Sylvain Charlebois

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is Senior Director of the Agri-Foods Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Also at Dalhousie, he is Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculty of Agriculture. His current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety, and has published four books and many peer-reviewed journal articles in several publications. His research has been featured in a number of newspapers, including The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Inflation Hits Canadians with Gluten Intolerance at the Grocery Store in a Big Way [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says Canadians with Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance are especially vulnerable to price fluctuations, with food costs already being much higher than other options.

Are Canadians Buying Less Groceries with Ongoing Inflation? [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that there are questions around consumer behaviour at the grocery store while analyzing numbers showing a downward trend at the retail level.

Public Outrage and Grocery CEO Compensation: What Loblaw Should Have Done [Op-Ed]

Even if the numbers made sense to support a raise for Galen Weston, the Loblaws Board should have read the room says Sylvain Charlebois.

Canadians Lose Trust in Grocers While Wanting More Price Freezes and Competition [Survey/Op-Ed]

A new survey of almost 10,000 Canadians shows that many consumers are fed up with grocery retailers and think that they're being gouged.

Federal Budget Does Little to Help Canadians with Food Affordability [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that the Federal budget falls short on helping Canadians desperate to afford food at the grocery store.

The Hidden Cost of Carbon Taxes and How it Will Impact Food Retail in Canada [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that the Carbon Tax will make it more difficult for many companies to keep food affordable, impacting many families even more who are already suffering.

Smaller Packages at Grocery Stores in Canada Amid ‘Shrinkflation’ Could Trigger Taxes at the Checkout [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that even more grocery items are expected to be taxed as brands reduce the size of certain food offerings below government thresholds.

Have Grocers Taken Advantage of Canadians in a Challenging Retail Environment? [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois explains the challenges of doing business in Canada, and how a lack of competition contributes to the current situation.

Tim Hortons Terminating Disgruntled ‘Rebel Alliance’ Franchisee Contracts as Part of a ‘Spring Cleaning’ [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois describes an 'epic' feud that's been going on for several years, and it appears RBI has had enough.

A Rise in in Alcohol Taxes at Retailers in Canada to Hit Consumers April 1 [Op-Ed]

Canada already has the highest tax rate on alcohol in the Western world according to Sylvain Charlebois, and it's about to get even worse.

Canada Needs Discount Grocer Stores — Real Ones [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that Canada seriously lacks options and that a chain such as Aldi or Lidl would better serve the market as consumers struggle with inflation.

Canadians Should be Checking Receipts at the Grocery Store as Errors are Common [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that Canadians may not realize that the prices on the shelves and what's scanned might be different, and that there's sometimes an opportunity for compensation if there's been an error.

A Grocer Code of Conduct is Finally Coming to Canada – Will it be Effective? [Op-Ed]

Compliance and consumer trust are going to be significant challenges says Sylvain Charlebois, and time will tell if the code will be effective.

Lessons from a Frivolous Picture of Overpriced Chicken Breasts at Loblaws [Op-Ed]

Grocery retailers in Canada are experiencing a "crisis of confidence" according to Sylvain Charlebois, who explains negative feedback to a recent photo of pricey chicken breasts.

Grocery Theft Significantly Impacting Retailers in Canada [Op-Ed]

With food inflation, theft at grocery stores is at a new high in a retail category that has notoriously low margins.

Grocery Execs in Canada Receive Big Bonuses After Inflation Spike and Consumer Outrage [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that major food chains continue to pay bonuses to their leaders as if nothing has happened -- a serious blunder, especially with inflation and a crisis in the loss of consumer confidence.

Lettuce Shortage in Canada Signals Supply Chain Challenges for Food Retailers [Op-Ed]

Canada became dependent on foreign markets prior to NAFTA, and the situation is complicated according to Sylvain Charlebois.

By the Numbers: Are Grocery Retailers in Canada Gouging Consumers? [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois runs down the sales numbers and expenses at grocers in Canada with some interesting pre-pandemic and current results.

Why the Competition Bureau is Toothless in its Investigation of Canada’s Grocery Sector [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that Loblaw is arguably the most hated grocer in the world as consumers revolt at inflationary price increases and remember the bread scandal.

Are Grocery Retailers in Canada Still Colluding? [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that Metro's response to Loblaw's price freeze raises serious questions about the industry once again.

Loblaw 1st Canadian Retailer to Announce Plans to Freeze Food Prices: Too Little Too Late? [Op-Ed]

Consumers are already trusting grocers less, says Sylvain Charlebois, following the highly publicized bread price-fixing scheme that went on for years.

Ottawa Will Investigate Food Prices. It’s About Time [Op-Ed]

Some price hikes have been difficult to explain according to Sylvain Charlebois, raising questions about grocery retailers in Canada as consumers struggle.

It’s Time for Canadian Grocery Retailers to Freeze Prices Amid Accusations of ‘Greedflation’ [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says now is the time for grocers to step up in order to stop accusations of gouging as consumers struggle more than ever.

Restaurants in Canada: The Bleeding Continues [Op-Ed]

Sylvain Charlebois says that restaurants are recovering, but the sector is still not out of the woods.

Food Inflation in Canada in the ‘7th Inning Stretch’ Following Major Increases: Op-Ed

Sylvain Charlebois says that food inflation numbers tell us several stories as consumers grapple with price increases, with light at the end of the tunnel.

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