Food & Drink

What's with the steep rise in basic grocery prices ??

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Penalty Box
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Nov 13, 2010
7814 posts
1867 upvotes
Scarborough

What's with the steep rise in basic grocery prices ??

Just noticed a 3lbs Onions bag is now $3.49 at freshco(it was $1.99), $2.97 at NoFrills in the flyer.

Garlic already up from 67cents to like $1.50 for a pack of 5 bulbs. (chinese garlic, not even local)

What's the excuse now all of a sudden to increase price by more than a dollar? Employees are not getting raises at all and still.


What else is going up without any genuine excuses?
64 replies
Deal Guru
Nov 15, 2008
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You do realize that produce prices fluctuate every single week and store to store,often by more than a dollar, and neither garlic nor onions are in season domestically?
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Jul 29, 2005
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Mississauga
I agree, Groceries are so expensive these days. I'm spending so much every week now just for a few bags of food. A small pack of lunch meat (four slices) is over $6 just an example. That's only enough for one sandwich., cheap hotdogs over $6. Sometimes I think it's cheaper just to eat out.

BTW, it's better to buy the loose garlic from California, than the five pack from China. You don't know what's in their soil.
My food blog - Reggie The Food Critic.
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Sep 16, 2004
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Toronto
I get 2 2lb bags of onions at the Asian store for $2. Have noticed it went up to $2.50 last time I bought.

I usually buy the peeled Chinese garlic.

Usually as low as $2.99/lb but last I checked it was $5.99/lb.

I ended up buying a three pack of unpeeled chinese garlic for 79cents recently from No Frills.

Might be a shortage? I know certain seasonal stuff are always expensive or non existent at some stores.

Long Beans and Fresh Okras for example.

Las time I bought fresh Okras think the guy at the Asian store made mistake with the pricing on his labels and I got it for $1.99/lb instead of the $3.99/lb.
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Sep 18, 2009
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Southwestern Ontario
I buy quantity packs at Costco. They get the best, largest bananas, apples, oranges, etc at prices often lower than the rest.
All prices have gone up. Blame the low Canadian dollar, Wynne's Ontario Hydro rates, and gas prices that have not come down much without more pipeleines. It costs grocers a lot to do business here, and there is no end in sight
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Jul 29, 2005
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Yeah its a huge difference between an Asian grocery store and the regular stores. Sweet melon at Loblaws is $5, Oceans only $2.99. Papaya at loblaws $2.49; Oceans - $1.29.
My food blog - Reggie The Food Critic.
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Sep 16, 2004
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Toronto
Raggie wrote: I agree, Groceries are so expensive these days. I'm spending so much every week now just for a few bags of food. A small pack of lunch meat (four slices) is over $6 just an example. That's only enough for one sandwich., cheap hotdogs over $6. Sometimes I think it's cheaper just to eat out.

BTW, it's better to buy the loose garlic from California, than the five pack from China. You don't know what's in their soil.
I do cringe every time I buy Chinese garlic as I try to avoid all edible stuff originating from China.

Hypocritically I do eat Chinese food sometimes. :)

you don't always get non Chinese garlic and when you do, it's really expensive.

I don't eat much cold cuts but used to like the schneiders packaged fat free chicken slices.

Used to be $2.49 per pack. Not sure weight.

Now that they've discontinued the fat free chciken and with their new country Naturals line, prices have skyrocketed.
Deal Guru
Nov 15, 2008
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Schneiders/Maple Leaf had all those $2.50 coupons on pack - I have been getting great deals on lunch meat $1/pack, bacon $1/pack, ham $4/800g, and so on.

At this time of year distributors are running out of the last N. American onions in storage from last year. Peak price - prices will bottom out again in August/September when this year's crop comes in.
Deal Addict
Aug 17, 2008
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Sask.
Sure, most things have gone up in price over these past months - but interestingly, I've found the same two as you have - unusual that they are pricey - onions and garlic. Here, potatoes are also crazy expensive, compared to 'normal'.
Not having onions isn't an option in this house, I cook with them daily. Same with garlic - though I have been using some jarred, and some garlic powder - though for some recipes, one definitely needs real garlic. I want my 1kg pack of cheap garlic back!
Deal Fanatic
Apr 20, 2011
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ON
Garlic surprises me, as the bulbs in my garden are nearly ready.
Somewhere a farmer likely got a head start on me (as with any produce, likely southern states) and has some being harvested right now.
But I guess that's not the cheap stuff from China, so it may very well cost this much anyway.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 10, 2003
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I buy my produce in Chinatown...it's usually very cheap compared to large grocery stores.
Deal Expert
Feb 9, 2012
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LNahid2000 wrote: I buy my produce in Chinatown...it's usually very cheap compared to large grocery stores.
Kensington market is also pretty good.
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Jan 9, 2002
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Burlington
If you have dirt, grow your own onions and garlic. About the easiest things to grow. They thrive on neglect :) . Plant garlic in October, dump leaves on top...harvest early July
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Deal Expert
Feb 9, 2012
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Toronto
transitguy1 wrote: What's the excuse now all of a sudden to increase price by more than a dollar? Employees are not getting raises at all and still.
It may depend on where it comes from. Google the words "price increase" and "Onions and Garlic" and there is news from various places about an increase.
Here's one place: http://bdnews24.com/business/2016/02/19 ... luctuating
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May 2, 2009
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lecale wrote: Schneiders/Maple Leaf had all those $2.50 coupons on pack - I have been getting great deals on lunch meat $1/pack, bacon $1/pack, ham $4/800g, and so on.

At this time of year distributors are running out of the last N. American onions in storage from last year. Peak price - prices will bottom out again in August/September when this year's crop comes in.
I am SO stocked up on bacon from those coupons!! when RCSS had it for $2.50 and $3.50.

Interesting about the price of onions, thanks.
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Oct 7, 2007
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Raggie wrote: I agree, Groceries are so expensive these days. I'm spending so much every week now just for a few bags of food. A small pack of lunch meat (four slices) is over $6 just an example. That's only enough for one sandwich., cheap hotdogs over $6. Sometimes I think it's cheaper just to eat out.

BTW, it's better to buy the loose garlic from California, than the five pack from China. You don't know what's in their soil.
We have actually had much success growing garlic in our garden. I believe it goes in the ground in the fall and then takes about nine months to grow. It doesn't need a lot of attention and the garlic is absolutely amazing. Not like store-bought and I agree with you about avoiding garlic from China. When you can grow this yourself, that is the ultimate.
Deal Guru
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Mar 31, 2008
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It doesn't matter. The inflation calculation says we are at historical lows. So just don't pay attention to food prices.
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Dec 26, 2003
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Stouffville
Raggie wrote: I agree, Groceries are so expensive these days. I'm spending so much every week now just for a few bags of food. A small pack of lunch meat (four slices) is over $6 just an example. That's only enough for one sandwich., cheap hotdogs over $6. Sometimes I think it's cheaper just to eat out.

BTW, it's better to buy the loose garlic from California, than the five pack from China. You don't know what's in their soil.
where are you shopping for this $6 lunch meat and hot dogs? seems way too much..

if you want luncheon meat, go to a deli and buy fresh cold cuts.. for that $6, u can get like 300 grams of black forrest ham, which is enough for like 6 sandwiches... and i see 6-8 packs of hot dogs on all the time for $3

and considering what the minimum wage is right now.. id say still being able to get 4L milk for $3.99 and 12 eggs for $2 is pretty good... Milk was the same price back 20 years ago, when the minimum wage was half of what it is now..

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