The Chief Executive Officers of the country’s three largest domestic grocery stores chains say their companies are not the cause of rising food prices.

The trio represented Loblaw, Empire Foods (Sobeys, FreshCo) and Metro (Quebec) and were peppered by questions from MP’s on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food on Wednesday afternoon.

Empire Foods CEO Michael Medline empathizes with consumers but says his company is not responsible for the 11.4 per cent in food inflation over the past year.

Ontario Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull said Loblaw net earnings went from just over $1 billion in 2019 to $2.2 billion last year. Loblaw CEO Galen Weston says the bigger profit was generated by non-food products and other services.

Medline says competition is tough and profit margins are slim in the food retail sector. He adds while food inflation is bad in Canada, it is worse in the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Weston agreed with the statement.

Weston also claimed that on items such as milk, butter, some cheeses and vegetable oil, the company actually loses money on sales.