilty of increasing its food prices. Keep it up, Loblaws and Walmart. You will only lose customers but also entice foreign competitors wo have already entered the US market.
I wonder why the Liberal/Lefties never consider that their failed policies make this situation much worse.
Instead, they blame and attack the grocery stores with more of their divisive BS.
Having a carbon tax is largely responsible for price increases. Every step of production, shipping, distribution is made more expensive with the damned tax. It’s not the retailers, it’s not the producers, it’s your government.