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For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

Thomas Storring	Director – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410	Email: thomas.storring@novascotia.ca

May 08, 2025
AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES, MARCH 2025

Year-over-year (March 2025 vs March 2024)

Over the last year (March 2025 vs March 2024), the consumer price index for all items in Nova Scotia excluding food increased by 2.1%. Food prices as a whole rose 3.4%.  At the same time average weekly earnings across all Nova Scotia industries increased by 6.8%.

In the last year, the following products reported lower prices in Nova Scotia:

• Pork loin cuts
• Pork rib cuts
• Pork shoulder cuts
• Chicken drumsticks
• Wieners
• Shrimp
• Canned tuna
• Soy milk
• Bananas
• Lemons
• Limes
• Grapes
• Cantaloupe
• Strawberries
• Potatoes, 4.54 kilograms
• Tomatoes
• Cabbage
• Onions, per kilogram
• Onions, 1.36 kilograms
• Celery
• Iceberg lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Broccoli
• Peppers
• Squash
• Salad greens
• Frozen french fried potatoes
• Frozen pizza
• Frozen spinach
• Flatbread and pita
• Cookies and sweet biscuits
• Brown rice
• Cereal
• Apple juice
• Tea (20 bags)
• Vegetable oil
• Canola oil
• Olive oil
• Baby food
• Peanut butter
• Canned baked beans
• Canned tomatoes
• Canned beans and lentils
• Canned peach
• Dried lentils
• Dry beans and legumes
• Salad dressing
• Toothpaste
• Laundry detergent

The following products reported price growth that exceeded the gains in average weekly earnings:

• Beef stewing cuts
• Beef striploin cuts
• Beef top sirloin cuts
• Beef rib cuts
• Ground beef
• Whole chicken
• Bacon
• Cream
• Eggs
• Oranges, per kilogram
• Pears
• Avocado
• Potatoes, per kilogram
• Cucumber
• Mushrooms
• Frozen corn
• Frozen peas
• Dry or fresh pasta
• Wheat flour
• Roasted or ground coffee
• Infant formula
• Canned soup
• Canned corn
• Pasta sauce
• Almonds
• Peanuts

Nova Scotia prices relative to national average (March 2025)

Nova Scotia food prices were below national averages for the following products:                                                                                                               

• Beef stewing cuts
• Beef striploin cuts 
• Beef rib cuts
• Pork loin cuts
• Pork rib cuts
• Chicken breasts
• Salmon
• Shrimp
• Canned salmon
• Milk, 2 litres
• Potatoes, 4.54 kilograms
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Salad greens
• Frozen strawberries
• White sugar
• Apple juice
• Baby food
• Infant formula
• Canned peach
• Canned pear
• Pasta sauce
• Shampoo
• Laundry detergent

Nova Scotia food prices were more than 10% higher than the national averages for the following products:

• Beef top sirloin cuts
• Canned tuna
• Oranges, per kilogram
• Oranges, 1.36 kilograms
• Bananas
• Pears
• Limes
• Grapes
• Cantaloupe
• Potatoes, per kilogram
• Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Peppers
• Flatbread and pita
• Crackers and crisp breads
• White rice
• Vegetable oil
• Canola oil
• Canned soup
• Canned corn

Notes: Statistics Canada makes available scanner data on prices collected for a range of food and personal care items. These prices are collected through point-of-sale (transaction) data obtained directly from Canadian retailers. The data represent commonly purchased items (which do change over time), but are not representative of the Consumer Price Index weights. Over time, products are rotated and quantity or quality may change. Comparisons of prices from one time period to another reflect quantity and quality changes as well as price changes.

For the purposes of this analysis, the 110 items reported by Statistics Canada will be grouped into:

• Meat, fish, poultry and meat substitutes
• Dairy, eggs and substitute products
• Fruit (including canned and frozen products)
• Vegetables (including canned and frozen products)
• Grains, cereals, beans, legumes and nuts
• Sugar, juices, cooking oils, condiments and prepared foods
• Health and cleaning products

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 18-10-0245-01  Monthly average retail prices for selected products; Table 18-10-0004-01  Consumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0063-01  Employee wages by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality

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