Nearly 20 per cent of Canadians skipping meals amid rising food costs: survey | Globalnews.ca: The majority of respondents in a Canada-wide survey released Monday
said they are using coupons or hunting for sales to cope with increasing
food costs. Nearly 20 per cent were also reducing meal sizes or
skipping meals altogether in order to save money.

The survey by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social
Research at the University of Saskatchewan was conducted from Sept. 6 to
Oct. 17. It asked 1,001 people about strategies to cope with increasing
food costs.

Statistics Canada’s consumer price index report
said while the country’s annual inflation rate dropped slightly to 6.9
per cent in September, the cost of groceries continued to climb. Grocery
prices increased at the fastest rate since August 1981, with prices up
11.4 per cent compared to a year ago.

In adapting to the surging
costs, most respondents in the survey said they have been cutting
coupons. A majority _ almost 59 per cent _ were also decreasing their
household food waste.

Fifty-four per cent also made meal plans to ensure they had adequate funds for food.