What to know
- 62 per cent of Canadians buy store brands to save money, according to the Retail Council of Canada and Leger.
- Grocery inflation has outpaced overall inflation for 17 straight months.
- Value and quality are the top reasons shoppers choose private label products.
- Store brands are seen as comparable in quality to national brands, but at a lower price.
As the cost of living remains high, new data reveals how Canadians save on groceries.
Data from the Spring 2026 Canadian Shopper Sentiment Study, created by the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), in partnership with Leger, reveals that 62 per cent of Canadian shoppers actively buy store brands to cut costs.
This comes as inflation in June decreased to 2.8 per cent, following a 3.2 per cent gain in May, thanks to lower gas prices. But groceries remain expensive.
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According to Statistics Canada, food prices increased at a lower rate of 3.9 per cent, compared to May’s 4.3 per cent. However, June marks the 17th consecutive month in which grocery inflation has surpassed other Consumer Price Index (CPI) items.
The national inflation rate remains above three per cent, with food prices rising faster than the overall average. The RCC report shows that as a result, Canadian shoppers are buying store brands to save on groceries.
According to 53 per cent of survey respondents, the main reason they look to stores’ in-house brands is their value for money and quality.
Additionally, 13 per cent say they buy store brands because they trust the retailer, 12 per cent do so because of product availability, while nine per cent say they habitually buy store brands.
