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September 02, 2026AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES, JULY 2026 Year-over-year (July 2026 vs July 2025)
Over the last year (July 2026 vs July 2025), the consumer price index for all items in Nova Scotia excluding food increased by 5.5%. Food prices as a whole rose 2.8%. At the same time the average weekly wage across all Nova Scotia industries increased by 3.0%.
In the last year, the following products reported lower prices in Nova Scotia: pork shoulder cuts, chicken breasts, shrimp, margarine, yogurt, eggs, pears, grapes, onions, peppers, frozen french fried potatoes, frozen green beans, frozen mixed vegetables, flatbread and pita, crackers and crisp breads, cookies and sweet biscuits, cereal, white sugar, orange juice, ketchup, olive oil, baby food, infant formula, peanut butter, canned baked beans, canned soup, canned corn, salsa, and laundry detergent.
The following products reported price growth that exceeded the gains in average weekly earnings: beef (stewing cuts, striploin cuts, top sirloin cuts, rib cuts, and ground), pork rib cuts, whole chicken, chicken thigh, bacon, canned salmon, milk, 1 litre, soy milk, nut milk, cream, butter, apples, bananas, lemons, limes, cantaloupe, strawberries, avocado, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, broccoli, squash, salad greens, frozen broccoli, frozen pizza, frozen spinach, frozen strawberries, white bread, dry or fresh pasta, brown rice, apple juice, roasted or ground coffee, vegetable oil, canola oil, canned tomatoes, canned beans and lentils, canned peach, canned pear, dried lentils, dry beans and legumes, tofu, hummus, pasta sauce, salad dressing, almonds, deodorant, toothpaste, and shampoo.
Nova Scotia prices relative to national average (July 2026)
Nova Scotia food prices were below national averages for beef stewing cuts, beef striploin cuts, pork shoulder cuts, whole chicken, chicken breasts, chicken thigh, salmon, canned salmon, milk, 2 litres, cabbage, romaine lettuce, frozen green beans, frozen corn, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen peas, frozen spinach, infant formula, mayonnaise, pasta sauce, laundry detergent.
Nova Scotia food prices were more than 10% higher than national averages for beef top sirloin cuts, beef rib cuts, chicken drumsticks, wieners, canned tuna, cream, apples, oranges, bananas, pears, lemons, limes, grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, avocado, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, broccoli, peppers, squash, flatbread and pita, roasted or ground coffee, vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, and dried lentils.
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 June 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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