‘A punch in the gut’: Why food costs have become Canadians’ top worry

New Nanos polling shows food costs continue to hit Canadians hardest, reshaping spending habits as affordability pressures persist.

A routine trip to the grocery store in Winnipeg has become a stressful one for Ben Nye.

“It’s hard to make decisions,” Nye said as he scanned the shelves for affordable options.

Soaring food prices are forcing him to carefully consider what meals he can afford to make.

He is currently unemployed and searching for work and says covering basic expenses has become increasingly difficult.

“As a consumer, we are being hit hard and it’s difficult to afford anything anymore,” Nye said. “It’s really hard to make ends meet.”

To stay afloat, Nye has even resorted to selling some of his belongings to help cover costs.

“Expenses are just a problem, and no matter how much you squeeze those expenses out, you’re never going to have enough income to cover those expenses because the cost of living keeps going higher than what employers are willing to pay to keep up with that same amount,” he said.

He’s not alone.

Grocery prices top of mind for Canadians: poll

A new Nanos Research poll conducted for CTV News suggests grocery prices are now the top financial concern for Canadians, surpassing even housing costs as inflation continues to rise.

According to the survey, more than half of Canadians, 52.3 per cent, say grocery prices are their primary concern when trying to save money this year. Housing costs rank second at 23.5 per cent, followed by health care at 9.3 per cent.

“It speaks to the pressure that Canadians are under and how groceries are at the top of the list, significantly ahead of things like housing, health care, fuel, and entertainment, all those things, as a focus to save money,” said Nik Nanos, chief data scientist with Nanos Research.

About half of those surveyed in regions across the country say grocery spending is where they would like to see the most relief for their wallets.

Concern was highest in the Prairie provinces coming in at 60.7 per cent and in the Atlantic region at 55.8 per cent.

When it came to demographics, male respondents in the 35-54 age group made up the majority of those who expressed their desire for reduced grocery bill costs, coming in at 56.5 per cent.

“Looking at the numbers, it looks like a trip to the grocery store is a punch in the gut,” Nanos said. “I think this is a message for both the Liberals and the Conservatives.”

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new affordability measures, including a boosted GST credit and a National Food Security strategy to help Canadians facing higher costs.

While Canadians are hoping for some kind of relief, some experts believe that may not happen anytime soon.

Shiu-Yik Au, an associate professor in the accounting and finance department at the University of Manitoba, says trade uncertainty could further drive up costs.

“The story on tariffs is going to continue as we are trying to renew CUSMA with a very unfortunate negotiating opponent in the United States,” Au said. “We could be looking at a bad year next year as well.”

In the Nanos poll, concerns about reducing housing costs ranked second across the country, with Quebec at 26.8 per cent and British Columbia at 28.7 per cent among the most anxious for more affordable housing.

“We have kind of like a dual problem,” Au said. “Number one, we have to deal with groceries, which is affecting everyone, and number two, we need to make sure that young people can get onto the property ladder and achieve those dreams.”

‘We need relief’

As prices continue to climb with no clear end in sight, Nye says he will keep doing whatever it takes to get by.

“You really have to budget yourself, and you really have to be tough with yourself and find out what can I afford, and how can I eat healthy and how can I afford to live at the same time,” he said.

“We’ll get through this.”