Why do Canadians want to shop local?

“Shop local” has been a mantra for a while now, and a new survey from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab (AAL) in partnership with Angus Reid has found that most Canadians feel that it is important that the products they see and buy at the grocery store are local. That sentiment is the strongest in Quebec, where […]

Some Canadians have lost interest in meal kits

Meal kits were growing in popularity before the pandemic, and sales boomed during the first year of COVID-19 with restaurants shut and diners adjusting to a different life of consumption. But it appears some Canadians have since lost their appetite for the services. A recent survey conducted by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in […]

Plant-based proteins still more expensive amid soaring cost of meat

Plant-based proteins have many benefits, not least an often comparatively reduced toll on the planet and the environment, but does their pricing limit their accessibility? A new report has found that plant-based proteins are still generally more expensive than meat products despite the soaring cost of much meat in recent months. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at […]

Canada’s Food Price Report 2022 predicts unprecedented spike

The pandemic has already raised costs in foodservice and beyond, wreaking havoc on supply chains and food availability. And Canadians are about to start paying a whole lot more for food, according to Canada’s Food Price Report 2022. The guide, released on December 9, is published annually by researchers with Dalhousie University, the University of Guelph, […]

Is it time to include tips in menu prices?

By Sylvain Charlebois and Poppy Nicolette Riddle Tipping is a cultural practice strongly supported in Canada, with most patrons feeling good about their experiences. However, tips can have hidden consequences for those working in foodservice. With staff recruitment a problem as the easing of pandemic guidelines are allowing restaurants to reopen, our research suggests it […]

Tipping remains important but are attitudes shifting?

Canadians largely recognize that tipping is becoming increasingly important for the foodservice and hospitality industry amid the devastating impacts of COVID-19. However, there are some signs that attitudes may be changing. Foodservice and hospitality has always relied on tipping to a significant extent. The pandemic, though, is causing something of a reevaluation of how the […]

One-third of young Canadians consider giving up beef

A new survey by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in partnership with Angus Reid found that while beef is still highly popular among Canadians, consumer have their doubts. The survey found that 92 per cent of Canadians eat beef and two-thirds (65 per cent) eat beef at least once a week. Most respondents (69 per […]

Canadians struggling with eating habits during COVID-19

A new survey from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University has found that 74 per cent of Canadians say the COVID-19 has impacted their pandemic impacted their eating habits. More than three-quarters of those surveyed (77 per cent) said their stress level was impacted by the pandemic, with younger generations feeling it the most: […]

Dalhousie releases study of Canada’s comparative food safety

The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, with the financial support of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), says it is “proudly” releasing a study of Canada’s food safety regulations in comparison with those from around the industrialized world. The report is intended to identify emerging trends that should be taken into account when the Safe […]

Canadian consumer confidence in food safety rebounding

A new report from Dalhousie University suggests that consumer confidence in Canadian food safety is rebounding, one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dalhousie’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in partnership with Caddle, surveyed over 10,000 Canadians at the end of February 2021. The participants were surveyed on consumer confidence and satisfaction. Overall, there were […]