I compared Loblaws, Sobeys & Metro loyalty prices — Here's where I found the best deals
Some had discounts of up to $4 per item — that can add up fast! 💰
With grocery prices still putting pressure on Canadians' budgets, grocery store loyalty programs can be an easy way to shave a little off your bill, especially when they unlock prices that aren't available to everyone.
Several of Canada's biggest grocery chains offer member-only pricing through their loyalty programs, including Loblaws with PC Optimum, Sobeys with Scene+ and Metro with Moi Rewards. Signing up is free, but the discounts you get can vary quite a bit depending on the store and the products on offer.
So I took a look at the member-only prices available through all three programs to see what kinds of grocery deals were actually being offered, how much members could save and how easy each program was to use.
This isn't an exhaustive price comparison of every product or a test of the same grocery basket at each store. Instead, I looked at a selection of the member deals available at the time of my research and compared the savings I found — which ranged from just $1 off to as much as $4 on a single item.
I also looked at what else each loyalty program offers, including how you earn and redeem points, personalized offers and where else you can use your membership.
Here's what I found comparing PC Optimum, Scene+ and Moi Rewards — and which programs had the strongest member-only deals in my search.
A quick note on the comparison: Member-only prices and offers can change depending on the week and location, so these aren't meant to represent every deal available through each program. I looked through the offers available at the time of my research and pulled out some of the strongest discounts I found at each store.
Loblaws and PC Optimum
Loblaws offers member-only pricing through PC Optimum. Once you've signed up, you can use your membership card or app when shopping at participating Loblaws stores.
To see what's on special at your local store, head to the Loblaws website and check the member-only pricing section. Products listed there show both the member price and the higher non-member price, and the discount applies automatically at checkout as long as your PC Optimum membership is linked to your account.
Some of the best deals available at the time of my research included:
- Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, 545 grams
- $5.50 member price vs. $7.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $2.49
- Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps, 150 grams
- $6 member price vs. $8 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $2
- Basse Classic Trail Mix, 550 grams
- $5.50 member price vs. $7 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1.50
- Tide Liquid Detergent Original, 48 loads
- $10 member price vs. $14 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $4
- Bounce Dryer Sheets
- $10 member price vs. $13.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $3.99
Bonus: You can also earn PC Optimum points through purchases at other participating stores, including No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart and Fortinos. Every 10,000 points is worth $10 toward your grocery bill, meaning you can get the lower member price while also earning points toward future purchases.
Verdict: The Loblaws website was one of the easiest of the three programs to navigate, in my experience. All the member-only deals were listed in one place, making it simple to see exactly what was discounted. At the time of my research, there were roughly 174 products listed with member-only pricing across a range of grocery categories, with savings of up to $4.
Sobeys and Scene+
Finding Scene+ member deals at Sobeys is also pretty straightforward. Head to the Sobeys website, log into your Scene+ account and you'll see member-priced products clearly marked as you browse.
Some of the best deals available at the time of my research included:
- Frozen Maple Leaf Chicken Burgers, 700 grams
- $9.99 member price vs. $13.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $4
- Dare Breton Crackers, 300 grams
- $1.99 member price vs. $2.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Christie Crispers in All Dressed, 145 grams
- $1.99 member price vs. $2.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Kraft Peanut Butter Smooth, 2 kilograms
- $10.99 member price vs. $11.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Prime Frozen Chicken Barbecue Wings, 695 grams
- $9.99 member price vs. $13.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $4
Bonus: Scene+ points can also be earned at other participating stores, including Safeway, Foodland and Thrifty Foods. You can also get personalized offers in the app based on your shopping habits.
What really sets this loyalty program apart, though, is how you can redeem your points. They're not just for groceries — you can also use them for movie tickets at Cineplex, dining at participating restaurants and even travel through Expedia.
Verdict: Like Loblaws, I appreciated that all the Scene+ member deals were easy to find in one dedicated section of the website. There was a good variety of products too, particularly the meat deals, which offered some of the biggest savings I found across the three programs.
Metro and Moi Rewards
Metro uses the Moi Rewards program, which offers member-only pricing and personalized deals. To see what's available, browse the Metro website or app. Items with member pricing show a purple "Moi" price alongside the regular non-member price.
Some of the best deals available at the time of my research included:
- Shreddies Whole Grain Wheat Cereal
- $2.99 member price vs. $3.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Brookside Blood Orange and Peach Flavoured Dark Chocolate
- $4.49 member price vs. $5.49 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Cadbury Mini Eggs, 151 grams
- $4.49 member price vs. $5.49 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Frozen Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, 6-pack
- $2.99 member price vs. $3.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
- Frozen Pillsbury Pepperoni Pizza Pops, 380 grams
- $2.99 member price vs. $3.99 for non-members
- Total savings for members: $1
Bonus: Every purchase at Metro earns you points toward free groceries. Every 500 points equals $4 off at checkout, which is the lowest redemption threshold of the three programs compared here, meaning you can start seeing savings on your bill sooner. The app also generates personalized offers based on your shopping habits.
Verdict: I'll be honest, this was my first time using Moi Rewards, and I wasn't a huge fan of the experience. Maybe it's because I've been a PC Optimum and Scene+ member for years, but Moi felt less intuitive to me.
I also found that every member deal I came across was exactly $1 off, which was less significant than some of the savings I found through the other two programs. That said, if you're already shopping at Metro regularly, it still makes sense to sign up and save where you can.
So, which program offers the best savings?
After comparing all three programs, I was genuinely surprised by how much you can save just by being a member. While some discounts were only $1, others knocked as much as $4 off a single item, so those savings could add up pretty quickly.
Based on the member prices I found, PC Optimum and Scene+ offered the strongest immediate discounts. Personally, those are also the two programs I use most. I like that PC Optimum had solid deals across both groceries and household products at Loblaws, while Scene+ stands out for the number of ways you can redeem your points, including groceries, movies and travel.
Moi Rewards didn't offer the same level of member-price savings in my comparison — every deal I came across was $1 off — but it's still worth signing up if you regularly shop at Metro. Even smaller discounts can add up over time, especially when there's no cost to join.
Ultimately, the program that'll save you the most will probably depend on where you already shop. If your usual grocery store offers member-only pricing, signing up is an easy way to avoid paying more than you need to.
And loyalty programs aren't the only way to save on groceries. If you're trying to stretch your budget further, Narcity's Lisa Belmonte has also compared prices at Costco vs. Loblaws and Costco vs. Bulk Barn to see where your money goes furthest.
Dollarama can be another good place to cut costs on everyday essentials. We've also rounded up a range of household products that are cheaper there than at other stores if you're looking for even more ways to save.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.