Food Prices Yet to ‘Stabilize’ Despite Assurances From Ottawa: StatCan Figures

The price of groceries has yet to stabilize despite assurances from Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne that costs would go down shortly after Thanksgiving. Mr. Champagne, who met with executives from Loblaws, Metro, Empire, Walmart, and Costco last September, promised a “plan by Thanksgiving” with grocery prices to “stabilize” shortly thereafter. Statistics Canada figures released Jan. 3 told a different story. The report showed that of the 110 food items tracked through grocers’ check-outs across the country, only 47 saw minimal price declines between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30. Of the 47 tracked items that decreased in cost, many had modest price drops like a one-cent savings on bananas which went from $1.68 to $1.67 per kilogram on average, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. Other minuscule savings included a one-cent drop on ground coffee, a two-cent decrease on toothpaste, and a three-cent reduction on frozen broccoli....