Food inflation in Canada may have eased to 4.0% in March, but don’t be misled by the headline. The number that matters most — food purchased from stores— actually rose to 4.4%, up 0.3 percentage points. That increase tells us something important: cost pressures are not fading. In fact, they are shifting — and intensifying in key categories.
Look at what’s driving the change. Meat and vegetables are both rising, and for very different reasons. But together, they paint a clear picture of a food system still under strain.
