How many times have you gone grocery shopping at one grocery store and realized you saw the exact same item on sale for less money at another retailer? It’s definitely happened to me, and it’s not a great feeling.
This realization, however, doesn’t need to mean a backtrack to the other grocery store to score the cheapest price. If you’re looking to cut costs on the grocery tab, price matching is your new go-to grocery hack. The concept is simple: A store agrees to sell an identical product (same brand and size) at the lower price currently advertised by a local competitor in their flyer or on their website. This means that the customer gets the best deal, no matter where they shop.
Once you get into the groove, playing the price match game is way simpler than you may think. Surprisingly simple, in fact. In Ontario, the following four retailers currently price match: Real Canadian Superstore, FreshCo, Giant Tiger, and No Frills. It should be noted that some online searches indicate that The Big Carrot also price matches, but I found out the hard way that the Toronto grocery retailer no longer actually does.
Before I set out on my price match journey, I downloaded the free Flipp app, which aggregates store flyers and coupons in one place and allows users to search items and create shopping lists. It's basically your price matching best friend.
Real Canadian Superstore
Though they may have fewer locations than other grocery stores, Real Canadian Superstore (15900 Bayview Ave) price matches with local retailers. I had checked the Flipp app and noticed that Lay’s Potato Chips were on sale for $2.50 at No Frills. While the same bag of chips at Real Canadian Superstore was actually on sale for a dollar off the regular price, with a cost of $2.75, No Frills was the cheaper option.
After grabbing a bag of chips and browsing the aisles at Real Canadian Superstore, I came upon my at-home beverage of choice, a case of six San Pellegrino sparkling water beverages. They were priced at $7.99, so I typed the product into the Flipp app and saw that a case was on sale for $6.99 at FreshCo.
Securing the deals was extremely simple. All I had to do was show screenshots of the flyer discounts at the checkout. No further questions were asked and I walked away impressed at how easy it was to save a bit of cash.
FreshCo
There’s definitely no hiding the fact that FreshCo price matches; it’s written in big bold letters on the outside of the store at 1430 Major Mackenzie Dr. E in Richmond Hill. Browsing flyers on the Flipp app beforehand, I noticed that cans of Chef Boyardee Mini Ravioli (the nostalgia) were on sale for $1.75 at No Frills, while the same item cost $2.19 at FreshCo.
I also saw that Cambell’s chicken broth was on sale for $1.77 at Food Basics, while it was on sale for $1.79 at FreshCo. Yes, it’s only a two-cent difference, but every penny counts in this economy.
Price matching at FreshCo was also super simple. I just showed screen shots of the flyers I found on the Flipp app and the deal was sealed. According to a sign at check-out, this FreshCo location price matches with Walmart, No Frills, Food Basics, and Real Canadian Superstore.
Giant Tiger
I was surprised to find quite a few price match opportunities at Giant Tiger (67 Colossus Dr.), which is known for its super-low prices. Here, I noticed that Silk Almond Milk was $4.78. A quick search on Flipp showed that the same product was on sale for $3.49 at Food Basics.
I also saw that Babybel, Laughing Cow Original packs of cheese, cost $3.97 at Giant Tiger and just $2.98 at Food Basics. So, I grabbed one.
While a 12-can pack of Coca-Cola was on sale at Giant Tiger for $7.48 (80 cents off), the same case at Food Basics was on sale for just $6.98.
While Giant Tiger doesn’t feature a posted list of price match retailers, a sign reads, “We Ad Match, You Save More.” A sales associate told me that the store price matches with most local retailers, with the exception of Costco or Longos. Like the others, price matching here was incredibly simple, shameless, and seamless.
No Frills
Back in the downtown Toronto core, I found shopping at No Frills (75 The Esplanade) slightly trickier to price match. As promised by the brand, everything is already quite low-priced and the sale stickers everywhere double-down on that. When I noticed that Haagen-Dazs ice cream was not on sale and priced at $5.75, I typed in the item on the Flipp app and saw that the same product was on sale for $4.98 at Food Basics.
According to a sign at check-out, this No Frills location price matches with Farm Boy, Food Basics, FreshCo, Loblaw, Longos, Metro, Sobeys, and T&T. Price matching here was as simple as the rest, only requiring a screenshot of the No Frills flyer advertisement. No stress, so sideways looks from fellow shoppers.
The Basics: How Price Matching Works
- Find a lower advertised price.
To effectively price match, you need to find an item in a competitor's current weekly flyer (print or digital) that is priced lower than the identical item at the store you’re shopping at. The products must be identical: the same brand, size, and weight. In most cases, flavours can vary (for example, my San Pellegrino water). - Ensure the competitor is eligible to price match against.
Not every retailer is equal on the price match front. For example, most don’t price match against Dollarama (which, we learned, isn't always the cheapest option for groceries, anyway). Furthermore, the retailers need to be in the same local area. But here’s the catch: Because it’s location-specific, most grocery stores don’t publish a list of competitors that they’ll price match on their website. You have to physically find it inside of the store. - Show Proof.
At check-out, you need to show proof of the competitor’s lower price to the cashier. You can show the flyer on your phone (have the website pulled up or a screen shot ready) through cost-comparison apps like Flipp, the store’s own app, or a good, old-fashioned paper flyer. If you’re relying on a screenshot, make sure the discount dates are visible in the screenshot to avoid having to find it online again at the cash register. - Save Money.
Once they see proof, the cashier will manually adjust the price for your item.
You're welcome.
