University of Guelph Researchers Predict Canadian’s Will Pay More For Food in 2013

Canadian’s Expected to Pay More at the Grocery Store While Household Waste to Increase

ByAmanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Researchers at the University of Guelph, forecast that Canadian’s will have to pay more for food items in 2013. Staple products are predicated to experience price hikes and this will be especially true for meat, bread and cheese. While food prices are expected to increase, experts also predict that Canadian families will waste more food, upwards of 40 per cent per year.

Guelph researchers predict food expenditures will increase by 1.5 and 3.5 per cent in 2013. The following is a breakdown of the predicted price increases for different types of foods:

• Beef and pork – 4.5 to 6.5 per cent increase
• Eggs – 3.5 to 5 per cent increase
• Grain – 1.4 to 2.7 increase
• Fresh vegetables, fruit/nuts, fish, and seafood – 1 to 3 per cent increase

University of Guelph researchers make an annual prediction every year. The 2012 prediction suggested an overall 2 per cent increase, which did in fact reflect the reality of retail prices for this year. Predictions are made based on examining factors such as retail food prices, climate conditions, economic risks, energy cost, currencies and trade.