“Amid increasing food costs in Canada, the grocery sector has become the focal point in food price conversations,” says Jeewani Fernando, provincial consumer market analyst with the Alberta government. “The situation has prompted a parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food to study grocery affordability and the Canadian Competition Bureau to study the retail grocery market and competition.”
In addition, the federal government recently demanded leading grocery retailers in the country change their food product pricing practices. Canada’s Office of Consumer Affairs has also established the Grocery Task Force, a dedicated team with a focus on the retail sector.
Meanwhile, representatives from grocery retail and food and consumer product manufacturing have worked together over the last 2 years to jointly develop a Grocery Code of Conduct. This code promotes predictability, transparency and fair dealing as products make their way from suppliers to stores, and ultimately to Canadians’ homes.
“With so much happening in the grocery sector, it is important to understand the grocery landscape in Canada and Alberta. The information may help Alberta agri-food producers, processors, retailers and consumers better understand the grocery sector and make informed decisions.”