Adventures with Food Prices

Is food price competition alive and well in Ottawa?
Well ... no.

The average best price of my shopping list is only 65% that of the most expensive. That's a lot of benefit from shopping around within a radius of a few blocks.

Data

I sampled the prices of the foods I'm studying for my diet at the eight closest stores to me (Carson's Grove area) during January 2005:
Loblaws, Gloucester Center,
Njaim Mid-East Food Center, Belfast & St.Laurent,
Bulk Barn, Gloucester Center,
Belfast Fruits/St. Laurent Fruit & Vegetables, Belfast & St.Laurent,
Market Fresh, Coventry & St.Laurent,
Farm Boy, Montreal Rd. & St.Laurent,
Loeb, St.Laurent & Donald, and
Your Neighbourhood Grocer, Montreal Rd. & St.Laurent.

Loblaws, Bulk Barn, Your Neighbourhood Grocer and Loeb are multi-city chains; Market Fresh and Farm Boy are locally owned multi-stores; Njaim and Belfast are individual stores. Your Neighbourhood Grocer is Loblaws under another name - their prices are almost all exactly the same, occasionally a bit higher, so I didn't tabulate them. Bulk Barn prices here include a 10% seniors' discount - they won't fare so well if you're not.

Here are the results, in Canadian $/kg as sold. * notes the best prices. The percent of the product as sold that is edible is noted, to calculate the true cost. The %price column shows the ratio of the cheapest source to the most expensive.

product Loblaws Njaim BulkBarn Belfast MarketFresh FarmB oy Loeb %edible %price
almond,raw 24.90 12.10 13.53 11.00* 100 44
apple 2.84 1.52 1.81 1.52 1.54 86 54
apricot,dried 12.98 8.37 7.75* 12.49 100 60
banana 1.08* 1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30 63 83
barley,pot 1.30 1.19 .99* 100 76
bean,garbanzo 2.00* 2.16 100 93
bean,green 6.59 3.30* 5.44 4.39 5.93 96 50
bean,kidney 2.35 2.61 1.75* 2.64 100 66
bean,sprout 1.52 1.96 1.48* 100 76
bean,white 2.20* 2.25 2.20 100 98
beef,trimmed 12.10 7.99 6.85* 13.87 12.96 100 4 9
beet 2.18 .64* 87 29
blueberry 12.41* 24.27 23.76 100 51
bread,7grain 2.80 2.21* 100 79
bread,white 1.76* 2.65 100 66
broccoli 3.28 3.49 3.27 1.69* 2.17 51 48
brusselsprout 4.39 3.28 3.24* 3.73 100 74
buckwheat 4.99* 5.49 100 91
cabbage .65 .64* .86 74
cactuspear 11.70 6.00* 67 51
carrot .88 .69* .87 .83 1.10 77 63
cauliflower 1.75 1.38* 1.40 57 79
cheese,cheddar 6.65* 17.90 20.50 100 32
cheese,goat 24.51 13.57* 100 55
cheese,mozarella 6.65* 9.90 100 67
chestnut 3.99 2.18* 82 55
chicken,breast 15.41 11.00* 16.51 100 67
chicken,liver 4.39* 5.05 100 87
chicken,roast 5.05 4.99 3.59* 5.48 5.05 5.68 32 6 3
chocolate,bakers 16.84 11.16* 17.70 100 63
cod,fillet 9.97 7.60* 100 76
corn,meal 1.10* 1.26 100 87
cornstarch 2.98 1.59* 100 53
cucumber 3.00 1.00* 2.00 2.00 3.87 83 26
date,pitted 5.58 2.97* 100 53
eggplant 4.39 2.18* 3.24 2.84 81 50
fig,dried 11.97 11.16* 100 93
fish oil capsules 91.58* 100 92
flour,AP .55* .89 .70 100 62
garlic 3.28 2.84 2.84 90 87
haddock,fillet 9.97* 22.00 100 45
ham,can 9.54* 10.60 100 90
ham,trimmed 9.90* 11.00 100 90
hazelnut 17.90 14.34* 15.84 100 80
kumquat 22.05 6.55* 38 30
lamb,ground 9.98* 11.60 100 86
lentil,green 1.52* 1.80 1.80 2.62 1.88 100 58
lentil,red 1.96* 2.50 2.25 3.94 100 50
lettuce,chinese 2.18 1.08* 2.14 1.79 3.73 29
lettuce,head 2.25 1.34 2.22 1.32* 93 60
milk,2% .92* .99 .99 100 93
millet 2.40 1.98* 100 83
mushroom 6.59 5.93* 6.54 6.59 100 90
oat,bran 3.48 2.70* 100 78
oat,rolled 2.21 1.17* 100 53
oil,canola 2.73 2.58* 3.62 100 71
oil,corn 2.05 3.68 100 56
oil,olive,EV 9.98 8.71 6.96* 9.29 100 70
oil,peanut 4.35* 7.66 100 57
olive,black 14.37 4.99 4.20* 80 29
onion 2.84 .86 .87 .74* .88 97 26
orange,mandarin 2.64 1.69* 82 64
orange,navel 3.28 1.69* 2.14 2.18 2.75 73 52
pasta 1.10 1.77 2.00 1.10 100 55
peanut,butter 3.53 3.51* 100 99
pear 3.28 1.74* 3.24 2.84 86 53
pea,dried .86* 1.09 1.26 .87 100 68
pepper,green 3.73 2.18* 3.24 2.84 4.39 87 50
pinenut 33.99 26.73* 100 79
pork,trimmed 10.56 6.99* 11.00 100 64
potato .44 .22* .22 .41 .44 100 50
potato,sweet 2.84 1.30* 1.48 85 46
radish 3.28 1.94* 100 59
raisin,seeded 5.32 3.96* 100 74
raisin,seedless 6.65 4.95* 6.65 100 74
raspberry 15.99* 29.24 100 55
rice,br.Basmati 2.86 3.08 2.25* 100 73
rice,white .87 1.40 1.53 .87 100 57
rice,wild 15.90 11.88* 100 75
rutabaga 1.08 1.08 1.48 1.30 73
salmon,pink,can 5.12* 7.00 100 73
salmon,keta,can 8.40 5.59* 100 67
salmon,sockeye,can canned 13.10 11.70* 100 89
scallop,bay 15.39 9.89* 100 64
sesame seed 4.97* 5.55 100 90
shrimp 13.19* 30.80 100 43
spinach,fresh 6.59 5.25* 7.01 100 75
squash,acorn 2.84 1.08* 2.14 2.18 2.18 38
squash,spaghetti 2.84 2.18 2.14* 2.18 2.18 76 75
strawberry 13.19 6.59* 50
sugar,brown 1.89 1.71* 1.99 100 86
sugar,white .97 .90* 1.25 100 72
tomato,canned 1.12* 1.87 100 60
tomato,fresh 4.39 1.74* 1.94 2.18 2.84 100 40
turkey,roast 5.93 4.39* 46 74
wheat,cracked 1.59 1.44* 100 91
products 82 24 32 46 34 28 49
%wins (*) 26 21 56 57 26 21 8
Loblaws Njaim BulkBarn Belfast MarketFresh FarmBoy L oeb

product	Loblaws	Njaim	BulkBarn	Belfast	MarketFresh	FarmB oy	Loeb	%edible	%price
almond,raw	24.90	12.10	13.53	11.00*				100	44
apple	2.84			1.52	1.81	1.52	1.54	86	54
apricot,dried	12.98	8.37	7.75*		12.49			100	60
banana	1.08*			1.30	1.30	1.30	1.30	63	83
barley,pot	1.30	1.19	.99*					100	76
bean,garbanzo		2.00*	2.16					100	93
bean,green	6.59			3.30*	5.44	4.39	5.93	96	50
bean,kidney		2.35	2.61	1.75*			2.64	100	66
bean,sprout	1.52			1.96	1.48*			100	76
bean,white	2.20*		2.25				2.20	100	98
beef,trimmed	12.10	7.99		6.85*		13.87	12.96	100	4 9
beet	2.18			.64*				87	29
blueberry	12.41*			24.27	23.76			100	51
bread,7grain	2.80						2.21*	100	79
bread,white	1.76*						2.65	100	66
broccoli	3.28			3.49	3.27	1.69*	2.17	51	48
brusselsprout	4.39			3.28	3.24*		3.73	100	74
buckwheat		4.99*	5.49					100	91
cabbage				.65		.64*	.86		74
cactuspear				11.70	6.00*			67	51
carrot	.88			.69*	.87	.83	1.10	77	63
cauliflower				1.75	1.38*	1.40		57	79
cheese,cheddar	6.65*					17.90	20.50	100	32
cheese,goat	24.51	13.57*						100	55
cheese,mozarella	6.65*					9.90		100	67
chestnut				3.99		2.18*		82	55
chicken,breast	15.41					11.00*	16.51	100	67
chicken,liver	4.39*						5.05	100	87
chicken,roast	5.05	4.99		3.59*	5.48	5.05	5.68	32	6 3
chocolate,bakers	16.84		11.16*				17.70	100	63
cod,fillet	9.97				7.60*			100	76
corn,meal	1.10*		1.26					100	87
cornstarch	2.98		1.59*					100	53
cucumber	3.00			1.00*	2.00	2.00	3.87	83	26
date,pitted	5.58		2.97*					100	53
eggplant	4.39			2.18*	3.24	2.84		81	50
fig,dried	11.97		11.16*					100	93
fish oil capsules	91.58*							100	92
flour,AP	.55*		.89				.70	100	62
garlic	3.28			2.84		2.84		90	87
haddock,fillet	9.97*				22.00			100	45
ham,can	9.54*						10.60	100	90
ham,trimmed	9.90*						11.00	100	90
hazelnut	17.90	14.34*	15.84					100	80
kumquat				22.05	6.55*			38	30
lamb,ground	9.98*						11.60	100	86
lentil,green	1.52*	1.80	1.80	2.62			1.88	100	58
lentil,red	1.96*	2.50	2.25	3.94				100	50
lettuce,chinese	2.18			1.08*	2.14	1.79	3.73		29
lettuce,head	2.25			1.34	2.22	1.32*		93	60
milk,2%	.92*			.99			.99	100	93
millet		2.40	1.98*					100	83
mushroom	6.59			5.93*	6.54		6.59	100	90
oat,bran		3.48	2.70*					100	78
oat,rolled	2.21		1.17*					100	53
oil,canola	2.73			2.58*			3.62	100	71
oil,corn	2.05						3.68	100	56
oil,olive,EV	9.98	8.71		6.96*			9.29	100	70
oil,peanut	4.35*						7.66	100	57
olive,black	14.37	4.99		4.20*				80	29
onion	2.84			.86	.87	.74*	.88	97	26
orange,mandarin	2.64			1.69*				82	64
orange,navel	3.28			1.69*	2.14	2.18	2.75	73	52
pasta	1.10	1.77	2.00				1.10	100	55
peanut,butter	3.53		3.51*					100	99
pear	3.28			1.74*	3.24	2.84		86	53
pea,dried	.86*	1.09	1.26	.87				100	68
pepper,green	3.73			2.18*	3.24	2.84	4.39	87	50
pinenut		33.99	26.73*					100	79
pork,trimmed	10.56			6.99*		11.00		100	64
potato	.44			.22*	.22	.41	.44	100	50
potato,sweet	2.84			1.30*	1.48			85	46
radish	3.28				1.94*			100	59
raisin,seeded	5.32		3.96*					100	74
raisin,seedless	6.65		4.95*				6.65	100	74
raspberry	15.99*				29.24			100	55
rice,br.Basmati	2.86	3.08	2.25*					100	73
rice,white	.87	1.40	1.53				.87	100	57
rice,wild		15.90	11.88*					100	75
rutabaga	1.08			1.08	1.48		1.30		73
salmon,pink,can	5.12*						7.00	100	73
salmon,keta,can	8.40						5.59*	100	67
salmon,sockeye,can canned	13.10						11.70*	100	89
scallop,bay	15.39				9.89*			100	64
sesame seed		4.97*	5.55					100	90
shrimp	13.19*				30.80			100	43
spinach,fresh	6.59			5.25*		7.01		100	75
squash,acorn	2.84			1.08*	2.14	2.18	2.18		38
squash,spaghetti	2.84			2.18	2.14*	2.18	2.18	76	75
strawberry	13.19			6.59*					50
sugar,brown	1.89		1.71*				1.99	100	86
sugar,white	.97		.90*				1.25	100	72
tomato,canned	1.12*						1.87	100	60
tomato,fresh	4.39			1.74*	1.94	2.18	2.84	100	40
turkey,roast	5.93						4.39*	46	74
wheat,cracked		1.59	1.44*					100	91
products	82	24	32	46	34	28	49
%wins (*)	26	21	56	57	26	21	8
	Loblaws	Njaim	BulkBarn	Belfast	MarketFresh	FarmBoy	L oeb

So, competition doesn't drive a lot of pricing here except at Belfast and Bulk Barn. Even there, Belfast always has a special fruit display (e.g, kumquat above) with prices two to three times the competition. Bulk Barn drops to 40% wins without the seniors' discount - still #2. And, they carry a lot of unusual products that other stores don't, such as special flours. Loblaws prices are generally good for non-perishable packaged items. But, Loeb seems totally insensitive to competition with anyone - every one of their wins was a temporary special.

But if you think food prices vary from store to store, just try non-food items. Here are a few I've found recently:

An emergency light, designed to come on when the power fails, cost $50 at the local Rona. The manufacturer's list price was US$20; it was widely available on the internet for Cdn$16.
A 1.8 m HDMI cable, to interconnect high definition TVs, cost $102 at the local Future Shop. The identical cable was $40 at the local Zellers, a similar one at Active Electronics for $32.
A 600 gph aquarium pump cost $130 at the local Big Al's; similar ones were widely available on the internet for Cdn$16.
A Tidepool Silent Overflow Skimmer cost $219 at the local Big Al's; it was widely available on the internet for Cdn$65.

John Sankey
other notes on food