How fast are food prices rising?
Canada's food prices rose 13.9% in the past year, the highest annual increase since 2022.
What this measures
This measures the year-over-year change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food, tracking how much more Canadians pay for groceries compared to last year. Rising food prices directly impact household budgets, especially for lower-income families who spend a larger share of income on essentials.
Food prices surge to highest annual increase in four years
Food prices in Canada jumped 13.9% in January 2026 compared to a year ago, marking the largest annual rise since 2022. This follows a pattern of high inflation that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, with supply chain disruptions and higher production costs pushing prices up. The increase in 2025 (14.2%) was even steeper, but the latest data shows a slight slowdown. Despite this moderation, food remains one of the fastest-rising components of the CPI.
Year-over-year food price inflation
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 18,100,004
View data table (15 values)
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13.9% | -0.3 |
| 2025 | 14.2% | +5.9 |
| 2024 | 8.3% | +0.6 |
| 2023 | 7.7% | -0.3 |
| 2022 | 8% | +3.6 |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -1.8 |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +2.4 |
| 2019 | 3.8% | +3.1 |
| 2018 | 0.7% | +1.9 |
| 2017 | -1.2% | +0.7 |
| 2016 | -1.9% | -15.9 |
| 2015 | 14% | -1 |
| 2014 | 15% | +11.9 |
| 2013 | 3.1% | -3.2 |
| 2012 | 6.3% |
Annual food inflation remains elevated after pandemic-era spikes
The average annual food inflation rate has stayed above 7% since 2022, far exceeding the pre-pandemic norm of around 2-3%. The Bank of Canada’s aggressive interest rate hikes in 2022-2023 aimed to curb inflation but took time to affect food prices, which are influenced by global supply factors. While 2024 saw a slight dip to 8.3%, inflation reaccelerated in 2025 before easing marginally in 2026. This volatility reflects ongoing challenges like climate-related crop disruptions and geopolitical tensions affecting food imports.
Average annual food inflation (2022-2026)
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 18,100,004
View data table (15 values)
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13.9% | -0.3 |
| 2025 | 14.2% | +5.9 |
| 2024 | 8.3% | +0.6 |
| 2023 | 7.7% | -0.3 |
| 2022 | 8% | +3.6 |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -1.8 |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +2.4 |
| 2019 | 3.8% | +3.1 |
| 2018 | 0.7% | +1.9 |
| 2017 | -1.2% | +0.7 |
| 2016 | -1.9% | -15.9 |
| 2015 | 14% | -1 |
| 2014 | 15% | +11.9 |
| 2013 | 3.1% | -3.2 |
| 2012 | 6.3% |
Data sources
Narratives are AI-generated from official Statistics Canada data. Verify at source.