I admit it — I have no brand loyalty when it comes to grocery shopping. I'm always interested in saving money in Vancouver, so I often pop into different places to see what's on sale.
I'm close to several grocery stores and typically make multiple stops a week to pick up what I need.
But to really get a sense of prices these days, I figured I should see how my spending differs across stores. What would my regular shopping cost if I did it all at one location?
So, I decided to complete my weekly shopping at Safeway, Superstore, and Choices to see how they compared. And oh my word, they were actually so different. Here's how it all stacked up.
Comparing grocery haul prices at Safeway, Superstore, Choices Market.Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
The experiment
I haven't used the scientific method since high school, so bear with me as I lay out the rules here.
Purpose: To figure out how the prices compare across three popular grocery stores, including one independent BC-only option.
Hypothesis: Choices will be the most expensive, followed by Safeway, then Superstore.
Overview: I bought nine staple consumable items that I normally buy on a weekly or bi-weekly basis: a dozen eggs, plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, half-and-half cream (yes, I'm also glad I'm not lactose intolerant), a loaf of bread, frozen berries, three bananas, three apples, and a chocolate bar.
I also eat veggies and meat, but that varies more; these nine items are the staples on repeat in my diet.
I bought the same quantity of each item and, when available, chose the sale option. I bought the same brand or a comparable option (e.g., store-brand loaf of bread) to make a fair comparison.
Okay, enough preamble — here's what it all costs.
Superstore
Comparing grocery haul prices at Safeway, Superstore, Choices Market.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
I went to Superstore first, which in hindsight was a terrible idea because — spoiler — it was the cheapest, so the experiment became more financially painful as I went on.
Here's the price of each item:
- A dozen large eggs: $4.17
- Greek yogurt (750 grams): $6.69 *on sale
- Half & half (473 mL): $3.23
- Cottage cheese (500 grams): $4.99
- Frozen fruit (600 grams): $3.97 *on sale
- Three bananas: $0.72
- Three apples: $4.49
- A loaf of store-made white bread: $3.00
- Cadbury chocolate bar: $3.49
Superstore total: $34.83 after tax
Not too bad. Some pricier items (yogurt and frozen fruit) were on sale, bringing the cost down, but it's pretty much what I expected for this weekly haul.
Safeway
Comparing grocery haul prices at Safeway, Superstore, Choices Market.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Next up, Safeway. There's one close to my house, so it is a go-to spot for me. Here's the price breakdown:
- A dozen large eggs: $4.07
- Greek yogurt (750 grams): $8.79
- Half & half (473 mL): $3.69
- Cottage cheese (500 grams): $5.29
- Frozen fruit (600 grams): $5.00
- Three bananas: $0.87
- Three apples: $2.02 *on sale
- A loaf of store-made white bread: $3.99
- Cadbury chocolate bar: $3.49
Safeway total: $37.67 after tax
Almost the same as Superstore… Interesting. I had expected it to be notably more expensive. Most items differed only by a few cents, except for the Greek yogurt and apples, which were on sale at different stores.
Choices
Comparing grocery haul prices at Safeway, Superstore, Choices Market.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Choices is about a five-minute walk from my house, so I stop by often for one-off items I forget. I love that it's local and enjoy going up and down the aisles looking at the fancy cans of beans and organic nut milks. Sooo many interesting options here. Here's what my nine staples came to:
- A dozen large eggs: $5.99
- Greek yogurt (750 grams): $9.49
- Half & half (473 mL): $3.49
- Cottage cheese (500 grams): $5.69 *on sale
- Frozen fruit (600 grams): $9.99
- Three bananas: $0.88
- Three apples: $4.79
- A loaf of store-made white bread: $4.99
- Alter Eco chocolate bar: $5.49 *on sale; they didn't have Cadbury
Choices total: $51.02 after tax
Yep, that's right, a whole $13.32 more expensive than the next cheapest option. That's 26% more expensive than Safeway and nearly 32% more expensive than Superstore, the cheapest option.
You'll see it's the frozen fruit that really did me in — double the price of the other stores. (But hey, at least it's organic, right?)
Final thoughts
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
I’m pleased to say that my hypothesis was entirely correct. I’m not surprised Choices was the most expensive; it’s a local, independent BC-based store that carries a lot of organic and alternative food options, so it checks out.
What did surprise me was just how close Superstore and Safeway were. I’ve really been living under this illusion that Superstore was super cheap, and while it is cheaper, it’s not a landslide win. (It does make the top 5 Canadian grocery stores for value, though, largely because of their price-matching option.)
Another conclusion from the experiment is that sales will make a huge difference. I mean, duh. But they really make a difference. Superstore and Safeway were almost the same for the base prices — it was the sales that made any real impact.
My last point is that your values and priorities also make a huge difference. While Choices may not be my first stop to get staple items (definitely not frozen fruit; $10 is WILD), I do love shopping and supporting local. And, if organic items or alternative options are your priority, it’s going to be your best bet.
Thanks for being part of the most serious experiment I’ve done since high school — all to make sure you and I are getting the best grocery prices possible. Happy shopping!
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.