Are you looking to reduce your food expenses? With inflation soaring, every dollar counts at the grocery store!
We’ve identified for you the best grocery stores in Quebec, offering discounts, liquidations and tips to help you save even more with the best grocery credit cards. You could save up to 50% on your weekly grocery bill.
Shopping at grocery stores offering discounts or liquidations is an effective way to reduce your food budget. Here’s why:
Plan your purchases by consulting flyers or apps like Flipp to spot the best promotions each week.
In fact, many grocery stores and shops stand out for their very low food prices.
They sell grocery items purchased from wholesale suppliers. The products available are always a surprise, as they may have :
Food liquidation centers offer the most significant discounts (30-70%) on name-brand products. They purchase surplus inventory, end-of-lot or close-dated products directly from distributors.
High-discount grocery stores will offer significant discounts of between 20% and 50% while providing a more consistent shopping experience.
Finally, some low-price supermarkets offer a low-price policy all year round, with a stable but limited selection, such as Dollorama and Tigre Géant.
Here are just a few examples of the discounts and wide selection of products available:
Liquidation grocery stores operate differently from traditional supermarkets. The key to taking advantage of the best deals is to stay on the lookout. Most of these stores actively use social networks, especially Facebook, to announce new arrivals and promote those unexpected items.
Even in liquidation, a price is not always a bargain. The trick to taking advantage of good discounts is to compare with other discount grocery stores like Dollarama or Walmart.
Our tip: write down the prices of frequently purchased items on your phone. This will enable you to spot genuine bargains instantly.
Moreover, it’s highly advisable to look at best-before dates before buying from clearance grocery stores. Consumption times are generally shorter. Consult the MAPAQ guide for food storage times.
Good to know: a product close to its “best before” date can be safely consumed if it has been well stored. When in doubt, rely on your senses: the product’s look, smell and texture.
Most of the time, you’ll have to go to another supermarket to complete your purchases for the week’s meals. Check out the cheapest grocery store in your neighbourhood. You can also use points from loyalty programs to pay part of your bill!
And carry a credit card with a grocery gas pedal in your wallet. They’re your best ally in maximizing your savings at the grocery store. For example:
American Express Cobalt® Card
Some liquidation centers may not be categorized as grocery stores when charged to your credit card. If in doubt, we suggest you use your credit card. American Express Cobalt® Card If American Express cards are accepted; otherwise, visit National Bank World Elite Mastercard.
Without further ado, here’s our list of the 55 grocery stores we’ve found across Quebec that stand out by offering discounted prices all year round. Do you have any others? If so, please let us know on our Facebook group.
Dollarama stores have significantly expanded their food sections in recent years, now offering :
Dollarama is particularly interesting when you’re looking to buy for special occasions (Halloween, Christmas or birthdays). You can also order larger formats online. We recommend that you use your American Express Cobalt® Card for your expenses.
Present in several regions of Quebec, Tigre Géant stores offer :
Also, visit Giant Tiger’s online grocery section to shop online. You can consult their flyers, immediately identify products on promotion and take advantage of the pick-up service at your local store.
In larger branches, promotions are also regularly offered:
The vast majority of the time, you’ll have to go to another supermarket to complete your purchases for the week’s meals.
Check out the cheapest grocery store in your neighborhood. You can also use points from loyalty programs to pay part of your bill!
And hold a credit card in your wallet that offers an accelerated earning rate for groceries, such as:
The time of day you shop is crucial to maximizing your savings at the grocery store.
Early morning, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., is an ideal time to visit the grocery store: that’s when you’ll find the freshest new arrivals, with freshly unwrapped fruit and vegetables and the day’s baked goods. Product presentation is also optimal to help you spot interesting offers.
Not least, the staff are more available at this time of day and will be better able to advise you. You’ll also avoid queuing at the checkout.
Conversely, the end of the day, particularly between 7 pm and closing time, offers its own advantages. This is the time when grocery stores apply their last-minute discounts. You’ll find yellow labels offering reductions ranging from 30% to 50% on meats, discounted bakery products, and “specials of the day” on fruits and vegetables. Some grocery stores start affixing their discount labels as early as 5 pm.
Finally, the middle of the week, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, is also a strategic time for shopping. These days are often less busy than weekends, and many grocery stores launch their new promotions on Wednesdays. Circulars are usually in effect from Thursday to Wednesday, sometimes creating opportunities for double discounts when the circular changes.
The day after public holidays represents an excellent opportunity for substantial savings. After holiday periods such as Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter or Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, grocery stores often have to sell off their surplus stock. Prices, generally higher during the holiday season, return to normal, often with additional discounts.
The end of the month is also a time for bargains. Grocery stores want to meet their monthly sales targets and prepare stock rotation for the new month. This is the ideal time to spot special “end-of-month” promotions and discounts on large quantities. Pay particular attention to products with short sell-by dates, often offered at reduced prices.
Seasonal changes also mark enjoyable periods for discounts. In late summer and early fall, as well as in late winter and early spring, grocery stores need to clear out their seasonal products to make way for new ranges. These transitions are often accompanied by significant reductions, particularly on products with seasonal packaging.
To maximize your savings during these strategic periods, use a card like the American Express Cobalt® Card which offers you 5X points on your grocery purchases. That way, you’ll not only benefit from in-store discounts, but also from your card’s rewards.
These credit cards are ideal if you spend a lot of money on grocery purchases:
It will open in late October or early November at 1855 rue O’Brien, Ville-Saint-Laurent.
As the products arriving are varied and often unexpected, check out their social network pages (usually Facebook).
Two of them!
Boulangerie St-Méthode – Magasin économique: Trois-Rivières, 620, rue St-Laurent Trois-Rivières (Quebec) G8T 6H6
Boom Liquidation Trois-Rivières: 165 Boulevard Ste Madeleine Trois-Rivières, QC G8T 3L7
Read on for our tips on how to save at the grocery store:
Savings are here:
