Competition Bureau to examine competition in Canada’s food supply chain

The Competition Bureau is examining the level of competition in Canada’s food supply chain.

Food prices have risen sharply in recent years, putting significant pressure on Canadian households. While many factors influence food prices, competition plays an important role in keeping prices in check and giving Canadians more choice.

The Bureau’s examination will look for potential competition issues in these three areas:

• production and processing, including how food is grown, caught, transformed and packaged;
• transportation and distribution, including how food moves to retailers across Canada; and
• retail pricing practices, including loyalty programs, pricing algorithms, shrinkflation and skimpflation.

The Bureau is seeking input from Canadians and organizations with experience in the food supply chain. They are invited to share their views through an online form by July 31, 2026. The Bureau will also meet with groups and hold roundtable discussions in the coming months to determine where competition is not working well, where there are barriers, and what could help improve competition.

The Bureau will publish a final report in spring 2027. The report will share findings and make recommendations to governments on how competition can be strengthened across the food supply chain.

“The cost of food matters to all Canadians, and strong competition can help keep prices in check. Our examination builds on our earlier work in the retail grocery sector and will look at all parts of the food supply chain. If you have experience in any sector along that supply chain, we want to hear from you. Your input will help us find solutions that support competition and affordability,” said Jeanne Pratt, interim commissioner of Competition.

This examination builds on the Bureau’s 2023 retail grocery market study. The Bureau clarified that this is not a market study. Rather, a broader approach to understand where engagement from the Bureau is needed going forward, and where policymakers may be able to take action.