Canada’s grocery business is controlled by large players and needs government assistance to encourage new entrants to bring down prices, a report from the Competition Bureau says.
To that end, the bureau recommended four broad policies aimed at spurring competition in the sector. They are:
- To establish a Grocery Innovation Strategy aimed at supporting the creation of new types of grocery businesses, specifically ones that only sell online.
- Policies from all levels of government to encourage new independent and international players to set up shop in Canada.
- Introducing legislation to mandate harmonized unit pricing requirements, which will make it easier for consumers to comparison-shop for deals.
- Limit property controls, which currently restrict how real estate can be used by competing grocers, making it difficult, or even impossible, for new stores to open.
I really, really hope that if these suggestions are taken up, they carve out exceptions for local Co-op’s, especially in respect to the harmonized unit pricing requirements.
My advice is that if you don’t know if you have a local food Co-op go find out! Just Google your city name + food co-op. And if you have never shopped at a co-op before, give it a try. It combines the convenience of grocery stores with the locality of farmers markets. You’ll be able to buy local produce and meats, and a lot of co-ops stock many brand name things as well so you can do everything in one shopping trip.
Typically the prices are comparable (and often less).