The CEOs and Presidents of some of the country’s largest grocery food chains testified before a House of Commons agriculture committee hearing on food inflation.

The hearings were called amid questions raised about industry transparency and the factors driving rising food costs.

Each of the CEO’s including Galen Weston of Loblaw, Michael Medline of Empire, the parent company of Sobeys and Eric LaFleche of Metro—a major grocery chain in Quebec, testified that grocers are not responsible for high food prices—indicating that it’s part of a global problem.

Grocery prices were up 11.4 per cent in January over the previous year—double the rate of inflation.

Food researcher and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University Sylvain Charlebois was watching the hearings closely.

He was pleased with discussion surrounding a Code of Conduct, something he’s been advocating for.

He says the Code of Conduct is the best chance to lessen the power and influence of major retailers like Loblaw and Walmart to give processors and independent grocers a better chance. He says Medline endorsed the Code, but Weston and LaFleche were less enthusiastic.