While shoppers saw grocery costs fall by 3.6 per cent in July, surging protein prices offset those savings, according to new data. Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab’s latest GroceryPulse report found the national 50-item food basket increased by 0.3 per cent between June and July, even though 30 of the 50 products tracked saw prices decline. The report found the following basket categories declined: The rise was largely driven by a 6.5 per cent increase in the meat and fish category, with bacon prices jumping 28.9 per cent, Atlantic salmon increasing 25.8 per cent and pork loin chops climbing 24.2 per cent. “This is primarily a protein-volatility story, not evidence of broad-based food inflation,” said Sylvain Charlebois said, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in a news release. “Bacon, salmon and pork rose rapidly, while chicken breast became substantially cheaper. Consumers are therefore seeing very different price signals within the same department.” Frozen products were the only category other than meat and fish to increase, rising by 2.8 per cent. The report looked at prices in 13 Canadian cities, with seven seeing an increase in their 50-item basket and six seeing a decrease. St. John’s saw the largest dip at 4.2 per cent and Halifax came in second at 3.6 per cent. “Regional variation remains one of the most important features of Canada’s grocery market,” said Charlebois. “A national average can be useful, but it does not necessarily reflect what consumers are experiencing locally. In July, households in Quebec City and St. John’s faced almost opposite price movements.” Charlottetown recorded the highest July basket at $318.48, with the average coming in at $298.38.
