With inflation on the rise, several Canadians are heading south of the border for groceries, but a food researcher says these trips may not be as worthwhile as it seems.
Canadian TikTok creators have been documenting their journeys to U.S. grocery stores for some time now, in search of saving a few dollars on some typically highly-priced items as well as stocking up on some snacks that aren’t available in the country.
Popular American discount grocery stores like Aldi, Lidl and Trader Joe’s have become a common interest for curious Canadians shopping for better deals, as they all promise similar experiences for consumers: high-value products for low prices.
Even fast food locations in the U.S. are often seen to offer lower prices than its Canadian counterparts. Wendy’s, for example, offers a meal deal where customers can get four value-menu items for $4. In one video uploaded to TikTok, the user seems to be shocked at how cheap a McDonald’s bundle meal is compared to back home.
The meal was advertising five items for $14.99 USD (20.48 CAD). The same exact meal would cost $28.55 before taxes at a Canadian establishment.
“Send the flood,” the shocked Toronto TikTok user exclaimed.
But is it really worth making a trip beyond the border? A Canadian expert seems to not think so.
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Food distribution researcher Dr. Sylvain Charlebois says that while there are a good chunk of deals in the U.S., most of the prices are pretty comparable to the ones at home, especially due to inflation becoming a global issue.
“It really depends where you go. But when you monitor prices in the U.S., in many states, prices are very similar to Canada, but in American dollars,” Charlebois said to Now Toronto on Tuesday.
“There’s not a whole lot of difference now. I think there was like a few years ago, but not anymore. Prices have gone up there as well.”
Charlebois says travellers who are seeking a good deal can usually find them for products such as poultry, eggs, cheese and butter, as these kinds of products aren’t typically supply managed which often means consumers could expect to pay less. But with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up especially, he says Canadians are better off taking advantage of some of the “aggressive” deals at home through chain grocery stores like WalMart, No Frills and Giant Tiger.
“I’ve seen many Tiktok videos of people bragging that they’ve made some good deals, but a lot of it is actually junk. I mean, it’s not great food, it’s not fresh,” Charlebois said.
A trip to the U.S. isn’t all bad, Charlebois notes, as our southern neighbours often have a wider selection of products that aren’t available in Canada. He says that both population density and opportunity are potential reasons for why several American food companies have yet to expand beyond their borders.
“Rules and regulations are different in Canada, and so to comply with different rules, sometimes companies just don’t bother. And we’re only 41 million people in a very large country where distribution costs are incredibly high. So, the case has to be made, and that’s why we have fewer choices,” Charlebois said.
In all, while Charlebois encourages Canadian shoppers to voyage down to the U.S. to go on an adventure and find something new, he urges them to also remember that that market isn’t the same as what it once was.
“I would go on a journey of discovery, for sure. Maybe to visit retailers that we don’t have in Canada, because you’re likely going to be surprised and intrigued. But other than that, from a financial perspective, deals are harder to find because of the conversion,” he emphasized.
