It is often cheaper to buy Quebec food, even with inflation, according to a recent study by Dalhousie University for Aliments du Québec.
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The results of the study, released on Tuesday, show that more than two-thirds of the local food categories studied (70.83%) were as advantageous if not more than products from elsewhere.
“We have proof today that it can be advantageous for our wallet to buy products from Quebec compared to products from elsewhere, without forgetting that putting these products in our grocery basket contributes to our food self-sufficiency and to the economy of Quebec,” explained the Executive Director of Aliments du Québec, Isabelle Roy.
In total, 134 local products and 431 comparable products from outside Quebec were analyzed and separated into seven sections and 48 categories (or product types).
In the “grocery” section, the advantage is given to Quebec products for 55% of the types of products studied (such as coffee, water, peanut butter, flour, jam, vinaigrette, legumes) .
Same thing for local products such as bruschetta or smoked ham for which the prices are mostly (50%) more advantageous than if they came from elsewhere.
In the “dairy products and substitutes” section, local cheese is more advantageous, but for 38% of the categories studied (eggs, butter, yogurt) the price of the product from outside is more advantageous.
For “meat and fish”, in 50% of the categories, the price of the product from elsewhere is more advantageous.
Also, 60% of local and non-local fruit and vegetable categories are sold at comparable prices.
As for bread, tortillas, pitas or even bagels, those from Quebec and those sold elsewhere are sold at similar prices (100%).
“The local food products studied therefore offer a viable option to Quebecers. This is good news for the agri-food sector here, especially in an endemic context where inflation has many repercussions on household purchasing power,” said Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, director of the study.
