For Canadian shoppers, inflation on groceries is up 10.8% compared to last year

Shoppers may have noticed their grocery bills getting higher and higher over the last year.

Statistics Canada shows the reason is because prices are up by 10.8 per cent.

Global News talked to a few consumers who said they have noticed the price increases in their food products.

“Might as well take a mortgage out on your house to buy groceries,” said shopper Ray Fayant.

For groups like CHEP Good Food Inc. who buy food locally and then provide services for schools, seniors and community members experiencing poverty, the effects on pricing and contracts make business tight.

“We have to continuously be creative on how we’re going to raise funds for purchase,” said Executive Director Gord Androsoff.

Statistics Canada also showed inflation rose faster last month than in any August since 1981.

Global news asked consumers if that surprised them.

“It’s unreal. You just go get a few things and you go broke,” said Fayant.

Another consumer, Carol Hupaelo, said she has always used points systems to save money on her groceries, but seeing the spike in prices is still a concern.

“It is sometimes like a shock though when you go in the grocery store and when you actually look at how much things have increased,” said Hupaleo.

“I was a teenager in the ’80s and it was crazy then but I’ve noticed it’s gotten way, way, way worse,” said another shopper, Chris Lavallie.

Dalhousie University asked 5,000 Canadians if they have changed their grocery shopping due to prices, and many have.

Results showed more than 30 per cent are using loyalty points more often or switching up their habits.

“We’ve just been changing our diet and buying what’s on sale and just doing what we can to save pennies,” said Lavallie.

More than 15 per cent started growing their own food, and almost 20 per cent of Canadians have visited discount stores.

“You can see that Canadians are adopting new ways and they’re committing to a new strategy clearly,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

Charlebois added that the number of Canadians struggling to put food on the table is alarming.