EPISODE · Apr 1, 2026 · 13 MIN
The Inflation Number You Hear vs. The One You Feel
from The Missing Middle Podcast · host Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin
If inflation is only around 2–3%, why does everything feel so much more expensive?In this episode, we break down how inflation is actually measured, and why your personal experience can feel completely disconnected from the official numbers. From grocery bills and gas prices to rent and mortgages, not all price increases hit the same way—and some matter a lot more than others.We also dig into the hidden forces shaping your cost of living: shrinkflation, quality drops (“chocolatey” vs. chocolate), and the limits of how agencies like Statistics Canada track price changes. The result? A single inflation number that masks wildly different realities depending on how you live, spend, and earn.In other words: there isn’t one inflation rate. There are millions.Chapters 00:00 Intro: Why We Underestimate Inflation00:28 Official Stats vs. Public Perception01:20 Breaking Down the "Spending Basket"02:07 Why Every Family Experiences Inflation Differently03:33 Why Reading & Media Prices are Dropping04:04 Biggest Price Jumps & Surprises05:56 The Reality of Shrinkflation at the Grocery Store06:46 The Kraft Dinner Test: Smaller Sizes, Same Price07:43 Cutting Ingredients: Chocolate vs. "Chocolaty"09:03 Housing & Shelter Inflation11:46 Boomers vs. Gen Z: Who Wins in High Interest Rates?12:55 Final Thoughts: One Economy, Multiple RealitiesResearch Links:Consumer Price Index and Inflation Perceptions in Canada: Can measurement approaches or behavioural factors explain the gap?https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/62f0014m/62f0014m2021017-eng.htmShrinking products, rising prices: Food-specific quantity adjustments in the Consumer Price Indexhttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2025016-eng.htm Greedy bastards. This just happened in the past few weeks.https://www.reddit.com/r/loblawsisoutofcontrol/comments/1s116uj/greedy_bastards_this_just_happened_in_the_past/ Hosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinFunded by the Neptis Foundation https://neptis.org/
What this episode covers
If inflation is only around 2–3%, why does everything feel so much more expensive? In this episode, we break down how inflation is actually measured, and why your personal experience can feel completely disconnected from the official numbers. From grocery bills and gas prices to rent and mortgages, not all price increases hit the same way—and some matter a lot more than others. We also dig into the hidden forces shaping your cost of living: shrinkflation, quality drops (“chocolatey” vs. c...
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The Inflation Number You Hear vs. The One You Feel
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