The price of groceries is likely top of mind for many Canadians with the ongoing issue of inflation affecting just about everyone's budgets, so we asked people where they grocery shop and why.
From B.C. to Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, people dished on the reasons for why they shop at particular locations, and as it turns out, there are surprisingly mixed reasons for why people prefer certain grocery stores.
Ranging from convenience to price, dietary concerns and overall shopping experience here's where 14 Canadians do their grocery shopping and why.
Walmart and Longos
Did you know Walmart offers a delivery pass? That's how one Narcity employee gets most of her groceries in the Toronto area.
"I shop at Walmart!" she shared. "They offer free pickup so it’s super convenient, or for a small monthly fee they deliver for free which is what I’ve been doing lately."
For certain organic things, she shops at Longo's because it's close and then picks up select pantry items on Amazon.
Fortinos and Costco
"Fortinos is my go-to grocery store for weekly shops not only because it's close to where I live but also because there is an incredible selection of hot foods (roman style pizza, sandwiches, salads, wings, and more), a bakery and a cafe," shared another employee who lives in Brampton.
She admitted that she does also use Costco, but only under "duress."
"If I need something that's not in stock at the grocery store or I need a bigger size of a product I'll go to Costco - but I don't get fresh meat, vegetables or fruit there. Just pantry and household items."
No Frills, Loblaws and independant stores
"No Frills for the vicinity (5 mins from my house), for anything needed day to day, but we frequent Loblaws for higher quality produce," says another Ontarian.
"We also have a number of independent specialty stores (butcher, Italian produce, bakery etc.) that we prioritize whenever we can or have a dish that calls for specific produce," he explained.
Independent stores in Toronto
"The closest grocery stores to me are a Loblaws and not one, but two No Frills. Given the price increases I've seen at these stores over the past two years, I've started doing the majority of my grocery shopping at independent stores in Toronto like Nations, Nosso Talho and Galaxy," another employee shared.
"For the extra things I can't get at those stores or that I know are cheaper elsewhere, like yogurt and cheese, I'll take a look through Flipp to see which of the big box stores has the best price and shop there. I have no loyalty these days, I'm purely going for best prices!"
Walmart and Bulk Barn
Although she doesn't live in the country anymore, here's why one person who now lives in Wales used to shop at Walmart.
"I always shopped in Walmart honestly for convenience more than anything because I lived opposite one (haha)," she explained. "But, honestly I didn't find it to be super affordable, I did know I could get pretty much anything and everything I wanted from there and not have to go to multiple places to do a grocery shop.
She noted that she likely could've lowered her bill by shopping around but since she hates doing the task, she opted for convenience.
"That being said, I would often make an exception and go to Bulk Barn for things that I only wanted a smidge of, because I hate waste and I lived in a really small apartment so would hate buying things I couldn't fully use or store!"
Costco, Walmart and others
For someone who lives on Vancouver Island in B.C., it's mainly Costco she turns to.
"Shopping on the island can get expensive so I tend to shop at Costco about once a month and stock up on meat/fish and bulk items because the prices are great once you break them down, especially if certain items are on sale (I'll only buy some things when they do go on sale because they are still pricey like olive oil, etc)," she explained.
For other goods, she shops at Walmart.
"I like that it's a one-stop shop for a lot of items and it's hard to beat the prices here," she shared. "The produce isn't always the best so I tend to do that shopping at local stores (Root Cellar, Thrifty's) that sell B.C fruit and veggies, especially when they're in season."
Farm Boy and Costco
"I have a regular list of staples I get from Costco every few weeks and then usually get the rest at Farm Boy, partly because I’m a snob about the shopping experience (I get super overstimulated in Walmart and No Frills lol) but also because I really like their house label brand and bakery," shared an employee who lives in Ottawa.
"Then every now and then I end up begrudgingly going to Loblaws because I’m looking for something specific that they don’t have at the other two — unfortunately the Loblaws near me still wins out for overall breadth of selection."
Loblaws and Sobeys
For a Narcity employee in New Brunswick, it's between two big chains.
"I do Loblaws! But just cause it’s closest to my house," she shared. "Or Sobeys when I can cause I feel like it’s cheaper and the Sobeys family is from the East Coast."
Coscto, IGA and TAU
"I'm mostly Costco because they have the best prices on beef/bison/avocados/coconut oil/tuna," said another employee in Montreal.
"Then also IGA/TAU because they carry organic raised chicken & eggs and my fav brand of non-lactose marble cheese."
IGA, Super C and T&T
For an employee out in Quebec, it's a bit of a mixed bag in terms of where she shops.
"IGA, simply for convenience even if the prices are quite high and also I can get quite a nice amount of Scene Points to redeem later on. They also offer some nice gifts with stamps you collect or you can collect gas money too," she shared.
"Super C [has] nice prices so when I’m more tight on budget that’s where I go," she continued. "T&T is for when I want to treat myself with Asian food! Prices go from pretty cheap to quite high but the variety of products is super appealing and there are always new ones to discover."
Super C and IGA
Another Quebecer says it's a matter of convenience over anything else.
"I go to Super C when I walk back from the office," he explained. "I go to IGA when I come back home using the Metro."
IGA, Costco, Maxi and Super C
For quick essentials, one employee says she stops at IGA as it's close to her house and also stocks up at Costco one per month as the prices and sizes can't be beat for feeding a family of four.
Then for her weekly shop, she opts for Maxi or Super C as they have the best prices.
"As a vegetarian, I prefer Maxi for the better variety of choices (the brand new one in NDG is like a Provigo, but cheaper)," she explained.
A wide variety
In Shawinigan, which is two hours north of Montreal, one person says they choose IGA for the convenience and range and Walmart for the prices on some particular items, particularly from the Asian ingredients section like their udon noodles which are significantly cheaper at the latter store.
When they're in Montreal, there's a bit more variety to choose from.
"Jean Talon market for veggies, eggs and cheese, Vrac en folie (a bulk store in the market) for dry goods, an Asian grocer (Marché Oriental on St Denis/Jean Talon) for everything else (especially their awesome kimchi omg)," they shared, adding that they'll hit up IGA for whatever else they can't find at those places.
Another wide variety
"Lufa farms for specialty products (I'm vegan) & love that they deliver for cheap," said another Quebecer. "I order from them approx once per month."
She then shops at Maxi for other stuff but has it delivered rather than shopping in-store as she says it's a terrible experience.
Then for fruits and vegetables, she'll shop local.
"It's fresher, they have more local produce and it's cheaper than large grocery stores in most cases," she explained.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
Costco, Loblaws and Farm Boy cinnamon rolls.
Natrel, President's Choice, Silk and Farm Boy eggnog.
