Editorial photo #9182358 Economy, Business and Finance

Survey Suggests 20 Per Cent Of Canadians Skipping Meals Due To High Food Costs

Grocery store in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on November 11, 2022. The majority of respondents in a Canada-wide survey said they are using coupons or hunting for sales to cope with increasing food costs. Nearly 20 per cent were also reducing meal sizes or skipping meals altogether in order to save money. Nearly five per cent of those surveyed said they had stolen food out of necessity, and about five per cent had used a food bank or community fridge. Statistics Canada's consumer price index report said while the country's annual inflation rate dropped slightly to 6.9 per cent in September, the cost of groceries continued to climb. Grocery prices increased at the fastest rate since August 1981, with prices up 11.4 per cent compared to a year ago. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto)