Thinking beyond supermarkets: alternative pathways to food affordability

Abstract

With rising food costs and growing food insecurity, major supermarket chains are often associated with food access and affordability by policymakers and researchers. The rationale is that expanding supermarket competition will lower food prices. However, this assumption deserves empirical scrutiny. Our research on retail produce sales in Toronto, Canada, challenges the widespread assumption that supermarkets provide the most affordable food options. Drawing on three years (2022–2025) of systematic price tracking across 32 produce items in the city, we compare retail prices at independent greengrocers, mobile vendors, and major chain supermarkets. Our findings reveal that small-scale retailers offered the lowest prices 81.2% of the time, while major chains did so only 18.8% of the time. Beyond price competitiveness, small retailers serve neighbourhoods by stocking culturally appropriate foods and providing flexible payment options embedded in community relationships. A public wholesale marketplace enables this retail diversity. These findings problematize supermarket-centric food security policy and demonstrate the importance of supporting diverse retail ecosystems.