The cost of food is the top concern for Canadians and is the main factor influencing purchasing decisions, results from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s (CCFI) 2022 Public Trust Research show.
A release on the results said not only has the rate of concern for the cost of food increased significantly, but it has also reached a tracking high. While consumers worry about day-to-day issues like their grocery bills, they also count on the food system to proactively address threats such as climate change and other sustainability issues, the release said.
“The Canadian food system must demonstrate to consumers that we are listening and pro-actively responding to their concerns,” John Jamieson, president and CEO of  CCFI, said in the release. “The more informed Canadians are about the food system, the more positively they feel about the food they eat and the people who produce it.”
The CCFI’s research results indicate Canadians understand that climate change and related environmental issues is one of the greatest threats our food system is facing.
This year’s research also revealed that after a two-year “COVID-boost” towards the food system, consumer attitudes have largely fallen back in-line with pre-pandemic levels, the release said. Canadians understand the ongoing effects of the pandemic on food costs, but overall, they are ready for a return to normalcy. However, when it comes to top-of-mind concern, Canadians are far more pre-occupied with daily pocket-book issues like inflation, cost of food and energy.
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