Food inflation in Canada: Who Canadians blame for rising prices – MoneySense

A new Leger survey found that almost 30% of Canadians believe food inflation has been primarily caused by grocery stores trying to increase profit margins. Another 26% think it’s mostly due to global economic factors, while one in five blame the federal government.

Inflation on groceries was 1.4% in April and helped drive overall inflation lower to 2.7%, Statistics Canada said.

However, even low inflation still means prices are going up. And over the past three years, grocery prices have risen 21.4%, according to the agency.

The major grocers have said they did not unduly profit from inflation, amid political and public pressure over the rising cost of food and other necessities.

More than half of Canadians support Loblaw boycott

A group of consumers organized a boycott of Loblaw-owned stores in May over frustrations with higher prices and industry concentration.

Seven out of 10 Canadians polled said they are aware of the ongoing boycott, and 58% said they support it, but only 18% say that they or someone in their household have joined the boycott.

The poll highlights rural and urban residents’ differing views on the boycott, and suggests it’s more difficult for those living outside an urban area to participate in a boycott of Loblaw-owned grocery stores.

Urban residents polled by Leger were more likely to say they support the boycott than suburban and rural residents, and were more likely to be participating in it as well.