Edmontonians worried over food prices as Trump tariffs loom
Posted January 29, 2025 4:07 pm.
Last Updated January 29, 2025 6:41 pm.
As the threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian products entering the U.S. looms, the possibility of prices going up north of the border is weighing on the minds of shoppers in Edmonton, especially when it comes to food.
“I’m on mat leave right now, I’ve got a kid, so I’ve only got one income with my spouse, and so it’s something to think about,” said one Edmontonian CityNews spoke to.
Another saying, “If we have to buy this, I guess we have to accept that. Not much we can do.”
Customers and food producers are bracing for the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on February 1st, with politicians like Doug Ford, hoping more customers will choose Canadians when shopping, however, at the grocery store, that could be easier said than done.
“If you’re looking for 100 per cent Canadian and that’s it, you’re going to be hungry,” explained Sylvain Charlebois, the senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
Charlebois says less than 10 per cent of all goods at the grocery store are Canadian, if you consider where they were grown, packaged, shipped, or processed.
Estimating anywhere between 7 to 9 per cent of Canadians may boycott America on their next grocery run, and it may not have the impact they hope for.
“Are we talking about ingredients? Are we talking about a brand? Are we talking about ownership? Are we talking about a store… I don’t think it’ll be effective because it’ll be diluted. People will have different targets,” said Dr. Charlebois.
Charlebois says he will be watching grocery prices and inflation closely if tariffs do begin Friday.
But shoppers Wednesday, say ultimately, the final call will be their budget.
“I first look at the price, then the quality of the product. Then, we might consider where it’s from. I think most people do that,” said an Edmontonian.
Another saying, “It depends where the best buy will be. That’s what I’m going to be looking at.”
