Food Prices, Have They Changed!

Posted by Susanna McLeod May 11, 2008

A hundred years ago, the governments of Canada and the United States made a reciprocity agreement, with natural goods, such as grain, vegetables and fruits having no tariffs, and canned items and flour having a very low rate of duty. Using the 1908 Sears Roebuck Catalogue, let’s have a look at prices. (You’ll have to compare them to your own store flyers for local prices.) It might be surprising.

(Not all listings in the catalogue contained sizes, unfortunately.)

• Princess Pineapple, 3 cans for 63 cents
• Choice Red Alaska Salmon, 6 cans for 79 cents
• Iris Brand Ground Black Pepper, 1-pound tin for 25 cents
• Thompson Seedless Raisins, 5-pound package for 44 cents
• Matoma Brand Rice, 10-pound sack for 65 cents
• Sugar Corn, 6 cans for 41 cents
• Iris Brand Baking Powder, 1-pound can for 35 cents
• Malden Blend Coffee, 5-pound canister for 95 cents
• Apalda Brand Tea, 1-pound canister for 30 cents

True Blue Enameled Cookware for the stove, including pots, pans, tea and coffee kettles, pie plates and dishpan, with a shipping weight of 50 pounds, for $5.10.

And most interesting, the average wage for men in 1908 was about $400 per year.

Those great prices don’t look quite so cheap from that view, do they?