An old No Frills flyer shows how dramatically the prices of groceries and everyday essentials have changed for Canadians in the last decade.
The website nofrillflyers.ca uploads weekly deals for the Loblaw-owned grocery store. The flyers were originally taken from smartcanucks.ca.
Daily Hive searched the website for flyers from 2014 and found some prices that would be considered outlandish in 2024. We compared them to current prices at an Ontario-based No Frills.
We also spotted some items that have shrunken in weight or size over time.
Here’s what stood out the most.
Cheese
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A 500-gram Saputo brand pizza mozzarella bar retails for $9.49 at No Frills.
In 2014, the bar was on sale for $4.77, down from $7.69.
Sausages
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
Schneider’s Juicy Jumbo sausages filled with cheddar are currently on sale at No Frills for $5.99 a pack, down from $6.99.
In 2014, they were on sale for $3.47. The off-sale price was $4.99 a pack.
Tea
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A pack of 144 orange pekoe teabags from Tetley normally retails at No Frills for $9.49 but was on sale for $8.99 when publishing this story.
Ten years ago, you could’ve bought the same product for a regular price lower than the current sale price: $8.48.
On sale, it would only cost you $4.97 back in the day.
Disinfectant wipes
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
You can buy a pack of 35 Lysol disinfecting wipes for $4.99 at No Frills right now.
In the pre-pandemic days of 2014, two such packs would have cost you just $2 on sale at the same store.
Margarine
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
In 2024, a 1.275-kg tub of Imperial margarine would run you $8.99 on a regular day and $5.99 during a sale at the store.
According to the No Frills flyer, these tubs were cheaper and bigger (thanks, shrinkflation!).
A 1.36-kg tub of the same product was only $6.47 at the regular price and $2.97 on sale.
Rice
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
Buying eight kilos of Botan Calrose Rice at No Frills right now means shelling out $25.99.
In 2014, the fancy rice was on sale for just $10.98, down from $14.98 regular.
Pepsi soft drinks
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
This one’s going to hurt the soda lovers.
Right now, a 12-pack of Pepsi costs $7.49 at No Frills.
The regular price was just $5.47 in 2014, and the product would often go on sale for as low as $3.33.
Cookies
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
President’s Choice cookies retail for $4.79 for a 300-gram pack at No Frills.
The product was just $1.97 at the discount store in 2014.
Granola bars
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A 172-gram box of PC Dipped & Chewy granola bars costs $2.79 at No Frills ($1.99 during sales).
In 2014, the same box weighed more — 187 to 225 grams — and cost less. At No Frills, it was just $1.77.
Pasta
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A 454-gram box of Barilla penne rigate pasta used to cost $1.77.
It is now ¢72 more expensive ($2.79) and 44 grams lighter.
Canned fish
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A can of GoldSeal Pink Salmon costs $4.49 now but was only $2.39 in 2014.
The item would sell for as low as $1.77 during sales.
Bacon
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
A kilogram of PC-brand Old Fashioned Style Bacon was sold for $11.99 ($9.97 if you caught it on sale).
Now, the same product is $4 more expensive.
One thing in the No Frills flyer that might make you happy is that PC-brand thin and crispy frozen pizzas have remained the same price over the decade.
SmartCanucks.ca/No Frills
They were $4.99 then and are $4.99 a pop now (regular price), but you’d be hard-pressed to find them on sale for $1.97 anymore.
Are these price changes fair for a decade, even with some instances of shrinkflation? Let us know what you think, or send us a tip by emailing [email protected].
Read the full No Frills flyer here.