Windsor grocer says climbing prices hurt sellers and buyers alike

Grocery prices not set to drop A new report predicts grocery prices won’t be going down soon. Travis Fortnum checks in with shoppers stocking up for the long weekend.

For more than a decade, Fred Bouzide has owned a grocery store in the city of Windsor.

He says when it comes to costs, nothing’s compared to the past year.

“It’s been tough,” says Bouzide.

Fred’s Farm Fresh, on Huron Church Road, sees a steady stream of loyal customers — even as food prices soar.

He theorizes transportation and labour shortages are driving prices up.

“Every week we’re changing our signs and our prices,” says Bouzide.

“Something comes in one day, a week later it’s up five or 10 per cent.”

He says the store tries to offer what specials they can, but “can’t cut quality” — facing markups when bringing in stock just as customers do when walking the aisles.

“We come out with two bags and it’ll be a hundred bucks,” says Tom Bauer, a shopper at Fred’s Thursday.

“Everything’s doubled in the last little while.”

Bauer says he’s devoting his time this summer to growing what produce he can this summer — as friends take up couponing or search for other ways to cut back.

“The extra things are becoming luxuries again.”

A Dalhousie-led report released this week warns shoppers are unlikely to see any relief at the checkout this year — with food prices set to go up another five to seven per cent.

Fred’s shoppers ask: what are you going to do about it?

“It doesn’t make you feel good but you get used to it after a while,” says Anna Iannetta.

Fred himself says: you gotta eat.

“You can stop drinking, smoking maybe cut some things out… but we all need groceries,” Bouzide