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Food shopping and eating out

Food shopping in Canada feels a lot like the UK, with three surprises: the price on the shelf usually isn’t what you pay, alcohol rules change from province to province, and in restaurants you are expected to tip.

Last checked 8 Oct 2026·Information, not advice

In 30 seconds

  • A handful of big groups run most supermarkets: Loblaw (Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore), Sobeys, Metro, Walmart and Costco
  • Sales tax is added at the till, from 5% in Alberta to 15% in some Atlantic provinces. Basic groceries are zero-rated, but snacks, fizzy drinks and alcohol are taxed
  • Each province sets its own alcohol rules. Since 2024, Ontario convenience and grocery stores can sell beer, wine and cider, but spirits still come from the LCBO
Family food bill 2026C$17,572About £9,500 a year for a family of four (forecast)
Grocery inflation2.8%Year to August 2026, Statistics Canada
Sales tax5% to 15%Added at the till; depends on province
Sit-down tip15–20%Etiquette guides’ usual range; custom, not law

The main shops

ShopWhat it’s likeClosest UK feel
Loblaws, Real Canadian SuperstoreLoblaw’s full-range stores; Superstore is a big hypermarket. Own brands are President’s Choice and No NameTesco Extra
No FrillsLoblaw’s discount chain: smaller range, lower pricesAldi or Lidl
Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCoSobeys group. FreshCo is its discount chain, growing in western and central CanadaSainsbury’s; FreshCo is closer to Aldi
Metro, Super C, Food BasicsMetro group, Ontario and Quebec only. Super C and Food Basics are its discount storesSainsbury’s and Aldi
Walmart SupercentresGroceries alongside everything elseAsda
CostcoBulk-buy warehouse. Gold Star membership C$65 a year (about £35), Executive C$130Costco UK

The top four chains control at least 72% of the market, according to Canada’s Food Price Report. Most chains run a loyalty app with weekly personalised offers, and the weekly flyer (printed or in the app) drives a lot of shopping.

Sales tax is added at the till

Unlike in the UK, where VAT is in the shelf price, Canadian prices are usually shown before tax. The rate depends on the province:

Province2026 rate on most things
Alberta5% GST only
British Columbia (BC)12%: 5% GST plus 7% PST
Ontario13% HST
Quebec14.975%: 5% GST plus 9.975% QST
Nova Scotia14% HST (cut from 15% in April 2025)
New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island15% HST
  • Basic groceries such as fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, cereal, most milk products, fresh meat, fish and eggs are zero-rated, so no tax is added anywhere
  • Snacks, sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks and alcohol are taxed, even in a supermarket
  • Restaurant meals are taxed. In BC, food in a restaurant carries only the 5% GST
Check the rate for your province before you budget

What food costs

Canada’s Food Price Report 2026, from Dalhousie University and partner universities, forecast that a family of four would spend C$17,571.79 on food in 2026 (about £9,500), with prices rising 4% to 6%. Food prices are about 27% higher than five years earlier. Statistics Canada’s latest figures show grocery prices up 2.8% in the year to August 2026, and 29% since August 2021. Beef has been especially expensive. For your own budget, use the cost of living calculator and How much does it cost to live in Canada?

Buying alcohol

The legal drinking age is 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Expect to be asked for photo ID. Where you can buy it depends on the province:

ProvinceWhere to buy
OntarioLicensed convenience, grocery and big-box stores can sell beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink cans. Spirits come only from the LCBO (the provincial liquor board), its convenience outlets and distillery shops. The Beer Store also sells beer
QuebecBeer and wine in grocery stores and dépanneurs (corner shops). Spirits, and a wider choice of wine, only from the SAQ
British ColumbiaMainly liquor stores. Since 2015 some large grocery stores can sell BC wine on the shelves or have a liquor store inside, but there are few of them
Other provincesEach has its own rules and liquor board. Check before you assume the supermarket sells it

Bottle and can deposits

Most provinces add a small refundable deposit to drink containers. In Ontario, alcohol containers carry a 10 or 20 cent deposit, refunded at The Beer Store and some other stores. In BC, the Return-It scheme charges 10 cents on soft drink, juice and water containers up to 1 litre. Keep your empties and take them back.

Eating out and tipping

  • Tipping is expected at sit-down restaurants and bars. In a May 2025 Research Co. poll, most Canadians thought 10–19% right for average service, and more for exceptional service
  • Card machines show preset tips, and some restaurants now start at 18%. You can choose “custom” and enter your own amount
  • Many people tip on the amount before tax. There is no rule
  • Tipping on takeaway and counter service is optional, and many Canadians don’t
Know your tax and tip. A C$100 meal in Ontario costs C$113 with HST, and about C$128 with a 15% tip on the pre-tax amount. Build both into your eating-out budget.

What to do next

  1. Download the apps for your nearest two supermarkets and compare a week’s shop
  2. Check your province’s sales tax rate and alcohol rules
  3. Keep a bag for empties and find your nearest return point

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