The authors of a report projecting that food prices will increase next year by 4-6 per cent recommend that every time you buy groceries, check the receipt. Sylvain Charlebois, chair of the Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousine University, says it is often inaccurate and if you are overcharged, the merchant has to give you that item at no cost.

Meat is the driver of excessive food-flation, but Charlebois says people are doing their best to find a way around the higher prices by going to the supermarket more often in an effort to find bargains. Bulk buying is also a popular option.

Charlebois told BDO’s Nancy Sneddon on Your Money on VOCM that whereas food has gone up by about 27 per cent over the past few years, it is wise to check out every possibility when it comes to saving money including checking for pricing errors.

“And grocers will want to rectify the situation as soon as possible,” says Charlebois. “I’ve posted pictures of pricing errors on X and within minutes, I get calls from them wanting to get in touch with the customer to put things right.”