As shoppers face soaring food prices at the grocery store, the cost of groceries is set to climb even more in 2023. But despite the increasing prices, vendors at the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market are doing their best to help mitigate the pressure
According to Canada’s Food Price Report, which was released this week, an average family of four will spend more than $16,000 this year on food
Compared to last year, that’s an extra $1,065
The price of fruit is expected to rise between three and five per cent, seafood will jump between four and six per cent, meat and dairy will jump between five and seven per cent, while vegetables will see the biggest increase of all of between six and eight per cent
“2022 was hard [and] 2023 is still hard,” said Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. “A lot of people are struggling right now walking into the grocery store paying for food.”
Over at the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market, various products are for sale, and one of the most popular vendors is providing the staples
“We’re a family business. So it’s all family members that work. So for example, all 60,000 onions that we plant we pulled them all by hand,” explained Chantelle Bouchard
Bouchard Gardens in Harrow does this for all of its produce, which is a personal touch from the family farm — and after 15 years at the downtown farmers market, they know a thing or two about how to keep customers happy.
“We keep our prices the same all season long…you know where the food comes from, you know what you’re buying, where it was, where it was grown, and you’re supporting local — you’re keeping the money in the economy,” she said
That factor is more important than ever before
Charlebois said if inflation eases, food inflation could follow suit
The food report – which he co-authored – suggests it will drop between five and seven per cent by mid-summer, and that could bring Canadians some much needed relief
“Are food prices going to drop? No. But with a lower food inflation rate as a consumer you should expect more deals, more breaks. It’s easier for [the] entire industry to organize and plan, [and] that’s really the most important factor right now,” he said
