The packaging on some food items makes big, bold health claims, so a CBC Marketplace investigation puts food labels to the test, revealing whether they deliver — and how slick marketing may be convincing Canadians to buy them, say experts.

In a comparison of 17 everyday items, a CBC Marketplace investigation has found prices at Dollar Tree were the same or higher in a price-per-unit analysis than at Dollarama or even Walmart, meaning Canadians may not always be getting the deal they think they are when shopping at popular dollar store chains.

A CBC Marketplace test of double-A disposable batteries found that while major brand names deliver on their marketing promise to be long-lasting, batteries bought at two leading dollar stores did surprisingly well and provide good value for cost-conscious shoppers.

While many Canadian consumers likely know to expect delivery and service fees when ordering groceries on Instacart, what they may not know is they could be paying as much as $2.50 more per item in hidden markups — and some retailers say that Instacart is keeping all of it.

Some pharmacists working in Canada’s top drugstores are recommending homeopathic products to consumers, even though, experts say, these products are essentially sugar water or sugar pills with no scientific evidence they can do what they claim, a CBC Marketplace investigation has found.

You probably wouldn’t eat a chocolate bar on your way to work, but depending on your morning beverage of choice, you could be getting a similar amount of sugar in your favourite drinks from Starbucks, Tim Hortons and McCafe.

CBD is found everywhere, from chocolate bars to pet treats and vape pens to face creams. While CBD itself holds real medicinal promise, Marketplace reveals many CBD products are illegal, come with unauthorized health claims not backed by science and ingredients that can’t be legally verified.