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Combining a grocery loyalty program with a suitable credit card remains the best way to reduce your grocery bill in Canada. The “double dip” principle is simple: you earn rewards twice on the same purchase. First with the supermarket loyalty card, then with the points or cash back from your credit card.
In Canada, four major retailers offer a loyalty program: PC Optimum at Maxi and Provigo, Scene+ at IGA, Moi at Metro and Super C, and the Executive Membership at Costco. This guide details the best program + credit card combinations for each retailer.
The PC Optimum program works at Maxi, Provigo, Shoppers Drug Mart and several other Loblaw banners. Accumulation is based on weekly personalized offers, flyer promotions, and selected products.
By planning your purchases according to flyer specials and app offers, rewards accumulate quickly. For example, on a $159 bill at Maxi, it is possible to obtain more than 42,000 points ($42) by combining the right offers. At the next checkout, these points are deducted directly from the bill.
Maxi accepts Visa and Mastercard. The trick is to pay with a card that offers a high multiplier for groceries.
The PC Financial World Elite Mastercard gives 30 PC Optimum points per dollar at Maxi, which is approximately $4.77 on a $159 bill. However, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns more: 795 NBC points (5 × 159), for a value of about $7.
Since March 2023, the loyalty program at IGA has been Scene+. Accumulation is based on personalized offers, the flyer, and selected products.
IGA grocery stores accept American Express cards. The Voilà by IGA online grocery service also accepts them. Two Amex cards stand out:
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card earns 1 more point per dollar than the Cobalt. Specifically, $200 in spending at IGA yields 1,000 Membership Rewards points with the Cobalt (200 × 5). With the Scotiabank Gold Amex Card, $167 is enough for 1,000 Scene+ points (167 × 6). The reward therefore arrives faster.
Other Visa and Mastercard cards also offer a good grocery multiplier at IGA:
The Moi program from Metro earns 1 point per dollar spent. Each week, download your personalized offers on the mobile app or from your online profile to boost your rewards.
Metro accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. The moi RBC Visa Credit Card is directly linked to the Moi program. By paying with this card AND scanning your Moi card at checkout, you get:
Moi points are used to reduce the bill at Metro, Jean Coutu, Première Moisson, Super C, and Brunet. The tip: redeem them at a low-price location like Super C to maximize their value. Additionally, link your RBC debit or credit card to your Moi card to earn points faster.
Other cards offer more advantageous grocery accumulation than the Moi RBC card:
The American Express Cobalt Card multiplies Membership Rewards points by 5 for spending at Metro and other supermarkets. If you are hesitating between the Cobalt and the Amex Gold Card, consult our comparison.
Costco offers a cash back program reserved for Executive Membership cardholders.
Costco warehouses only accept Mastercard cards. The CIBC Costco Mastercard offers 1% cash back in-warehouse and 2% on Costco.ca.
With an Executive card (2%) and the Rogers World Elite MC (1.5 to 2%), you get up to 4% back on your Costco purchases.
The increase in grocery prices is weighing on budgets, but several ways exist to reduce the bill beyond the loyalty + credit card double dip.
The double dip technique — loyalty program + credit card — works in all major grocery stores in Canada. At Maxi, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard combined with PC Optimum offers excellent value. At IGA, the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card with Scene+ maximizes your points. At Metro, the Cobalt Card multiplies rewards by 5.
To compare all available options, visit our best credit cards page in Canada. Sign up for our newsletter to receive our weekly analyses and tips.
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