And while finding good deals is important, so is the quality. So I'll be looking at which store takes the win on a variety of metrics like price, quality, selection, and overall vibes (the most important thing).
Full disclosure here: neither of these is my go-to store. I typically walk to other options in my neighbourhood and hit up Walmart and No Frills only on occasion. So these are my full, unbiased, unfiltered thoughts after shopping at each location... And there's an obvious winner.
Love the international foods at Walmart... and the clear savings at No FrillsAlyssa Wiens | Narcity
If we're looking only at prices, it's almost neck-and-neck. Here's a sampling of a few items for comparison:
- Baguettes: $0.99 at No Frills, $0.97 at Walmart
- Eggs: $4.21 for a dozen at No Frills and at Walmart
- Cottage cheese: $7.00 for 1kg at No Frills (No Name), $6.58 for 750 grams at Walmart (Great Value)
- Chicken: $8.15/lb at No Frills 6.79/lb at Walmart (on sale)
- Blueberries: $3.84/pint at No Frills, 4.84/pint at Walmart
- Cucumber: $3.99 for a 3-pack at No Frills, $1.24 each at Walmart
No Frills: The Winner
I am super into the yellow aesthetic, not gonna lie
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
But moving on to the groceries, the food. I've always known the prices are low, but they're really cheap. I saw a watermelon at half the price of one at another store in the area, and the whole chocolate aisle was reduced-price or guaranteed low-priced. They also have a lot of advertising for price drops or everyday low prices, so it's easy to pick out your cheapest option.
I had thought that lower prices would mean decreased quality, but that wasn't the case. While some produce items looked a little on the sad side (I did see a few shrivelled bell peppers), it was limited to a few items and, quite frankly, I've seen that at other stores, too. The good thing about No Frills is that they have a fresh guarantee: if your produce isn't fresh, they'll refund and replace it! So even if the quality isn't quite there, they'll make it up to you.
Since it's part of Loblaws, No Frills carries a lot of No Name and President's Choice items, both known to be cheaper than name-brand counterparts. Plus, their price match promise means if you find anything listed cheaper at another qualifying store, they'll match it. So you can literally always find the lowest-priced items at No Frills.
While No Name and President's Choice dominate the shelves, No Frills has a surprising number of other options. It's a store that focuses on the basics, but it has a fairly decent selection. They even have specialty items like organic produce, halal meat, and natural foods to choose from. At no point did I think, "Hm, I need MORE choices" — there was always plenty to choose from.
One thing that really surprised me and earned major bonus points is that, along with all the staple groceries you need and want, they had some fun, local products mixed in, too. I saw sourdough and pastries from nearby bakeries, and items highlighted as locally produced. Because No Frills operates as a franchise model, there's room for some uniqueness to each location, and it helps give the store a community feel, which I really appreciate.
The bottom line: With a freshness and price-match guarantee, you cannot get a lower price than No Frills. That, plus the surprisingly good selection and fun aesthetic, makes this the easy winner.
Walmart
Walmart's signage is a bit more basic...
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Immediately on walking in, Walmart feels bigger. The physical space is larger, and there is a bigger selection of most products. I also noticed that it was a little more disorganized, with produce boxes tucked under the display stands and pallets throughout the store. It also doesn't have a cohesive aesthetic like No Frills and its fun, playful yellow vibes. Walmart is just, well... Walmart.
Because the store is so big and the aisles are long, it is harder to navigate. I also felt a bit more overwhelmed when wandering through; there's so much to look at. Depending on your mood, this can be a good or bad thing. Choice is nice, but too much choice can get frustrating.
Similar to No Frills, Walmart has discount house brands: Great Value and Your Fresh Market. Many products are available under either option and are cheaper than popular brand names. Walmart also had an extensive international foods section and offered a lot of bulk or wholesale-size products. If you have a big family or are feeding a crowd, you can find much larger options here.
Walmart also has clearance sections throughout the store, where you can get reduced-price items (though I must admit, some looked pretty wilted). They also have some unique products — like Barbie granola bars and protein wraps — and locally sourced items. But compared to No Frills, Walmart does not specifically highlight local finds, but mixes them in with the rest. It feels like it's on you to find what you need, whereas No Frills has strong, clear signage everywhere guiding you.
The bottom line: Prices are also low, but there's no price-match or freshness guarantee. And while there's a lot of selection, the store is big, overwhelming, and less organized... So the shopping experience isn't as enjoyable. It would only come out on top if I needed other items besides groceries.
I mentioned before that I don't normally shop at Walmart or No Frills, but after this experiment, I'm really asking myself why. Both options are easy on your budget and offer tons of selections. But with its price match and freshness guarantee, No Frills takes the win... You better believe I'll be back!
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
