Food inflation continues to top Canadians’ financial concerns, according to the fall 2025 edition of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab (AAL), and they’re adapting their diets and shopping behaviours as a result.

The AAL based the bi-annual report on Purdue University’s Consumer Food Insights survey of Americans. The Canadian Food Sentiment Index measures the perceptions and views of roughly 3,000 respondents across the country on issues ranging from food affordability and spending to consumer beliefs and trust.

Here are five things to know about how Canadians feel about the food landscape as 2025 comes to a close.

Food spending is increasing

Respondents paid slightly more for food compared to spring 2025 , due mainly to groceries

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