Good Food Box price increase

›› Jesse Wallis

It is really important to us at the Good Food Box to provide an abundance of healthy fruit and vegetables at a low cost for our community. With the increase in the price of food across the province, we have been getting less bang for our buck—there is a direct link between food costs going up and the contents of our bags going down.

Photo: Tyler Cave

According to Canada’s Food Price Report 2023, the price of vegetables is predicted to increase by 6 - 8% this year. We have all felt the impact of supply chain disruptions and labour shortages through the Covid-19 pandemic which was accom- panied by the hit to farmers across BC with extreme weather in the form of flooding, drought, and unpredictable seasons. With all those factors in combination, we have witnessed the highest rate of food inflation since the 1980s—a 40-year high.

To make sure we can keep our bags overflowing with fresh produce, we need to raise our prices this year and with those extra few dollars per bag we hope to keep our customers happy with fullyloaded, aff ordable food bags each week. Rest assured that you’ll be receiving more vegetables in every bag and you’ll be supporting a non-profit food security program that continues to provide the residents of Victoria with the most accessible prices for fresh food across the city. With food justice at the forefront of our planning, this hasn’t been a decision made lightly. We recognize folks on low income will be hardest hit by infl ation. We appreciate every purchase made and are grateful for the understanding and support of the program in our community.