Food inflation in Canada hit its fastest year-over-year pace in September since August 1981.

On Wednesday, Statistics Canada reported food prices climbed 11.4 per cent in September from a year ago, which topped 10.8 per cent reported in August.

Cereal products prices increased the most during September (17.9 per cent), followed by coffee and tea (16.4 per cent) and bakery products (14.8 per cent).

From the 11 different food categories tracked by Statistics Canada, eight groups increased by over 10 per cent in September.

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Here’s how much other food categories rose in price:

  • Non-alcoholic beverages increased 14.7 per cent
  • Fresh fruit gained 12.7 per cent
  • Condiments, spices and vinegars rose 12.6 per cent
  • Fresh vegetables were 11.8 per cent more expensive
  • Other food preparations increased 11.7 per cent
  • Dairy products gained 9.7 per cent
  • Meat, fish, seafood and other marine products rose 7.6 per cent

 

FOOD INFLATION IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Canada’s major grocery chains are in the spotlight as many residents continue to struggle with rising grocery costs.

Earlier this week, Loblaw Companies Ltd. announced it would freeze prices on No Name products, which offers more than 1,500 grocery items. The company said the cost halt would last until Jan. 31.

Metro Inc. added that it won’t be accepting price increases from its suppliers over the next three months.

“It is an industry practice to have a price freeze from November 1 to February 5 for all private label and national brand grocery products and this will be the case in all of METRO banners (in Ontario, Metro, Food Basics Ltd., Marché Adonis),” a Metro spokesperson said in a statement to BNN Bloomberg over email.

“There may be a few price increases received prior to October 31 that will appear on the shelf, but no price increases thereafter.”

This comes at a time when Canada’s big three supermarket chains face a parliamentary inquiry.

The House of Commons agriculture committee voted on Oct. 5 to call on the grocery chains’ chief executive officers to testify on why “the cost of groceries [is] going up, while large chains are making profits.”