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Food items that got more expensive in August, and which ones saw prices go down

Inflation has come down from its highs, and groceries are no exception.
9/17/2024
Woman Shopping in Grocery Store

Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday that grocery prices in August rose 2.4 per cent from the year before, a far cry from their peak of 11.4% in late 2022 and early 2023. 

Overall annual inflation was 2% in August, the slowest pace since February 2021. 

As Canadians grapple with double-digit increases in grocery prices over just a few years, here are some of the food items still on the rise, and the ones that are seeing prices move lower. 

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Meat

Prices for meat rose 2.9% in August compared with a year ago, led by beef (7.4%) and pork (8.7%). Chicken rose more slowly at 2.4%. 

Meanwhile, prices for fish and other seafood were slightly down by 1.8%. Canned salmon saw a particular decline, down 7.1%, as did shrimp and prawns, down 7.3%. 

Prices for processed meat declined slightly, with prices for ham down three per cent while bacon prices rose 8.6%.

READ:  From farm to table: How extreme weather affects prices along the food supply chain

Dairy and eggs

Overall prices for dairy products rose 3.3%, while fresh milk was up 2.8% and cheese by 2.3%. Butter prices declined 1.7%. 

The price of eggs rose 3.4%. 

Produce

Prices for fresh fruit rose 1.5%, though oranges saw prices fall 6.6% and the price of grapes rose 7.6%. 

Prices for fresh vegetables rose faster than fruit at 4.4%. Certain items saw double-digit price increases, such as onions (15.9%) and peppers (11.6%). Lettuce was up by 4.6%, and tomatoes by 5.3%. 

Other

Bakery product prices were up 1.2%, with cookies and crackers rising 6.6% even as prices for bread, rolls and buns were down 1.5%. 

Edible fats and oils, not including margarine, rose by double digits at 11.4% in August. 

Sugar and syrup rose 2.1%, while coffee declined one per cent and non-alcoholic beverages rose 6.3%. 

Prices for restaurant food rose faster than grocery prices, at 3.4%. 

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