Ottawa grocery shoppers picking up chicken thighs for the barbecue this summer are getting an unwelcome surprise at checkout. Fresh or frozen chicken thighs jumped 8.2 per cent in price from May to June, according to the latest national inflation numbers — a steeper monthly climb than the usual culprits like beef and coffee.
For households across the city already juggling rent, gas, and utility bills, the sudden spike in a grocery staple is one more line item creeping up on the receipt. Chicken thighs have long been the budget-friendly cut Ottawa families lean on for weeknight dinners, meal prep, and backyard grilling — which is exactly why a near-double-digit jump in a single month stings more than usual.
Why the Sudden Jump
While the exact drivers behind the June spike weren't fully broken down in the national data, chicken prices tend to be sensitive to a mix of feed costs, processing capacity, and seasonal demand — and demand for chicken thighs typically climbs heading into summer as barbecue season ramps up across the region, including at patios and backyard cookouts here in Ottawa.
What makes this increase notable is how it compares to other grocery staples. Beef and coffee are usually the products Canadians point to when they talk about sticker shock at the grocery store, but this time chicken thighs outpaced both on a monthly basis. That's a shift worth watching for anyone in Ottawa trying to plan a grocery budget around what's historically been one of the more affordable protein options.
The Ottawa Angle
Ottawa's cost of living has already been a hot topic this year, with residents navigating high housing costs alongside rising day-to-day expenses. A jump like this in a grocery staple compounds that pressure, particularly for larger families and anyone relying on chicken thighs as an affordable protein swap for pricier cuts of beef or pork.
Local grocery chains with Ottawa locations — from big-box supermarkets to independent butchers in neighbourhoods like Hintonburg and Vanier — generally track national pricing trends fairly closely, meaning shoppers here should expect to see this increase reflected on shelves if they haven't already noticed it. Community fridges and food banks across the city, which regularly rely on donated or discounted poultry, could also feel a ripple effect if wholesale prices stay elevated.
What Ottawa Shoppers Can Do
For now, budget-conscious Ottawa shoppers might consider leaning into flyer-matching at local grocery chains, buying in bulk when thighs go on sale and freezing portions, or checking out Ottawa's farmers' markets and butcher shops for competitive pricing on poultry. Loyalty programs and grocery apps that track price history can also help spot when chicken thighs dip back toward more typical price points.
Whether this is a temporary blip or the start of a longer trend remains to be seen, but for now, Ottawa households budgeting for dinner should brace for a slightly higher bill at the meat counter.
Source: CBC News
