More Canadians willing to eat past best-before date as food prices rise, study suggests

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With food prices rising, a newly released study from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in collaboration with Caddle, suggests more people are willing to eat food at or past its best-before date.By Paige Taylor White Toronto Star file photo
As food prices rise, more Canadians are willing to eat food at or past its best-before date, a new study conducted suggests.

The study, conducted by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab in collaboration with Caddle, surveyed 9,109 Canadians in April.

When asked if higher food prices influenced their willingness to consume food close to or past its best-before date, 58 per cent of respondents said they were more inclined to do so.

“The findings from our study at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab highlight a concerning trend: as food prices climb, more Canadians are taking risks with their food safety,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in a news release.

“This behaviour, driven by economic necessity, exposes a critical vulnerability in our food system where food security and food safety intersect. It's imperative that we address these issues collectively to ensure that no Canadian must choose between economic hardship and their health.”

Other study findings include:

Among the 58 per cent who are willing to consume such food, 23.1 per cent indicated they always eat food that is past its best-before dates or appears overripe, 38.6 per cent often consume such food, 30.8 per cent do so sometimes, and 7.5 per cent rarely consume food under these conditions;

37 per cent reported higher prices have not changed their consumption habits; and

48 per cent were unsure whether eating such food might lead to illness.Getting sickThe study also asked participants if they experienced any health issues or food poisonings they suspect were related to consuming food that was close to or past its best-before date.

A total of 20 per cent claimed to have become sick after consuming such food.

By generation, the results were as follows:

Millennials (1980 to 1996): 41 per cent

Generation X (1965 to 1980): 24 per cent

Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964): 20 per cent

The Greatest Generation (before 1946): 10 per cent

Generation Z (1997 to 2005): 10 per centKeeping food longerThe study asked if Canadians altered their food storage or preparation habits to extend the shelf life of the food as a result of rising prices, to which 47 per cent said they have.

Examples of extending the shelf life of food include freezing bread, storing vegetables in humidity-controlled drawers, using vacuum-sealed containers to keep leftovers.

“Through our research, we've observed a significant shift in how Canadians manage their food at home, driven by the need to adapt to increasing food costs. Many are extending the life of their food products through various storage techniques, which can be seen as a positive adaptive strategy,” said Janet Music, manager of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, in the release.

“However, the fact that nearly half of the participants are uncertain about the safety of the food they consume underlines the need for better consumer education and support to navigate these challenges safely.”

Overall view on food safety and inflationThe study asked if people believe food safety has been impacted by food inflation in the past year.

Results suggest:

8.5 per cent feel food is safer than 12 months ago

26.9 per cent feel it is less safe

35.5 per cent feel it has had no impact

50.1 per cent believe food inflation and higher food prices have forced them to take more risks with their foodThe Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University is a research unit dedicated to providing insights into the food and agriculture sectors.

The margin of error for the survey, assuming a 95 per cent confidence level, is approximately 1.92 per cent, researchers said.

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https://www.toronto.com/news/more-canadians-willing-to-eat-past-best-before-date-as-food-prices-rise-study-suggests/article_efa6c117-6335-5ccb-b7fa-186f26033d6a.html