Majority of Canadians willing to pay more for local food amid U.S. trade tensions: Survey

A new poll shows six of 10 Canadians will spend more on Canadian groceries. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell has more.

A new national survey suggests Canadians are showing strong support for homegrown food, even if it means paying more at the checkout.

According to Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, 60.8 per cent of respondents said they are willing to pay five to 10 per cent more for Canadian-grown produce, dairy or meat over American alternatives.

The findings come amid growing trade tensions with the U.S. and increasing consumer interest in the origins of their food.

“These numbers signal a clear patriotic tilt in Canadian grocery aisles,” said Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab.

“With nearly two-thirds of Canadians willing to spend more for homegrown food, the ‘Buy Canadian’ movement is not just symbolic — it’s a consumer-driven strategy in the face of geopolitical risk.”

The national survey conducted in late March polled more than 9,700 Canadians. Charlebois said the results mark a shift in grocery behaviour that is both emotional and strategic.

“61 per cent of Canadians are actually willing to buy Canadian despite higher prices — and it is a result that we’ve never seen before,” he said.

Loblaw’s recent introduction of a “T” label — used to mark products impacted by trade-related tariffs — has also been widely noticed. The survey found that 61 per cent of Canadians support the initiative.

“People seem to be appreciative of the transparency and the fact that some grocers are telling Canadians that some counter tariffs are impacting food prices,” Charlebois said.

“The push to ask grocers to de-Americanize the grocery store is so grand that grocers have no other choice but to procure food elsewhere.”

However, Charlebois warned that trust in grocery retailers is fragile—and must be handled with care.

“One thing that should be of great concern for grocers is the fact that not many people actually trust grocers not to take advantage of what’s happening right now,” he said.

“Yes, they’re willing to buy Canadian, but don’t exaggerate, don’t abuse, don’t take advantage of me as a consumer. I think that’s kind of the message that Canadians are sending right now.”

Still, he cautioned that the patriotic trend may not hold if inflation returns.

“We do expect food inflation to become a problem again,” he said.

“And as soon as that happens, I suspect that people will go back to discount buying.”

At Fred’s Farm Fresh International Market in Windsor, Ont., owner Fred Bouside said he’s already seeing the shift in purchasing habits.

“I’m seeing that with our strawberries,” he said.

“Canadian strawberries — and right now they’re quite expensive — they’re still buying. They’re not moving as much, for example, as California, because California was showing at $2 and Canadian right now is $5.99. But they’re still selling, and people are buying them, and they’re looking for options as opposed to American products.”

For Bouside, the movement is about more than just economics.

“It makes us feel good, and it makes the customer feel good, and they’re trying,” he said.

“You know what I mean? What are we going to do? It’s a crazy world.”