Here’s how Canadians can save at the grocery store

Allison Bamford examines new ways to save at the grocery store as more apps emerge to assist Canadians amid the rising cost of food.

The cost of groceries is expected to go up in the new year, according to the latest Food Price Report.

As many Canadians struggle to pay for food, experts say there are ways consumers can stretch their budgets.

Each retailer has its own sales cycle, according to BetterCart Analytics CEO Melanie Morrison. Certain retailers mark down their items first thing in the morning.

“If you arrive at one of the major banners in this country and you’re shopping between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., you’re going to hit the 30 per cent off and 50 per cent off items,” Morrison said.

These discounted items are usually sold out by the afternoon, she added.

Other stores, like No Frills, offer discounts on their bakery items on certain days of the week, according to Morrison.

On Saturday mornings, Sobeys tends to reduce the price of its meat, she said. Flyers can also be a great tool, but it’s important to look beyond them, too.

“Not every product makes it into a flyer on a weekly basis,” Morrison said. “There are deals in stores that retailers are offering that people do not know about.”

Morrison said it’s important to understand the regular price of an item so shoppers can make informed purchases.

“That data is becoming increasingly difficult to get a hold of,” she said.

Grocery data available

BetterCart Analytics provides pricing data to companies in the food and beverage industry to help improve pricing strategies.

The Saskatoon-based company is working to develop its own app in the new year that would offer consumers access to its catalogue of food prices.

“We’d like to be able to show consumers what is a regular price and how far or deep that promotion actually is if it is on sale,” Morrison said, adding the app would also assist shoppers in finding the best deals in their neighbourhood.

“We know we are sitting on something that could actively save Canadian consumers money and tackle the rising cost of groceries going forward.”

The company estimates its app could save the average shopper up to $100 a month. The BetterCart app would add to a growing list of digital supports that already exist to help consumers save money.

Flipp is an app that allows users to browse digital flyers and compare prices.

Other apps, like Flash Food and Food Hero, connect consumers with discounted food from grocery stores that could be nearing expiration but is still good to eat.

Other ways to save

The National Zero Waste Council (NZWC) says Canadians do not necessarily need an app to save on food costs.

Reducing household food waste can also help consumers stretch their budgets, according to NZWC senior policy advisor Denise Philippe. She said there are three things consumers can do: buy what they need, use it up and store it right.

“We can really make a difference by not losing food or not wasting food if it goes off in our fridge,” she said.

Canning, preserving and freezing foods are great long-term solutions to reducing waste. But Philippe said these once-common practices have been lost by many Canadians.

She said everyone has a role to play in reducing waste.

“A role that can be played by businesses, not-for-profits and governments is to facilitate the retraining of all of this. How can we have shared kitchen spaces where we are relearning these lost arts of preserving food.”

She said she believes policies need to encourage food innovation that would help prevent waste. Philippe would also like to see government organizations rethink best-before dates.

“The best way to deal with them is to call (these date ranges) peak freshness,” she said, adding it is important for consumers to understand that a best-before date does not mean a product goes bad after that time stamp.

“If it is unopened and stored right, then we can look, smell and taste. Often the food is fine to eat after those best before dates,” she said.