As food costs continue to weigh heavily on household budgets, the Competition Bureau is widening its lens beyond grocery store shelves and examining how competition functions across Canada’s entire food supply chain.
Announced on June 16, the new examination will explore whether barriers or market dynamics are affecting affordability from the earliest stages of production to the moment food reaches consumers.
Food prices have risen sharply in recent years, increasing pressure on Canadians. While many factors influence those prices, the Bureau says competition remains an important tool for keeping costs in check and ensuring consumers have access to choice.
“The cost of food matters to all Canadians, and strong competition can help keep prices in check. Our examination builds on our earlier work in the retail grocery sector and will look at all parts of the food supply chain. If you have experience in any sector along that supply chain, we want to hear from you. Your input will help us find solutions that support competition and affordability,” said Jeanne Pratt, Interim Commissioner of Competition.
The review will focus on three areas of the supply chain. The first is production and processing, examining how food is grown, caught, transformed, and packaged. The second area is transportation and distribution, looking at how products move across the country to retailers. The third focuses on retail pricing practices, including loyalty programs, pricing algorithms, shrinkflation, and skimpflation.
The Bureau is inviting Canadians and organizations with experience in the food sector to contribute to the study through an online submission process open until July 31, 2026. Additional engagement activities, including meetings and roundtable discussions, will take place in the months ahead to identify where competition may not be functioning effectively and what measures could improve it.
Findings from the examination will be compiled in a final report scheduled for release in spring 2027. The report will include recommendations for governments aimed at strengthening competition throughout Canada’s food system.
For more information on the examination and how to participate, Canadians can visit the Competition Bureau’s website.
