[AxeMan]

I have often thought the solution to the grocery price crisis in Canada is a massive shift to decentralization. Let me explain, but I don't think it could happen with western society's ever increasing laziness and loss of old style cultural practices.

The food industry in the west has evolved into a massive centralized vertically integrated monopoly. Basically in Canada, we have Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco controlling the entire food industry. The corner grocers, bakers, and butchers have been forced out of the market. The monopoly has had an effect of an industry that is overly dependent transportation, packaging, and an over abundance of prepared foods. We have even seen proven price fixing scams like the bread scandal in Canada. This monopoly supports the prepared food industry giants like Kraft, Campbells, Heinz, etc. Now we see a layer of food delivery for the lazy like Voila, Uber Eats, Instacart, etc.

I believe in a system where people would grow gardens more, support local bakers, and butchers that are integrated with local farmers. Farmers markets are evidence that there is a small part of this in practice. Society would have to adjust to get off their asses and prepare foods like our past generations have. Most of our Grandma's baked bread a few times a week and the quality of that needs no explanation to those who have experienced that fresh bread smell and taste. Cultures have developed on locally grown food and food preparation. That is lost today, and is a great shame. Put Heinz out of business; make your own baked beans from scratch from beans you grew or bought a sack full from a local farmer.

I grow a big garden, supply my own produce for half the year, and do preserves for most of the rest. Gardening should be massively promoted and incentivized instead of Wacko policies like carbon taxing. Many of us here reading this eat meat from our hunting efforts, or buy beef/pork, and chicken from local farmers directly. Buy a sack of flour, make your own bread, its is much better. Prepare meals from base ingredients with great cultural recipes. Food is culture! Say no to eating over packaged, terrible tasting prepared foods from the integrated monopoly grocer giants.

Again, people kind of get what they deserve from their laziness and apathy. The food industry giants are preying on this convenience. There is a better way to fight this than temporary boycotts of one grocery chain. Food growing, acquisition of ingredients, and prepartion should be a much greater part of peoples lives instead of finding ways of convenience around it. That would put a big dent in the grocer/processed food industry.