Jun 17, 2026
If you’re cooking for one, you’ve likely felt the quiet frustration of watching half a head of lettuce turn into brown sludge or buying a massive loaf of bread knowing you will only toast a quarter of it. You’re not imagining things, and you’re definitely not alone in your frustration.
A new national survey has confirmed exactly what single Canadians have long suspected. Living solo comes with a steep financial premium at the checkout counter, creating a structural cost barrier that can make monthly budgeting feel like an uphill battle.
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According to data from the Interac State of the Cart survey, the average single-person household spends approximately $102 per week on groceries. Meanwhile, those who live in shared households manage to spend roughly $80 per person each week. That $22 weekly difference might look small on a single receipt, but it builds up to an annual solo shopping penalty of $1,144.
The underlying math reveals a tough reality for solo shoppers. The modern grocery store simply was not built for individuals. It was designed for families, leaving single people to navigate an environment where buying less often costs more.
Why solo shopping costs more
The primary culprit behind this budget gap is the death of the small portion. Finding grocery items scaled for a single human can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
The Interac data shows that 59% of single respondents feel they face disproportionately higher per-person costs than Canadians who can split the bill. When you shop for a larger household, you unlock bulk discounts and volume pricing. A larger package of chicken breasts or a multi-pack of staple goods features a much lower cost per gram than its single-serving counterpart.
For a solo shopper, trying to capture those bulk savings often triggers a secondary financial headache: food spoilage. The survey found that 32% of single Canadians say food often goes to waste before they can use it all up. If you buy the larger, cheaper-per-unit bag of produce but throw away half of it, your realized cost doubles, completely wiping out the initial discount.
Compounding the problem is the issue of kitchen real estate. Solo dwellers often live in smaller apartments or condos with compact fridges and minimal freezer space. Without room to store a massive box of frozen goods or a 10-kilogram bag of grains, buying in bulk becomes physically impossible.
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How to beat the single tax
While the structural layout of the supermarket favours couples and families, you don’t have to accept the solo penalty as an unchangeable reality. You can outsmart the system by changing how you approach your weekly haul.
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- Form a grocery cooperative. One of the most effective ways to capture bulk savings without risking food waste is to team up with a friend, family member or neighbour who also lives alone. You can split large packages of meat, bulk bags of rice or multi-packs of household staples right in the parking lot. You both get the lower wholesale per-unit price, but neither of you has to deal with a crowded freezer or spoiled food.
- Emphasize frozen over fresh. If you find yourself throwing out fresh vegetables every Friday, shift your strategy toward the freezer aisle. Frozen fruits and vegetables are flash-frozen at peak ripeness, meaning they carry the exact same nutritional value as fresh produce. The key difference is that you can use exactly what you need for a single meal and seal the rest back up, completely eliminating waste.
- Befriend the butcher counter. Instead of pulling pre-packaged, family-sized trays of meat from the styrofoam shelves, walk up to the service counter. You can ask the butcher to wrap a single chicken breast, one pork chop or a specific portion of ground beef. Many retailers will also break open larger packages on request to sell you a smaller portion, ensuring you only pay for what you will actually consume this week.
The bright side of solo carts
While the checkout total can cause some sticker shock, shopping alone does offer an undeniable lifestyle advantage that money cannot buy. You have total autonomy over every single choice.
For couples navigating the aisles together, the grocery store can frequently morph into a financial battlefield. The survey revealed that 47% of Canadians in relationships approach grocery spending differently from their partner. Furthermore, 28% report that food shopping has been a distinct source of strain in their relationship over the past six months.
Sparks frequently fly over shopping habits, with 40% of shared-household respondents noting that friction arises when one partner tries to stick to a pre-planned list while the other makes impulsive purchases. Disagreements also regularly boil down to what constitutes a necessary item and whether premium name brands justify the higher price tag.
Solo shoppers are completely insulated from that domestic friction. Among individuals who currently live alone but previously shared a home with a romantic partner, 70% expressed relief that they can make their own grocery decisions without compromise.
“While all Canadians face the common challenge of rising grocery prices, the pressure differs greatly according to whether you live alone or with a partner, your age and stage of life, and even the province you call home,” said Chris Lee, head of payments at Interac, in a statement accompanying the data release.
By adjusting your buying strategy to counter the lack of bulk options, you can protect your hard-earned dollars while still enjoying the absolute freedom of an independent kitchen.
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Leslie Kennedy served as an editor at Thomson Reuters and for Star Media Group, followed by a number of years as a writer and editor and content manager in marketing communications, before returning to her editorial roots. She is a graduate of Humber College’s post-graduate journalism program and has been a professional writer and editor ever since.
