all 30 comments

[–]mabba18 7 points8 points  (2 children)

Research won't tell you anything surprising. Smaller stores in high end neighborhoods will be pricey, bigger stores in suburbs will be cheaper. "Nicer" stores will be more expensive than low end stores. Metro will almost always be the most expensive for the chains. Small, independently run stores might have good deals on some items, like produce, but will be very expensive for other items.

Even then, regular prices for most items don't vary that much, and if you are looking for sale prices, then you will end up having to travel as often as not. There is pretty much a location of each major chain within a reasonable bus trip from where you are, many right on the transitway.

I can't speak to the shopping situation across the river, but I am fairly sure that there isn't really anywhere within a reasonable transit trip worth visiting. There was a news story a few months ago about provincial price differences, and it came out a wash. Some things were cheaper (like beer), and others were much more expensive (like milk).

[–][deleted]  (1 child)


    [–]jaynone 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Maxi in hull makes Hartmans look like food basics!

    [–]kwyjibonerCentretown 6 points7 points  (2 children)

    http://www.flyeronfire.com/ lets you access store flyers. I don't know how good it is, as I learned about it from this sub and haven't really explored it yet.

    [–]ri-ri 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    I can say, its actually very helpful! lets you chose for the specific item you want.

    [–]CalvinRNepean 11 points12 points  (0 children)

    I'm going to say that the money you saved on not having a car was probably more then the money you spent extra at Hartmen's.

    [–]chzplzWest End 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Not quite what you're looking for, but this blog does a decent analysis of the weekly specials.

    [–]angrybeets 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    reebee is a great iPhone app to check out the flyers from everywhere

    [–]coreyman2000Barrhaven 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    www.ottawagoodfoodbox.ca check it pretty god prices on fresh produce

    [–]noarchyGatineau 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    The Fruiterie in the bottom level of the Galleries de Hull is ok, but I think you can get better value and vastly-improved selection by shopping at the nearby Maxi. It is a very short (walkable) distance from the Galleries, on the same side of St. Joseph.

    [–]MordaxTenebrae 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Kowloon's prices has gone up for the past while. Leafy vegetables used to be relatively cheap, but are on par with Loblaws/T&T prices now. You can still find occasional deals on certain varieties, like the longer stalked bok choy (not the one for soups). Meats I think can be slightly cheaper. The rest is hit or miss, but on average is comparable or very slightly cheaper than T&T's and Loblaws' prices overall I found. Also, I stopped shopping there after I saw that news report on the health code violations with vermin infestations or something last year. I don't know how it's been in the last 4 months or so.

    I find Food Basics to be consistently cheaper for your overall bill, especially if you buy the weekly sale/discounted items and stock up for future weeks. However, I don't think there is one near you. The only ones I know of are St. Laurent and the one on Carling and Kirkwood.

    Target and Walmart can be cheap as well, but I don't see any produce there.

    [–]acour096 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    I work in the retail industry and spend a significant amount of my time compiling and comparing different grocery retailers prices.

    Unfortunately there is no app or website that captures everyday prices (stuff that is sold off shelf - not in a flyer). Flyeronfire is great for checking flyer prices, but I think you're more interested in consistently low prices on everyday items.

    First and foremost - Walmart and Giant Tiger will always have the lowest everyday price (flyers aside). Their flyer deals are also competitive with the lowest in the market. I think you'd be surprised at how much produce and meat the Walmart Supercentres have (there is one at Trainyards which is easily accessible by bus).

    nofrills, Freshco, Food Basics, Maxi, Super C, and Target are all very closely priced with Walmart & GT.

    All in all - if you are shopping based on price - you should save 15-20% on average by avoiding Loblaws, Metro, Independent (Hartman's), Sobeys, Farm Boy or smaller chains like the Fruiterie you described.

    [–]danysdragons[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    It's good to know that Maxi is in the cheap group. It's a five minute walk from my office!

    Buying groceries from Maxi on my way home from work is such a good solution that I'm a bit embarrassed not to have thought of it earlier.

    [–]ilovebeakerHunt Club 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I found the most inexpensive store is Fresh Co on MacArthur. It even does a receipt comparison with Walmart.

    Sometimes on the weekend I open a bunch of browser tabs and compare the weekly flyer.

    I live in Vanier, and have access to all the main grocery chains (Loblaws, Farmboy, Independent, Fresh Co, Metro) within a 12 minute walk.

    I sometimes buy meat at the butcher in the market because it's such a fair price, and the organic eggs are great! (Sasloves Meat Market)

    Unfortunately centretown and the west end doesn't have quite an ideal set up. I've heard a new co-op grocery is opening in Hintonburgh in the spring though. And you have the Parkdale market nearby.

    But really, shop around for your food. Food is sustenance but don't cheap out on your health and well being.

    EDIT: If you are downtown, take the 14 towards st. laurent, and you can hop off at the big Loblaws, or the Fresh Co a little bit further. It's a 10 minute ride max from Rideau!

    [–]Sad_Pandaa 1 point2 points  (2 children)

    It's pretty simple to go to the store's website, check their flyers for sales and plan your grocery trip around which stores have deals on the things you need. I do it every week.

    [–]Grrr_ArrrgOrleans 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    If I could make a recommendation to you. Go through all the fliers that you would normally use and then just go to superstore and get them to price match. If you use their PC clubs card you can get even better deals.

    IE this week I ended up getting 2 10 pound bags of potatoes for .70 each. Along with sour cream @ 1 dollar. Heinz 1 liter for 1.99 and I got points on all of them.

    It takes some time but its well worth it.

    [–]Sad_Pandaa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    For sure, the price matching thing is just a step above in the level of effort I'm willing to put in. I find that I just buy the things on sale when they're on sale at whatever store and just go with it. I may not have skinless chicken breasts for a few weeks at a time because they aren't on sale, but we'll just buy other meats and enjoy the change.

    [–]dentoniteCentretown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    The Citizen runs an online review of the best deals in the week's flyers on Thursday. It's not nearly as good since Ron Eade retired from the food section, but it's something.

    [–]Godlike_Snake 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    No Frills, at least from my experience have always had the best prices. Even if they don't, they match prices (at least that's their motto).

    [–]Algee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I find superC in quebec to be pretty cheap, although most of my shopping has been at independent lately, I'm loving this pc plus card.

    [–]Kaaliin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    The app Flipp lists all the major flyers - even Maxi's - with the added option of 'clipping' items of interest. This is very handy should you want to head to a store that will price match advertised items (walmart, freshco, no frills, giant tiger). This is one tiny facet of how to save on groceries. Couponing would easily save you hundreds of dollars in only a few months...