Gone are the days of waiting for Thursday's newspaper to see the flyers. Every major Quebec grocery chain now publishes its deals online — but finding them all in one place is another story.
Here's where to look, how to read an online flyer like a pro, and why comparing stores always beats reading a single flyer.
1. Where to find online grocery flyers in Quebec
Every major chain publishes its flyer on its own website, usually updated on Thursday:
- IGA — flyer on iga.net, also available in the IGA app
- Metro — metro.ca, with Metro and Metro Plus specials
- Maxi — maxi.ca, refreshed every Thursday
- Provigo — provigo.ca, with deals stacked with PC Optimum points
- Super C — superc.ca, aggressive prices every week
- Walmart — walmart.ca/flyer, more modest but consistent
There are also aggregators (Flipp, Reebee) that group flyers as PDFs. Handy for flipping through, but they don't compare prices across stores — that math is left to you.
2. The trap of reading a single flyer
The natural reflex: open your usual store's flyer and make your list from it.
That's the most expensive reflex there is.
The same product — butter, chicken, coffee — is often on sale at two or three stores the same week, at different prices. If you only look at your usual flyer, you'll never know the same pack of butter costs $1 less at the competitor 10 minutes away.
👉 The fix: compare this week's flyers side by side before making your list. That's exactly what Circulaires Québec does — no five open tabs required.
3. How to read an online flyer efficiently
When you flip through an online flyer, three things actually matter:
The unit price, not the shelf price. A 500 g box at $4.99 looks cheaper than a 750 g box at $6.49. Per unit, it's the opposite: $9.98/kg versus $8.65/kg. Online flyers usually show both — look at the small line underneath.
The package size. Price unchanged, but the package shrank? That's shrinkflation — a disguised price hike. Check the size before buying "at the same price as before." Package-size changes are tracked weekly in Quebec: see the shrinkflation tracker.
The validity dates. An online flyer usually runs Thursday to the following Wednesday. A deal you see on Monday can be gone by Tuesday — always check the dates before driving out.
4. Independent and specialty grocers, the underrated secret
The big chains aren't the only ones publishing online flyers. Quebec's independent and specialty grocers do too — and their specials are often the best:
- Marché Newon — regular flyer, strong prices on Asian staples
- Adonis — deals on Mediterranean and halal products
- Kim Phat, Fu Tai, Sheng Tai — the best prices on Asian produce and seafood
- Wholesale Club — economy sizes, warehouse style
Browse deals from every Quebec grocery store — all chains and independents, compared in one place.
5. The routine that actually saves money
- Thursday morning: new flyers drop.
- Thursday midday: compare deals across stores (2 minutes on Circulaires Québec).
- Thursday evening: build your list around the best specials, not your cravings.
- During the week: check unit price and package size before you buy.
The best prices rotate every week. People who compare every Thursday simply pay less.
Why Circulaires Québec does this for you
All Quebec grocery store flyers are already compared on circulairesquebec.com: price, unit price, package size, 21-week history. You open one site instead of five. The real price, period.