In the era of butter at $8.99 per pound, many Quebecers are compromising on the quality of what they buy at the grocery store. A majority are even worried that all these changes in their basket will harm their health.
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“Inflation makes people feel forced to compromise. It’s unfortunate, but health is also affected,” believes Sylvain Charlebois.
The director of the Agri-Food Analytical Sciences Laboratory at Dalhousie University has just conducted a study of 5,000 Canadians, including 1,237 Quebecers, on this subject.
Two figures stand out: 46% of consumers look at the price of food before the nutritional information and 63% fear that this compromise on nutrition will harm their long-term health.
In Quebec, 50% favor cost over quality and 58% fear that these choices could have harmful impacts on their health.
- Listen to the interview with Marie-Pier Gravel, deputy director of La Bouchée generous on Sophie Durocher’s show via QUB radio :
Worry in the carpet
“The concern is palpable, that’s for sure,” says the researcher.
Arianne Moisan, 28, heaves a big sigh and nods her head when asked if the quality of what she puts in her basket has declined over the past two years.
“It’s clear, we have no choice. It sure worries me,” replied the flight attendant.
Arianne Moisan is worried about seeing the quality of what she puts in her basket diminishing. The 28-year-old flight attendant buys as many fruits and vegetables as before, but she cuts out the rest.
photo julien mcevoy
Mother of a 20-month-old child, she does not skimp on fruits and vegetables, which she buys in as many quantities as before.
“But for the rest, we cut. We eat less meat and almost just chicken and minced meat. It definitely affects the menus,” she says.
People of his generation are the most affected by food inflation, if we rely on the results of the survey.
In Quebec, millennials – born between 1981 and 1996 – are 68% worried about the impacts on their health that all these compromises on food can have.
Those younger than them, the members of Generation Z, are only 38%, compared to 55% for their elders, the baby boomers.
A question of time
52% of Quebecers of all ages also go to discount stores like Maxi and Super C more often over the past 12 months. They are even 38% more likely to go to a $1 store to buy food.
- Listen to the Huot-Durocher meeting with Isabelle Huot, doctor of nutrition via QUB radio :
“People are feeling extremely vulnerable, and it shows. They do what they can with the money they have,” observes Sylvain Charlebois.
In addition to health risks, rising food prices harm the quality of life of Quebecers.
“It takes more time to do everything ourselves, we have to think more. It cuts into other quality time that we could have outside the kitchen,” explains Arianne Moisan.
At 86 years old, Agathe Laflamme only does her grocery shopping once every two weeks. The biggest change that rising food prices led to? Buy less, much less.
photo julien mcevoy
58 years her senior, Agathe Laflamme is part of the great generation, born between 1900 and 1940. The big change for her: buying a lot less food.
“I would waste too much otherwise. Before, it bothered me less, but now, I am very careful,” says the 86-year-old lady.
Mme Laflamme is part of the overwhelming majority: 79% of people surveyed by Sylvain Charlebois’ team say they have considerably reduced food waste over the past year, demonstrating a desire to consume leftovers or reuse ingredients.
“This trend may help explain the observed decline in the volume of food sold by retailers in recent months,” the researcher writes in his report.
In the meat aisle, the trend is easily observed: 50% of people have been buying less meat over the past 12 months.
“It’s the first deal we cut,” says Arianne Moisan.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SURVEY
50% Quebecers say they favor more that a year ago cost versus nutritional value when buying groceries
58% Quebecers say they fear that compromises on nutrition due to high food prices may have harmful effects on their health long-term
For some age groups, this proportion is much higher
- Generation Z (1997-2005) 37.7%
- Millennials (1981-1996) 67.7%
- Generation X (1965-1980) 60.6%
- Baby boomers (1946-1964) 55%
- Over 78 years old (born before 1946) 41%
They are 77%all ages combined, to hope that the government will act to make healthy food more affordable
Survey methodology
Caddle is one of the most credible active panels on the Canadian market. A representative consumer survey was conducted in September 2023, in partnership with Caddle. 5,521 consumers participated in this survey. Margin of error: +/- 2.1%, 19 times out of 20. Any differences in totals are due to rounding.
Disclosure: Funding for the survey was provided by Caddle and Dalhousie University.