Thread by @TorontoStar

Food is getting more expensive.

The annual cost of groceries for the average Canadian family will go up by five per cent in 2021 — by almost $700, the largest dollar increase the report from @DalhousieU has yet predicted.

thestar.com/business/2020/…

“It’s going to be a tough year,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. The rise in food prices will be driven by meat, produce and bakery.

Here is the food forecast for 2021:

thestar.com/business/2020/…

More big numbers:

1 in 7: The share of Canadians who reported to @StatCan_eng in May that they'd experienced food insecurity in their house in the previous month

3% to 5%: Forecasted increase in food prices for 2021

thestar.com/business/2020/…

The report has added annual grocery spending estimates per individual, based on age and gender. A woman between 19 and 30 is predicted to spend $3,256.34 on groceries in 2021, while a man between 31 and 50 is expected to spend $3,559.37.

thestar.com/business/2020/…

Using these estimates, families can calculate how much their individual household is likely to spend, instead of relying on one “average family” total that doesn’t represent the diversity of families across Canada, said Simon Somogyi.

Full story here:
thestar.com/business/2020/…