Under pressure from high food prices, a new survey shows almost half of Canadians are prioritizing the cost of their groceries instead of nutrition.
The results from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab in Halifax and the consumer data company Caddle found that 45.5 per cent of those surveyed are placing a greater emphasis on cost, rather than nutritional value, when it comes to the food they buy.
At the same time, 63.3 per cent say they are also concerned that compromising on nutrition will negatively affect their long-term health.
Asked if they reduced the amount of meat or protein they bought due to high food costs, 49.2 per cent said they had.
“But generally speaking, Canadians are actually concerned about their own health due to higher food prices over the long term. That’s three out of five Canadians, which is a lot,” Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, told CTV News Channel on Wednesday(opens in a new tab).
MILLENNIALS ‘CLEARLY FEELING THE PRESSURE RIGHT NOW’
The report says those with higher incomes “unsurprisingly” were generally less likely to prioritize cost or be concerned about losing nutrition due to the high price of food.
“Of course, there’s always a way to balance things, regardless of what happens to food prices,” Charlebois said.
“But it’s increasingly becoming more difficult for a growing number of Canadians.”
New Brunswick and Alberta were the only provinces where a majority of survey respondents said they were placing cost over nutrition at the grocery store.
Albertans also were the most likely to say they were concerned about the long-term effects of compromising on their nutrition due to high food prices at 70 per cent. A majority of respondents in all provinces shared those concerns.
Across generational lines, millennials or those born between 1981 and 1996, were among the most likely to say they were prioritizing cost at almost 53 per cent, behind the Greatest Generation (1900-45) at almost 55 per cent and ahead of Gen Z at 52.5 per cent.
Although a majority of all generations were worried about compromising on nutrition, millennials were the most likely to say they had concerns at nearly 69 per cent.
Charlebois says this generation is “clearly feeling the pressure right now.”
“They probably have kids and so right now when they show up at the grocery store, they may not be earning the amount of money they need to buy the food they want in order to support a nutritious diet, unfortunately,” he said.
THANKSGIVING
The survey comes ahead of a Thanksgiving holiday that will likely end up costing Canadians much more than in previous years.
Although the pace of inflation has slowed somewhat, especially when compared to the heights seen in 2022, the latest Consumer Price Index report from Statistics Canada shows that the cost of most food items did increase year-over-year in August(opens in a new tab).
CANADIANS SHOPPING MORE AT DISCOUNT, DOLLAR STORES
The survey found that most respondents have “substantially” changed their shopping habits, including using coupons, apps, loyalty programs or flyers more often. Close to half of those surveyed have also considered growing their own food in response to inflation.
Almost 64 per cent of respondents said they were more likely to choose a generic brand as a cost-saving measure.
Asked which stores they visited more often in the previous 12 months, discount stores were the most common at about 59 per cent. Roughly half cited supermarkets and about 47 per cent said they were going to dollar stores more often.
The report says many are choosing to “increase the frequency of their store visits compared to the previous year in their quest to economize while grocery shopping.”
Meanwhile, 18.5 per cent of Canadians said they were visiting farmers’ markets more often, about 17 per cent said they were increasingly shopping online and roughly 13 per cent were going to convenience stores more.
A large majority of those surveyed — about 79 per cent — said they had significantly reduced their food waste in the past year, which the report says could be a sign that Canadians are trying not to waste leftovers and repurpose their ingredients.
METHODOLOGY
The survey took place in September and included a “representative” sample of 5,521 Canadians.
The results have a margin of error of 2.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Dalhousie University and Caddle provided funding for the survey.
MONTREAL – One expert says entry-level pay under the tentative deal between Air Canada and its pilots could be a stumbling block ahead of a union vote on the agreement.
Under their current contract, pilots earn far less in their first four years at the company before enjoying a big wage increase starting in year five.
The Air Line Pilots Association had been pushing to scrap the so-called “fixed rate” provision entirely.
But according to a copy of the contract summary obtained by The Canadian Press, the proposed deal announced Sunday would merely cut the four-year period of lower pay to two years.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, says as many as 2,000 of Air Canada’s roughly 5,200 active pilots may earn entry-level wages following a recent hiring surge.
After the airline averted a strike this week, Gradek says the failure to ditch the pay grade restrictions could prompt pushback from rank-and-file flight crew and jeopardize the deal, which is up for a vote next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.
Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.
The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.
“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”
Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.
Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.
“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.
West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.
Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”
Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.
After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.
Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
