KELOWNA — BC NDP Leader David Eby has unveiled a proposed package of grocery-sector measures that would place limits on retail markups for selected staple foods and introduce new rules aimed at increasing competition.
The announcement, released October 2, comes during the 2026 B.C. provincial election campaign.
The BC NDP says its proposed “Price Guard” would establish a maximum retail markup for six everyday staples: milk, eggs, butter, cheese, chicken and turkey.
Under the proposal, large corporate grocery retailers would be subject to a fixed maximum markup measured in cents per unit rather than as a percentage of the wholesale price.
The party says this would mean that if wholesale costs rise, the retailer’s allowable profit margin on those products would not automatically increase.
The proposal would apply to large corporate retailers and would include what the party calls “no pass-back” rules, intended to prevent retailers from recovering the cost of the proposed margin limits through additional fees or deductions charged to farmers and processors.
The NDP also says transportation costs would be considered when determining the applicable margin caps for remote and rural communities.
Competition and grocery property controls
Another part of the proposal would target property controls used in commercial real estate.
The Competition Bureau has previously identified property controls — including restrictive covenants and exclusivity clauses — as a potential barrier to grocery competition. The Bureau has recommended that provincial and territorial governments consider measures to limit their use.
The Bureau’s more recent guidance says such controls can make it harder for competing businesses to enter or expand, although it also notes that some limited property controls can have pro-competitive justifications depending on the circumstances.
The BC NDP says it would prohibit what it describes as anti-competitive real-estate arrangements that prevent competing grocery stores and food retailers from opening nearby.
Clearer unit pricing
The plan would also require grocery retailers to provide consistent per-unit pricing, such as prices per 100 grams or per litre.
The goal, according to the NDP, would be to make it easier for shoppers to compare products and identify changes in price or package size.
The Competition Bureau has separately recommended clear and consistent unit pricing as a way to help consumers compare grocery prices. Its latest review of progress on grocery competition again highlighted unit pricing as a policy measure.
Algorithmic and surveillance pricing
The BC NDP also proposes strengthening B.C.’s consumer-protection and privacy rules to restrict the use of personal information to set prices unfairly.
The party describes this as a measure against “predatory surveillance pricing” and says the proposed rules would restrict the use of AI-powered algorithmic pricing to exploit consumers’ personal information or market power.
The release does not establish that grocery retailers are currently using such systems in the specific manner alleged by the campaign; rather, the measure is being presented as a proposed consumer-protection rule.
Proposed Lower Mainland food terminal
The plan also calls for the creation of an independent regional food terminal in the Lower Mainland.
The NDP says it would work with the federal government and local partners on the project, with the goal of giving smaller grocery stores and local producers another wholesale distribution option.
The party argues that an independent food terminal could allow smaller grocers to bypass distribution networks operated by large grocery companies and provide farmers and producers with access to multiple independent buyers.
NDP says savings could reach $700 annually
The BC NDP says the combined measures could eventually reduce grocery costs for consumers, with the potential savings reaching up to $700 per year depending on the region.
That figure is a campaign estimate associated with the proposed package, rather than a guaranteed household saving.
The NDP also says the plan is intended to address what it describes as excessive concentration in B.C.’s grocery sector.
The Competition Bureau has separately said greater competition can improve consumer choice and affordability and has continued examining competition in Canada’s food supply chain. In June 2026, the Bureau launched an examination of the food supply chain to assess how greater competition could improve outcomes for Canadians.
The Bureau’s current work also includes investigations and enforcement activity involving grocery-sector property controls.
The BC NDP’s grocery measures remain campaign proposals and would require implementation through government action if the party forms government.
SOURCE
Source: BC NDP campaign release and backgrounder, October 2, 2026.
Independent context: Competition Bureau of Canada.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
