Average price of milk up 3% since March: Field Agent Canada

The cost of milk is still eating away at Canadians' grocery budgets.  

Field Agent Canada’s annual Canadian Fluid Milk Report analyzes the cost of 2% milk across the country.

The retail data and tech company conducted price audits at 186 stores across 20 cities coast-to-coast in late May.

Field Agent said it discovered “record high” milk prices, with the average cost of four litres of milk rising 3% since its last study in March 2023.

The city with the least expensive average price per litre for 2% milk (based on a four litre package) was Sudbury, Ont. at $1.51 per litre, which represents a 10% discount compared to the national average.  

Charlottetown, P.E.I and Moncton, N.B. tied for the most expensive milk at $2.09 per litre—a 24% premium compared to the national average.

Field Agent found the cheapest 2% milk at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Victoria, B.C. for $5.49.

Across the border, in Walmart’s U.S. stores, the average price per litre was 28% cheaper than Canada.

Field Agent also compared the price of 2% cow's milk in two litre cartons to the 1.89 litre carton of Silk-brand Unsweetened Almond beverage, with the price gap narrowing from 10% in March 2023 to 4.5% today.

"Due to Canada's inefficient system of dairy quotas and 'cost-plus' model for setting the farm gate milk price we see consumers in some markets, primarily in Atlantic Canada paying substantially more for this grocery staple." said Jeff Doucette, general manager of Field Agent Canada, in a release. "While it could mean the end of local dairy production, consumers in these smaller markets should push their governments to reform the dairy production system to help bring down the price of milk in these markets."