Price matching works if you find a lower advertised price at another local store, and the store you are shopping at will match it. That being said, not all grocery stores in Canada price match and those that do have some restrictions.
Grocery Stores that Price Match
Buying groceries right now can be extremely expensive. Because grocery stores tend to have different sales every week, some of your favourite items may be cheaper somewhere else. To avoid driving to another store or paying more than you need to for the item, check whether your store has a price-match program.
Here is a list of grocery stores in Canada that price-match, along with their policies. Keep in mind, though, that for all grocery stores that price match,h there are some restrictions. Price matching doesn’t apply to clearance items or prescriptions, alcohol or tobacco products, or gift cards.
FreshCo
If you’ve ever shopped at FreshCo, you’d know that they have a “Lowest Price Guarantee.” What exactly does that mean, though? Well, it means that if a store in your geographic area offers the same product at a lower price, they will match the competitor’s lower price.
FreshCo price matching allows the store to sell you the item for $0.01 lower than the competitor’s advertised price, up to 4 price-matched items per customer per transaction. To get this price, you must show them proof at the till, either a paper or a digital flyer.
No Frills
No Frills is another grocery store that allows you to price-match an advertised competitor’s price. No Frills price matches with any major grocery store competitor in the same geographic location. Like FreshCo, they limit price matching to up to 4 items per customer per transaction. However, you can buy price-matched items every day of the flyer.
To claim the lower advertised price from another store, you need to show the print or digital flyer at the till. If you forget to do this, you have up to 7 days to claim a refund for the price difference.
Real Canadian Superstore
Real Canadian Superstore is another great option for price matching. Just like the other stores, they will only price match up to 4 items per customer per transaction. They will also price-match any major grocery store in the same geographic region.
To price-match pc express orders, it must be done after the fact. Once you have picked up your order, you can email customer service. It may take up to 30 days to get a response, but once the price match is approved, you will get a refund for the price difference.
Giant Tiger
Giant Tiger’s price match policies are similar to those of FreshCo. If you show a competitor’s advertised price with a print or digital flyer, then they will sell you that item for $0.01 less than the competitor’s price. Not only do they price match in-store items, but they also price match online-only items.
Maxi
Maxis is a Loblaws grocery store in Quebec. If you shop at Maxi, they will price-match major supermarket competitors in Quebec, with a limit of up to 4 items per customer per transaction. You can use either the print or digital flyer. You can also price-match when you pick up your online order.
IGA
When you are price matching at IGA, you can price match up to 4 items per transaction per person. Not only will they price match, though, but they will sell you the item for $0.01 less than the competitor’s advertised price. Just like any other store, you can only price match identical items, but unlike some other stores, you can’t combine a price match with other offers.
Save On Foods
While Save On Foods doesn’t necessarily match prices, they will give you the Western Family equivalent for free if you can show them the national brand equivalent of that item at a lower advertised price. That being said, Save On Foods decides what the national-brand equivalent of that item is.
The restriction is that this must be for a single item; it doesn’t work for buy-x-get-x offers, clearance items, or discontinued items.
Loblaws and Price Matching
While Loblaws owns quite a few stores in Canada, not all of them price-match. The ones that do are:
- Real Canadian Superstore
- Maxi
- No Frills
The rest of them offer price matching. However, just because they don’t price match doesn’t mean you can’t use their flyers to price match at stores that do. This can help you avoid shopping at too many stores and limit your trip to just one store.
Does Food Basics Price Match?
Unlike some of the other large grocery stores in Canada, Food Basics doesn’t price match. That said, they do have other ways you can save money. Every Tuesday, if you’re a student, you can save 10% of your grocery bill. They also offer a seniors’ discount on top of the savings that you can find in their weekly flyer.
Other Grocery Stores
Because there are so many grocery store options in Canada, it’s important to remember that not all of them allow for price matching. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other ways that you can save.
Sobeys
Instead of offering price matching, Sobeys focuses on offering the lowest prices on your favourite items. They also offer weekly sales and discounts meant to rival those of all the stores in the area. However, just because they don’t price match doesn’t mean other stores won’t match their prices.
Shoppers Drug Mart
Like many of the other Loblaws stores, Shoppers Drug Mart doesn’t price match. However, they do accept and offer PC Optimum points. This means you can earn and spend points on your purchases, which can save you even more.
Metro
Unfortunately, at Metro, price matching isn’t an option. However, they offer many other options that help you save money. They offer manufacturer coupons, seasonal and weekly deals, and a rewards program that can earn you additional discounts.
Safeway
While Safeway is known for carrying many items that other stores don’t, they don’t price match. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t have sales. They have a weekly flyer, just like other grocery stores, and you can use it to match their prices at other stores.
Walmart
While Walmart doesn’t price match with other stores, it will match any offers found on Walmart.ca. Sometimes, they only have exclusive deals online, but you can get the same price online as long as you have proof.
Even though they don’t price match, that doesn’t mean you can’t use their flyers to price match at stores that do. This can help you avoid shopping at too many stores and limit your trip to just one store.
Flyers You Can Price Match With in 2026
When you start price matching, you may wonder with which stores you can price match. Do certain stores not take certain flyers? What are your options? Well, let’s take a look and see if any of the stores that price match have limitations.
As many stores state in their policies, they will price match any major competitor in the same geographic region. What does this mean exactly? This means it must be a store in the same town. If the store is one town over, whether or not you have that store where you live, you will be unable to use that flyer to price match.
Do Stores Other Than Grocery Stores Price Match?
While this may be a surprise to you, plenty of other Canadian stores price-match. Ones that aren’t grocery stores. Depending on where you live, there may be more than others. Let’s take a look.
Best Buy
Have you ever heard of Best Buy’s “Low Price Guarantee”? It is also sometimes referred to as their price match guarantee. It works like this: you can price match with a print or digital flyer at purchase, or you have 30 days to get a refund for the price difference. This 30-day rule doesn’t just apply to other stores; it also applies to their own prices, if they will give you back the price difference as long as you bring in your receipt within 30 days.
Staples
Staples is another store with a great price match policy. It works by allowing you to price-match using a digital or paper flyer from an authorized Canadian dealer at the time of purchase. Otherwise, you have 14 days to get the price difference.
Unlike other stores, Staples not only price matches but also matches bonus offers. If a particular store is offering a bonus, such as a gift card or another product they carry, they will match that bonus.
The Source
The Source is another store that has a “Best Price Guarantee.” If you find a lower price at any Canadian dealer, they will match that offer either at the time of purchase or within the period specified in their return policy. You will then get the lower price or a refund for the price difference.
Home Depot
Home Depot’s price guarantee differs from those of other home improvement stores. It works because if the offer is an in-store offer from a retail store, they will not only match the price but beat it by 10%. If the offer is online, Home Depot price matches. Either way, Home Depot will match the offer. Keep in mind that this offer isn’t available on all of their products. You will have to enquire to see if the product you want to price matches or qualifies.
Lowe’s
For Lowe’s price match policy to take effect, the price difference must be more than $1.00. That being said, Lowe’s will not only match the price but also beat it by 10%. This policy applies to both online and in-store offers.
Leon’s
With all of Leon’s purchases, they offer a 60-day guarantee. That being said, to qualify, it must be the same product in the same area under the same terms.
Rona
Rona’s price match policy is the same as Lowe’s. There must be at least a $1.00 difference to qualify, and they will beat the price by 10%. It is also valid for both in-store and online offers.
The Brick
If you are looking to price match with The Brick, it depends on what you are purchasing. For price-matching appliances, you must price match within 30 days of delivery, and not only will they price match, but they will also beat the price by 20%. With mattresses, the policy is 90 days from the date of delivery, and they will beat the price by 10%. All other items from The Brick are allowed to be returned for 30 days, and they will match the price.
Costco
Costco price matching isn’t a thing, unfortunately. Costco’s policy only allows for price adjustments. How it works is that if you purchase an item online from costco.ca and it drops within 30 days of purchase, you can get the difference back as a refund. They don’t price match for any in-store purchases to themselves or any other store.
Toys R Us
While Toys R Us did price match until October 2021, they now only price match to their own prices within 30 days of purchase. This is for in-store or online offers.
PetSmart
PetSmart is very specific about its price-matching policy. They will only match in-store purchases with in-store offers and online purchases with online offers. For in-store purchases, the other retailer must have the item in stock to offer a competitive price. For online purchases, they will only price-match other retailers. Sites like Amazon and eBay aren’t included.
Home Hardware
One hardware store you might not be aware of that price-matches is Home Hardware. Even if you purchase that item at a lower price, you can still return it with the original receipt. However, when you price match, the cashier will double-check that the lower price is accurate.
How Do Stores Price Match Products Sold by Weight?
When you’re matching weighed grocery items, instead of matching the total price, you match the unit pricing. This is usually charged by price per kilogram or the pound. This is common for produce varieties and meat grades, giving you a lower price based on the package weight. In some cases, you may need to have it re-weighed with a new sticker to get the price before you take the item to the till.
Are You Able to Match Multibuy Offers When Buying Fewer Items?
To price-match multibuy items, you can’t purchase fewer than the required number. You must purchase the correct number of items to get the multi-buy pricing. Often, this is much cheaper, though, and worth purchasing the extra items.
Loyalty Member Prices and Price Matching
In most stores in Canada, loyalty member pricing is excluded from price matching. All that can be price-matched is a competitor’s advertised price, which does not require a loyalty membership. In these cases, you will have to purchase from the store advertising the price.
When price-matching, stores will have an approved list of competitors to match. However, even if the competitor is accepted, they also have to keep in mind other things, including:
- Digital coupon exclusions
- Flyer validity dates
- UPC barcodes
- Manufacturer model numbers
- Colour matching
- Bundle pricing exclusions
- Open box exclusions
- Refurbished product exclusions
- Liquidation sale exclusions
- Advertised price errors
- Substitution rules
When presenting the price match, you don’t have to use a flyer. You can also use cropped screenshots, as long as they include all of the necessary information.
Do Stores Match Amazon Prices and Marketplace Listings?
When it comes to price matching, stores often have restrictions on who they will price match with. For example, marketplace sellers and third-party sellers fulfilled by Amazon are excluded.
The reason for this has a lot to do with delivery fee comparisons and the total delivered price, which is based on postal code eligibility. Even if you have a live product link, it’s not normally accepted.
Requesting Price Matching at Self Checkouts
When using self-checkout, you can request price-matching by scanning your items and calling the station attendant. When self-checkout matching, though, you may need store manager approval. You will also need to show the required proof.
Stacking Coupons With a Price Match
In Canada, both cashback stacking and coupon stacking are limited. This is because it’s based on store rules, which you can find with a written policy confirmation. Most stores will allow one coupon with a price match, but some may allow you to do this with up to four items. Some other stores won’t allow you to stack at all.
Getting a Price Adjustment After Purchasing
Many Canadian stores will allow you to submit a post-purchase refund request during a price adjustment window of usually 30 days. If the price of an item you purchased decreases during this time, you can either go in or submit an online claim form with a receipt attached. Once you’ve provided the adjustment receipt requirements, you’ll receive your funds after the refund processing time is completed.
What Do You Do if a Cashier Refuses to Price-Match?
If there is a checkout dispute regarding the price match, or you get a price match rejection, you may need to speak to a store manager. This is because it’s a voluntary store policy and not a legal requirement.
First, use a policy comparison chart to check the policy and verify that your item qualifies. It’s also important to distinguish between the online vs. in-store policy. If the item scanned wrong, you can also use the Scanner Price Accuracy Code and potentially get the item for free.
Instead of escalating a refused match, it’s always better to get a second option because you may not qualify. Only flyers within certain distances are eligible, so a warehouse club comparison or flyers that need currency conversion likely won’t qualify.
Rain Checks for Purchasing Unavailable Price-Matched Products
When an on-sale item is out of stock, many stores have a rain check policy. However, that policy doesn’t apply to a price-matched item. To purchase an item at the other store’s price, it has to be listed in their flyer, be in stock, and meet the exact specifications. The cashier’s verification steps will determine whether the item qualifies.
Scanner Price Accuracy Code Vs. Competitor Price Matching
The Retail Council of Canada Scanner Price Accuracy Code is what addresses pricing errors at the till. If the correct price is $10 or less, then the item will be free. These are often referred to as scanning error-free items. If the item is worth more than $10, then you will get a $10 discount off the lower shelf price.
With the Quebec Price Accuracy Policy, if the item is worth less than $15, then you can get it for free if it’s priced incorrectly. If it’s worth more than $15, then you can get $15 off the lowest price. This is because it falls under the Competition Bureau’s advertising rules, which require that prices be accurate. Other forms of pricing are also governed by the Competition Act, such as drip pricing rules.
Price matching, on the other hand, is when a store matches a lower advertised price from a competitor. Depending on the store, you can take advantage of price matching by combining loyalty points or stacking price-match coupons. This can be done with screenshot proof at checkout.
Non-Grocery Retailers That Offer Price Adjustments
While many stores will have door-crasher exclusions, Black Friday exclusions, Boxing Day pricing, seasonal clearance rules, limited-quantity disclaimers, and in-stock guarantees that don’t have a price adjustment window. There are windows on regular purchase items. Some of these stores include:
- Costco Canada
- Sport Chek
- London Drugs
- Sephora
- Michaels
- Peavey Mart
- Princess Auto
- Memory Express
- Vision Electronics
- Canada’s Appliance Store
This is also allowed in the Canadian Tire policy and Shoppers’ price adjustments.
Apps and Extensions That Track Price Drops
When it comes to price drops, there are plenty of apps and browser extensions available to help you track them. Some of these include:
- CamelCamelCamel
- Amazon price tracking
- Reebee and Reebee alternatives
Besides these price drop alerts, there are apps like Flashfood that offer groceries at discounted prices. Every day, you can get food that is close to expiring at heavily discounted prices.
