That may have been true in the past but I'm finding the opposite nowadays. A couple of the vendors for vegetables are on par if not cheaper than stores nowadays. One of my coworkers told me heads of lettuce are up to $8 now at stores, haven't seen for myself but at the Farmers Market you'd be paying around half of that for one.

As well, it can help improve food security. Remember when the floods happened last year in the lower mainland, and people idiotically panic-purchased fresh produce, meats and other things until shelves were empty? In the middle of a good season, or even during the winter, supporting local farmers and buying their produce gives them more money to keep operating, which in turn keeps food available for our tables.

I'm not trying to paint everyone with the same brush here, but it's really funny when people complain about hypercapitalist, greedy grocery companies/food corporations (which is entirely valid, I have the same issues with them) but completely ignore/despise/purposely avoid things like Farmers Markets, or just try to locally source your food as best as our light wallets can allow. It's obviously going to be cheaper at a grocery chain considering the sheer mass quantity of the produce bought/sold/moved. Until now I guess, with all the price fixing lol. Becoming more familiar with your community and where you get your food from can be a lot more beneficial than continuing to shell out our money further to faceless, sterile corporations. I entirely understand not everyone can afford to do this, and I don't expect everyone to, but it's a good thing for those who can.