Canadians More Likely to Eat Food Past Best-Before Date as Grocery Costs Rise, Study Finds

Study Finds Canadians Increasingly Opting to Eat Expired Food as Grocery Prices Continue to Climb

April 26, 2024 TruthUSA

The increase in grocery prices is leading more Canadians to consume food that has exceeded its best-before date, according to a recent study examining Canadian eating habits.

The rise in potentially hazardous food consumption is directly linked to rising costs at grocery stores, as stated by Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab. He emphasized that many Canadians are unable to afford wasting any food.

Mr. Charlebois, a prominent expert in food distribution, expressed his concern about this trend. He mentioned, “As food prices go up, more Canadians are taking chances with their food safety.”

He further described this behavior, driven by economic constraints, as a critical vulnerability where food security and food safety intersect.

A study on food safety revealed that 58 percent of the 9,109 surveyed Canadians were willing to consume food nearing or surpassing its best-before date due to escalating prices. Of those willing to eat such food, 23 percent claimed to do so “always,” while nearly 39 percent did so “often.”

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About 31 percent of individuals “sometimes” consume food past its best-before date, while only 7.5 percent rarely do so, according to the survey.

The study noted that nearly half of Canadians who eat potentially risky food were uncertain about its safety. Around 48 percent were unsure if consuming such food could lead to illness.

The study, segmented by age groups, asked participants if they experienced sickness after eating food that was at or past its best-before date in the past year.

Millennials were the most likely to report such incidents at 41 percent, followed by Generation X at 24 percent, and Baby Boomers at 20 percent. Gen Z and individuals born before 1946 had the least reported cases of suspected expired food illnesses at 10 percent each.

Mr. Charlebois stressed the importance of addressing food affordability and related issues arising from grocery costs to ensure that Canadians do not have to compromise between economic hardship and health.

The Food Price Report for Canada in 2024, released in December by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, predicted a $701.79 average increase in grocery expenses for a family of four in the upcoming year.

An earlier model released by the university’s lab anticipates even higher prices for 2025. The model forecasted a 34 percent average increase in Canadian wholesale food prices across all categories next year. Meat prices were expected to rise by 45 percent compared to 2022, dairy by 41 percent, baked goods by 35 percent, fruit by 29 percent, and vegetables by 8 percent. Other groceries would see a 42 percent increase, while the cost of dining out would surge by 46 percent.

“Canadians are not prepared for this, but they must be,” stated Mr. Charlebois in reference to the forecast in an April 18 social media post. “The pressures within the food industry are real.”

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