Here's how food prices in Canada have changed over 20 years

As you browse Canadian supermarket aisles and manage the stress of high food prices, do you ever wonder what grocery prices were like in the past?

We decided to go back — all the way back to 2002, in fact — to see how much the average Canadian spent on 10 popular food items. Using data from Statistics Canada’s website, we compared prices in 2002 and 2022 to the cost of goods today.

According to a report on trends in employment and wages, the average hourly pay in 2002 was $19.69. By 2022, the average Canadian earned $31.37 per hour. According to the latest Statistics Canada job survey, the average hourly wage in Canada in 2024 is $34.94 — a $1.69 increase compared to last year.

Despite this increase, Canadians today are struggling with rising food prices, with some finding ways to cut down their grocery bills or even skip meals altogether.

Per Statistics Canada's Food Price Report, the average Canadian family of four is expected to spend $16,297.20 on food in 2024, an increase of up to $701.79 from last year.

To compare, we decided to go with Walmart food prices for consistency, but in some cases, the size per package varied. Here's how much these 10 items would have cost you in 2002 and 2022, compared to current prices.

Bacon

2002: $4.12 (500 g)
2022: $8.55 (500 g)
2024: $6.97 (375 g)

Sirloin steak

2002: $13.92 (1 kg)
2022: $26.39 (1 kg)
2024: $21.60 (1 kg)

Flour

2002: $3.38 (2.5 kg)
2022: $4.65 (2.5 kg)
2024: $5.97 (2.5 kg)

Sugar

2002: $2.41 (2 kg)
2022: $2.67 (2 kg)
2024: $3.27 (2 kg)

Coffee, roasted

2002: $2.93 (2 kg)
2022: $5.61 (2 kg)
2024: $9.97 (907 g)

Onions

2002: $1.09 (1 kg)
2022: $2.37 (1 kg)
2024: $3.97 (1.3 kg)

Potatoes

2002: $4.22 (4.54 kg)
2022: $10.33 (4.54 kg)
2024: $7.97 (4.54 kg)

Bread

2002: $1.53 (675 g)
2022: $3 (675 g)
2024: $3.67 (675 g)

Eggs (dozen)

2002: $2.09
2022: $3.87
2024: $4.48

Butter

2002: $3.41 (454 g)
2022: $5.67 (454 g)
2024: $6.88 (454 g)

TOTAL

2002: $39.10
2022: $73.11
2024: $74.75

Sirloin steak and potatoes appear to have gotten cheaper compared to 2022 (at least at Walmart); however, items such as flour and coffee have significant price hikes.

With files from Isabelle Docto