Canadians believe grocery chains are profiteering from food inflation and pushing prices higher unnecessarily, according to a Caddle survey conducted by Dalhousie University.. Grocery Store Fruits and Vegetables .Many experts believe some profiteering is a reality in parts of the industry, and not just in food retail. Food inflation is a worldwide phenomenon, and Canada has the third lowest food inflation rate within the G7 and EU (9.7% for February 2023), after Japan (7.5%) and the United States (9.5%)..The Competition Bureau is studying the food industry and will table its report in June. Currently, the House of Commons Standing Committee in Agriculture and Agri-Food is investigating food inflation, hearing from experts and the CEOs of top major grocery chains in Canada. Metro, Loblaws and Empire/Sobeys testified March 8, while Walmart testified March 27..Working with Caddle, Dalhousie surveyed 9,884 respondents across Canada at the end of March on whether Canadians believed the CEOs and what factors they believe contributed most to food inflation..Dalhousie found only 35% of Canadians were following proceedings. Of Canadians who did, only 32.9% felt grocers were either very convincing or convincing during testimonies. The majority remained unconvinced. Only 24.7% felt grocers were transparent and forthcoming enough about the data they shared.."Grocers may stock their shelves with the freshest produce and finest goods, but without the trust of their consumers, their offerings [will not sway consumers],” said Janet Music, research associate at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University..“Their business is largely misunderstood by the Canadian public. For grocers, transparency, ethics, and sustainability will be even more critical moving forward.”.A total of 30.3% of Canadians think price gouging is the main reason food prices have been rising in Canada recently, followed by 29.9% who believe inflation or monetary and fiscal policies are the biggest factor. Quebec (36.1) and Saskatchewan (32.1%) are the only provinces that made the latter their first choice..Preferred solutions varied. While 46.6% would appreciate more price freezes, 44.2% expect more transparency related to food sales specifically. While 36.4% of respondents wish loyalty programs would be more generous, a total of 33.4% of respondents would like more competition in Canada..As for what governments should do, 44% of respondents believe governments should intervene and regulate the price of some staples at the grocery store. Only 19.1% believe government should implement a windfall tax. This would be a tax on unexpected profits or gains that are not part of a company's normal business operations. A total of 4.5% of Canadians believe the government should create a crown corporation and start its own grocery chain.. Groceries .The survey asked about a proposed Grocery Code of Conduct floated by Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. The code would diminish the influence of some major grocers and help independent grocers and processors. Roughly one-third of Canadians were aware of a grocery code, and of these, 68.1% were supportive. Support was strongest in Nova Scotia (76.5%) and lowest in Manitoba (64.2%).."The Grocery Code of Conduct is not just a set of rules, it's a lifeline for Canadian shoppers,” said Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University..“It ensures fair pricing, transparency, consistency, and accountability from retailers, giving consumers the peace of mind they deserve when purchasing their groceries.”.In the 1974 federal election, Pierre Trudeau mocked a 90-day wage and price control proposed by Conservative Leader Robert Stanfield..“Zap! You’re frozen!” Trudeau quipped..After winning the election, Trudeau imposed the policy for years. The 1975 Inflation Control Act limited pay increases for federal public employees and those in companies with more than 500 employees to 10% in the first year, 8% the next, and 6% thereafter. The Anti-Inflation Board set wages and prices. The controls were enforced until 1978. The act was repealed in 1979, though limits on public sector pay increases continued until 1982..The Supreme Court declared the law constitutional in 1976.
