How apps are helping shoppers save on groceries

First at Five looks at apps for shoppers who have an appetitive for discounted food.

As food prices soar, many Maritimers are trying to find savings on groceries any way they can.

“I always shop around. I go to Walmart, Superstore, and Giant Tiger,” said shopper Bonnie Shea.

Another way bargain hunters can save money is by using apps that advertise food at discounted prices.

“Rebates are quite substantial,” said Sylvain Charlebois, Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab director. “It can vary between 20-to-70, 80 per cent because most of these foods would actually either go to waste or go to food banks, so these deals are typically pretty, pretty attractive.”

According to Loblaw, the Flashfood app saved Atlantic Canadians $2.5 million on groceries in 2024, and kept 928,000 pounds of food from landfills.

“It’s been a very successful program, and it’s a program which we take very seriously here at store level,” said Jason Ernst, the manager of an Atlantic Superstore in Bedford, N.S.

There’s everything from frozen good to bakery items to produce -- which Ernst said is the most popular.

“It’s department manager run, really. They go through the departments and identify any products that may be coming close to the expiry or best before, and then we bring them up to the front and put them into the Flashfood fridges or freezers, and then we offer them on the app at a discounted retail,” said Ernst.

Sobeys used the FoodHero app. FoodHero said it only launched in Atlantic Canada at the end of July 2024, but in those six months customers saved $2.8 million.

It said 634,000 pounds of food was also diverted from landfills during that time.

“It’s definitely a win-win-win,” said Charlebois. “It’s a win for grocers. They’re generating more income that they wouldn’t generate otherwise. Consumers are saving quite a bit, and of course, it’s good for the environment.”

Charlebois also noted keeping food waste down can stabilize food prices over time, which would also save people money.

Even if shoppers aren’t using the apps, there are always ways to find a deal.

“Some meal planning for sure, but I’m at Superstore because I really like their 50 per cent deals. I really look forward to those, and I often plan my meal around whatever’s 50 per cent off,” said shopper Millie King.