Waterloo grocery shoppers changing habits to save

Grocery shoppers in Waterloo say they are changing their habits and now only buying what they know they will eat in order to avoid wasting money, as grocery prices continue to climb.

According to a new poll by Nanos Research, 61 per cent of Canadians are buying cheaper food. The poll also found, 25 per cent say they're stockpiling food and 17 per cent of people say they're actually eating less. Others are turning to coupons or foodbanks to make ends meet.

“A little bit for sure, a little bit less meats, checking out prices a little bit more, as opposed to just buying what I would like,” Mackenzie Korb, a grocery shopper in Waterloo said. “I'm just trying to be a little bit more frugal, saving pennies where I can, because times are tight.”

“I haven't changed my habits,” another shopper Chris Frengos said. “[We] just make sure, the products we buy, we use it all up and don't waste anything anymore, because the costs are so high.”

“I don’t shop in advance now. I kind of shop daily and just buy minimal what I need and change the menu up, because some of the prices are just a little crazy. Like you can't even buy romaine [lettuce] now,” Brad Nadalin said while buying groceries.

TIPS TO SAVE

A University of Guelph professor said these habit changes make sense, as more people try to save money.

“If you combine that with the increases we've seen in fuel prices, particularly in housing prices as well, it’s making it very difficult for families,” Simon Somogyi, a professor in the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management at the University of Guelph said.

Somogyi said a good option to save is investing in storage.

“Buying in bulk or stockpiling is a good way of buying food when it's on special and you can then get a low price and keep it in the cupboard if it can last a long time or in a freezer,” Somogyi said.

Freezing things like fruit and vegetables, Somogyi says, can help cut down on waste as typically people only use what they need.

“Throwing away food is wasting money. So everyone's becoming a far more savvy shopper,” Somogyi said.

Somogyi says many shoppers are also switching to private label or discount grocery stores, which he says tend to have the same quality as big brands. He thinks it’s something that will continue for a while, as he doesn’t see prices going down any time soon.