Are you surprised? Stuck in a grocery routine? Blame it on the chicken thighs.
Canada’s inflation rate saw a slight decrease last month, but your grocery costs probably didn’t follow suit. According to the latest consumer price index (CPI) data from Statistics Canada, overall inflation slowed to 2.8% in June due to lower gas prices, but certain grocery items saw price hikes.
Among these, chicken thighs took the lead in monthly price increases, with fresh or frozen thigh prices surging by 8.2% from May to June, well above the typical increases seen in beef and coffee. Year-over-year, chicken thigh prices spiked by 13.6% compared to the previous June.
On the flip side, other grocery items that were previously causing budget concerns for Canadians, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and grapes, saw price drops from May to June.
For instance, a club pack of nine boneless, skinless chicken thighs at a Loblaws store in Toronto was priced at $22.18 on Tuesday, equivalent to $20.92 per kilogram. Similarly, a North Vancouver Walmart offered a value pack of Lillydale boneless, skinless chicken thighs for $22.48, or $18 per kilogram. Meanwhile, a pack of Our Compliments boneless, skinless chicken thighs was available for $20.92 per kilogram at a Halifax Sobeys store.
Consumers Opting for Cheaper Proteins
According to Michael von Massow, a food agriculture professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, the price fluctuations in chicken are primarily driven by consumer demand. As protein prices, in general, continue to rise, people are shifting towards more affordable options like chicken thighs compared to pricier beef cuts. Von Massow highlighted that despite the increase, chicken remains a more budget-friendly choice than beef, with thighs typically costing less than breasts.
Von Massow also emphasized that any changes in consumer demand directly impact prices as chicken thighs are a limited resource, with only two per bird available.
Concerns Over Protein Prices
Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab in Halifax, echoed von Massow’s sentiments, attributing the surge in chicken consumption to the soaring prices of beef. Charlebois noted that apart from thighs, almost all chicken parts, except for breasts, have seen price increases. While breast prices dipped by 0.7% from May to June, drumstick prices rose by 1.8%, as per Statistics Canada data.
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