Groceries
#1546
Re: Groceries
We ran out of coffee at the weekend so I went to my local Couche Tard (aka Mac's), where a 325g tin of Maxwell House cost me well over $9.
In a regular supermarket you can get a 925g tin of it for under $7.
Couche Tard is the fourth-largest company in Canada in terms of sales revenue. Can't imagine why
In a regular supermarket you can get a 925g tin of it for under $7.
Couche Tard is the fourth-largest company in Canada in terms of sales revenue. Can't imagine why
No Van Houtte for you as you're living in Quebec. ?
Our daughter is in university in Toronto and living in an apartment with 2 other girls. One girl is a francophone who has lived in Gatineau and Orleans.
Below the apartment building on the street nearby is a Mac's Milk. She was so attuned to calling it Couche Tard that, when we moved our daughter in, she was so happy that there was a 'Couche Tard' nearby for late night food. The other girl, from Oshawa, had no idea what Couche Tard was but the name for the store stuck with the girls.
#1547
Re: Groceries
Two day special at Superstore this Thursday and Saturday.
Prime Rib Premium roast $4.77 lb. Two-thirds off.
AA but still very good.
Also, for the whole week, short cut leg of lamb - $5.99 lb.
Prime Rib Premium roast $4.77 lb. Two-thirds off.
AA but still very good.
Also, for the whole week, short cut leg of lamb - $5.99 lb.
Last edited by BristolUK; Mar 28th 2018 at 11:34 pm.
#1548
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Groceries
Yep, Couche Tard is living up to its name offering products late at night or when nobody else is open. 925 g for $7 is a good price for coffee but at the end of the day it is still Maxwell House.
No Van Houtte for you as you're living in Quebec. ?
Our daughter is in university in Toronto and living in an apartment with 2 other girls. One girl is a francophone who has lived in Gatineau and Orleans.
Below the apartment building on the street nearby is a Mac's Milk. She was so attuned to calling it Couche Tard that, when we moved our daughter in, she was so happy that there was a 'Couche Tard' nearby for late night food. The other girl, from Oshawa, had no idea what Couche Tard was but the name for the store stuck with the girls.
No Van Houtte for you as you're living in Quebec. ?
Our daughter is in university in Toronto and living in an apartment with 2 other girls. One girl is a francophone who has lived in Gatineau and Orleans.
Below the apartment building on the street nearby is a Mac's Milk. She was so attuned to calling it Couche Tard that, when we moved our daughter in, she was so happy that there was a 'Couche Tard' nearby for late night food. The other girl, from Oshawa, had no idea what Couche Tard was but the name for the store stuck with the girls.
Of course we have Van Houtte. It's a Quebec company (although now US-owned). Given the choice, it's the only coffee we buy (French Blend or Colombian).
#1549
#1551
Re: Groceries
I stocked up on Maxwell House @$6/can when No Frills had it cheap. In my bodum I use a spoon of that and a spoon of fresh ground West Coast Roast.
The groceries for making kimchi today:
If Jings was here I'd give him a jar.
The groceries for making kimchi today:
If Jings was here I'd give him a jar.
#1552
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,232
Re: Groceries
Omg I gave my husband a shopping list last night and sent him out to do a "shop"... I don't know how he managed it, but he spent double what I usually spend and I think that's expensive. I was horrified when he came home, he was defensive.
He probably thinks job done, she'll never ask me again
He probably thinks job done, she'll never ask me again
#1554
Re: Groceries
My filter coffee of choice - PC Gourmet Dark Roast 875g - is in the Superstore flyer this week for $11.99.
Bugger that. I know when it's not on any sort of offer that I've seen it @ $15.99 but last week I bought a tin in Shoppers (owned by Loblaws) for $6.99. The previous tin only cost me that much, also from Shoppers and probably the next one will too as they have it for this price (sometimes $7.99) about once every 6 weeks.
I can't believe I pay less for this coffee than 12 years ago.
Bugger that. I know when it's not on any sort of offer that I've seen it @ $15.99 but last week I bought a tin in Shoppers (owned by Loblaws) for $6.99. The previous tin only cost me that much, also from Shoppers and probably the next one will too as they have it for this price (sometimes $7.99) about once every 6 weeks.
I can't believe I pay less for this coffee than 12 years ago.
#1555
Account Closed
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Groceries
I am boycotting No Frills and any store brand owned by Loblaws, horrible shopping experiences in their stores and the prices have gone up and the savings simply isn't there anymore and unless you love PC brand or No name they are selling less and less regular brands, and their bread selection is poor, as is their meat and cheese selection, lots of junk food though.
#1556
Re: Groceries
I am boycotting No Frills and any store brand owned by Loblaws, horrible shopping experiences in their stores and the prices have gone up and the savings simply isn't there anymore and unless you love PC brand or No name they are selling less and less regular brands, and their bread selection is poor, as is their meat and cheese selection, lots of junk food though.
I think if there's one thing that shows differences between provinces and even between cities in the same provinces, it's grocery stores - even the same bloody company.
Superstore/Loblaws remains the cheaper option here. From my time in Longueuil, Quebec it was the posh choice compared to Super-C, Metro and Maxi.
We spend more on shopping than we used to but that's mostly because we have more money now and buy better quality stuff and treat ourselves more.
Coffee, mushrooms, pepsi and other soft drinks, cereal, butter, ice cream, wine, numerous frozen foods, water melon, strawberries, some veggies, bacon....all these things we're paying the same or less than we paid 12 years ago. And I do mean the same price or lower rather than a "real terms" comparison.
It's like that tin of coffee - normal price back then was $12 (on offer between $8 and $10) and normal price now is $16 but the offer price anything between $7 and $12.
Of course there's a bunch of things that have gone up quite a bit. Fortunately, though, some of those that have gone up quite a fair bit also seem to be on offer much more and that helps make up for it a bit.
#1557
Re: Groceries
The Loblaws stores are still the cheapest here, and quality is usually very good. Some are cheaper than others; for example 1L of Half and Half is $2 at Wholesale Club but $3 or $4 at No Frills or Independent. The sale prices on produce and meat at No Frills are better than the regular prices at Wholesale Club (Independent is higher for everything unless a big sale is on), but businesses buy at Wholesale Club because they can get case lots, whole beef and pork loins to cut up themselves, etc.
#1558
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Groceries
Loblaws / Fortinos are the most expensive stores in my area.
Walmart Superstore, Food Basics and Freshco are about on a par with each other, Metro somewhere between the most expensive and the less expensive..
Cheapest of all are No Frills but I won't even go in there - the quality of the food, the choices etc., are just awful - tiny narrow isles, veg appear older and soft, freezers full of crapola.. nasty store.
We also have a couple of other stores in the area, Longos (who deliver, "grocery gateway") and Starky's - but they are both somewhat out of the way for me to get to. There is also "Nations Fresh Food" which I only discovered last year, have yet to do a shop there.
I hate grocery shopping almost as much as I loath clothes shopping!
Walmart Superstore, Food Basics and Freshco are about on a par with each other, Metro somewhere between the most expensive and the less expensive..
Cheapest of all are No Frills but I won't even go in there - the quality of the food, the choices etc., are just awful - tiny narrow isles, veg appear older and soft, freezers full of crapola.. nasty store.
We also have a couple of other stores in the area, Longos (who deliver, "grocery gateway") and Starky's - but they are both somewhat out of the way for me to get to. There is also "Nations Fresh Food" which I only discovered last year, have yet to do a shop there.
I hate grocery shopping almost as much as I loath clothes shopping!
#1559
Re: Groceries
#1560
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2014
Location: Done with condescending old hags
Posts: 1,194
Re: Groceries
We have a No Frills just down the road (400 metres door to door), so it's the place we drop in if we absolutely NEED something (well, strictly Safeway is, which is a block closer in the other direction, but costs twice as much). But there's no reason to do a big shop there since it's just a limited subset of what Superstore has, at higher prices and worse quality. It's like a Tesco or Sainsbury's local store, but not so good.
In BC I'll happily use Superstore or SaveOn. Tried Walmart, was unimpressed with range and prices (was one of many discussions about life comparisons with my partner; I was expecting ASDA, he pointed out Walmart were always a 'General goods' store that then tacked food onto it), and shocked by the 'service'.
In BC I'll happily use Superstore or SaveOn. Tried Walmart, was unimpressed with range and prices (was one of many discussions about life comparisons with my partner; I was expecting ASDA, he pointed out Walmart were always a 'General goods' store that then tacked food onto it), and shocked by the 'service'.