For most Canadians (and people), groceries are one of their largest purchase categories. Everyone has to put food on the table. Unfortunately, healthier food options are expensive and not getting any cheaper with the current inflationary economic environment.
Credit cards are one of many ways to save money on food and groceries in Canada, and they should not be overlooked by anyone who can use them responsibly. Many powerful credit cards offer strong grocery category bonuses, meaning you will be earning significant rewards on all grocery purchases.
But which credit card should you use to buy groceries if you want to maximize the return on your purchases? Let’s look at the best credit cards for buying groceries in Canada.
The Value of Earning Rewards on Grocery Purchases
The reality is that if you pay with anything but a credit card when buying groceries, you are effectively foregoing 4-6% in cash back or rewards on all grocery purchases.
Considering groceries are often one of the biggest monthly expenses for Canadian families, it only makes sense to add a credit card to your wallet that rewards this spending category with bonus points.
While you can often optimize for every spending category if you are interested in keeping several credit cards in your wallet, groceries are the one category we absolutely recommend optimizing as the thousands of dollars spent every year will add up to significant rewards with the right credit card.
For example, if you spend $1,000 monthly at Safeway and use the Scotiabank Gold American Express card, you would earn 6 Scene+ Rewards points per dollar spent. This would result in monthly rewards earnings of 6,000 Scene+ Rewards points, or 72,000 Scene+ Rewards points earned per year.
Scene+ Rewards are worth 1 cent per point and can be redeemed towards grocery and travel purchases, which means you would receive an extra $720 in rewards per year just for using the right credit card while shopping!
As we will touch on below, many of the best credit cards for grocery purchases also offer valuable benefits which further increases the value proposition offered by these credit cards.
The Best Credit Cards for Buying Groceries
There is no shortage of credit cards that offer bonus rewards on grocery purchases in Canada, so we have narrowed down the best options below based on credit cards that we personally use for our grocery purchases.
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
The Scotiabank Gold American Express card is the undisputed best credit card for grocery purchases in Canada as it earns up to 6 Scene+ Rewards points per dollar spent at Empire grocery stores.
The Scotiabank Gold American Express card earns Scene+ Rewards points and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 5x Scene+ points on grocery, restaurant, and entertainment purchases. This card charges no foreign exchange fees.
Check out our Scotiabank Gold American Express card review for more details.
40,000 Scene+
$7,500
$280+
$120
No
Jul 1, 2025
Eligible Empire grocery store chains include Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
When shopping at any of these stores, you can think of the Scotiabank Gold American Express card as earning effectively 6% cash back on all purchases. This is because Scene+ Rewards points have a value of 1 cent per point, and can easily be redeemed towards travel, groceries, liquor, and more.
In addition, the card earns 5 Scene+ points per dollar spent at restaurants (including food delivery), other grocery stores, and entertainment (including movies, theatres, and ticketing agencies).
Furthermore, the Scotiabank Gold American Express card is one of the few credit cards in Canada that have no foreign transaction fees. Cardholders are also eligible to participate in Amex Offers which can result in significant savings, plus the card offers strong insurance coverage including mobile device insurance and car rental insurance.
American Express Cobalt Card
The American Express Cobalt card is still one of the best credit cards for grocery spending in Canada as it earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent on grocery purchases.
The American Express Cobalt card earns Membership Rewards points and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 5x Membership Rewards on eligible restaurant, food delivery, and grocery store purchases.
In 2024, we selected this card to receive the award Best Credit Card for Grocery Purchases.
Check out our American Express Cobalt card review for more details.
15,000 Membership Rewards
$9,000
$174+
$156
Yes
–
The American Express Cobalt card also earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar spent on food delivery, restaurants, bars, and convenience stores. Ultimately, this should be considered at least 5% back on grocery purchases as Membership Rewards points are worth at least 1 cent per point.
Of course, many would still argue that the American Express Cobalt card is the best credit card for buying groceries in Canada because Membership Rewards points can be transferred to many other points programs like Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors. When redeemed via these programs, you can certainly get better value than 1 cent per point, Aeroplan has a value of 2 cents per point when redeemed wisely.
One drawback of the American Express Cobalt card is its annual fee and welcome bonus structure. The annual fee is charged monthly at $12.99, giving the card an approximate yearly cost of $155.88.
Now, you might be thinking, “But I shop at Loblaws stores which don’t accept American Express!” Fret not, as there are workarounds to use Amex stores at Superstore and Loblaws ;).
Neo World Elite Mastercard
The Neo World Elite Mastercard has one of the highest earning rates on grocery purchases in Canada, as it earns 5% cash back on grocery purchases with the opportunity to increase the earning rate to 7% by holding $10,000 in a Neo Everyday account.
The Neo World Elite Mastercard offers a base earning rate of 5% cash back on groceries, 4% on recurring bills, and 3% on gas purchases, with the option to increase earning rates by holding money in a Neo Everyday account.
Check out our Neo World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
$0 cash back
$0
$-125+
$125
Yes
–
The Neo World Elite Mastercard does have an annual spending cap of $12,000 on the grocery category, so ensure that this limit will be enough for your household before applying. Any grocery purchases once the $12,000 bonus spending cap has been reached will earn at the normal earning rate for all other purchases.
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard earns 5% cash back on grocery purchases for up to $500 in spend per month, making it a great option for those who have smaller monthly grocery budgets.
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard earns cash back and offers cardholders the opportunity to earn up to 5% cash back on all grocery purchases. As a result, for 2024 we selected this card for the award for Best Cashback Credit Card for Grocery Purchases.
Check out our BMO Cashback World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
$250 cash back
$2,500
$250+
$120 (FYF)
Yes
Jun 1, 2025
Any grocery purchases made past the monthly bonus earning cap will only earn 1% cash back, meaning it would be better to select a different credit card if you plan on spending more than that monthly.
However, if you are interested in a Mastercard since they tend to have higher acceptance than American Express or want to earn cash back directly as opposed to a rewards currency, the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard can be a great option to add to your wallet.
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard also has strong bonus earning rates in several other spending categories:
- 4% cash back on transit (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
- 3% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
- 2% cash back on recurring bill payments (on the first $500 you spend monthly)
Receiving your cashback earned each billing cycle is easy and flexible. You can either have your cashback applied as a statement credit or deposit it into a BMO bank account or Investorline account as long as you have a balance of at least $1 cash back.
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard also offers two additional notable benefits: an extended manufacturer’s warranty of 2 additional years for eligible purchases, and free roadside assistance (provided by Dominion Automobile Association and the benefits of their BMO Roadside Assistance Program – Basic Coverage).
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns 5 À la Carte Rewards points per dollar spent on grocery purchases.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard earns À la Carte Rewards points and offers cardholders benefits such as $150 in annual travel credits and access to the National Bank VIP lounge in the YUL International terminal. Due to its stellar travel insurance and purchase protection benefits, we deemed this card the Best Overall Insurance Credit Card of 2024.
Check out our National Bank World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
0 À la carte Rewards
$0
$-150+
$150
Yes
–
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard also earns:
- 5 À la Carte Rewards points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases
- 2 À la Carte Rewards points per dollar spent on gas, electric vehicle charging, and recurring bills
- 1 À la Carte Rewards point per dollar spent on all other purchases
There is a spending cap on the 5X earn rate of $2,500 monthly. This means once you spend $2,500 in a monthly billing cycle (on any purchase category), you will earn only 2X on grocery and restaurant purchases thereafter.
National Bank A la Carte Rewards Points can be redeemed towards travel through their travel agency at a rate of 1 cent per point, or a rate of 0.833 cents per point if used for “Book Your Way” travel.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard also has several valuable benefits:
- Exceedingly strong extended warranty coverage which triples the manufacturer’s warranty, up to 2 additional years, on eligible purchases.
- Travel credit of $150 per calendar year, redeemable towards airport parking, baggage fees, seat selection, airport lounge access, and airline ticket upgrades.
- Complimentary lounge access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard
The MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard earns 5 MBNA Rewards points per dollar spent on grocery purchases and since it is a Mastercard, is widely accepted by many Canadian grocers.
The MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard earns MBNA Rewards points and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 5x MBNA Rewards on restaurant, grocery, digital media purchases, and more.
Check out our MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
30,000 MBNA Rewards
$2,000
$180+
$120
Yes
–
This card has a high annual category spend limit of $50,000 per category. This means you can not only earn 5x MBNA Rewards points on up to $50,000 in grocery purchases, but also 5x on up to $50,000 in restaurant, digital media, memberships, and household utility purchases. This can add up to a ton of MBNA Rewards points if you are strategic with your purchases.
Cardholders will also receive “birthday bonus points” when holding this card, which can be up to 15,000 MBNA Rewards points (calculated as 10% of the total amount of points earned in the last 12 months leading up to the cardholder’s birthday).
MBNA Rewards points can be redeemed towards travel purchases at a rate of 1 cent per point. Points can also be redeemed for a statement credit, merchandise, and gift cards, but the value per point is far worse.
Alternatively, if you do not meet the income requirements or are looking for a no annual fee credit card option, the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard offers 2x MBNA Rewards on grocery purchases up to $10,000 spent per calendar year. This card is also one of the best no annual fee credit cards in Canada.
PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard
The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard earns 40 PC Optimum points per dollar spent on all purchases made at Loblaws banner grocery stores.
The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard earns 40 PC Optimum points per dollar spent at Loblaws grocery stores and offers cardholders a complimentary PC Express Pass for free grocery delivery and pickup.
Check out our PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
150,000 PC Optimum
$3,000
$150+
$120 (FYF)
Yes
Dec 31, 2025
The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard also earns 50 PC Optimum points per dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart stores, up to 7 cents per litre in points at Esso and Mobil gas stations, and 10 PC Optimum points per dollar spent on all other purchases.
PC Optimum points can be redeemed towards products at any participating PC Optimum retailer at a rate of 10,000 PC Optimum points for a $10 credit. This means using this card at Loblaws grocery stores results in an effective earning rate of 4%, before any additional promotions or in-store bonuses.
The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard also comes with a very valuable benefit in the form of free and unlimited online grocery delivery and pickup with a complimentary PC Express Pass (valued at $99.99 per year), valid on eligible orders of $35 or more. If you already utilize a grocery delivery service, this is a great card to add to your wallet to save even more.
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite card is another strong cash back earning credit card that earns 4% cash back on grocery purchases.
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite card earns cash back and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 4% cash back on grocery purchases, eligible recurring bill payments, and subscription purchases.
Check out our Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite card review for more details.
$200 cash back
$2,000
$200+
$120 (FYF)
Yes
Oct 31, 2025
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite card also earns 4% cash back on recurring bill payments, and subscription services, such as insurance premiums, utilities, gym memberships, meal kits, Netflix, and other streaming services.
Furthermore, the card earns 2% on gas and daily transit purchases, including Uber and rideshare. It earns 1% on everything else.
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite card has only an annual cap of $25,000 on spending before the earning rate drops to 1% cash back across the board. This means, depending on your spending habits, you might choose it over the BMO CashBack World Elite even though the latter technically earns 5% on groceries.
RBC ION+ Visa Card
If you don’t like annual fees, an honorable mention among the best credit cards for grocery purchases is the RBC Ion+ Visa card which only has an annual fee of $48 and earns 3 Avion Rewards points per dollar spent on grocery purchases.
The RBC ION+ Visa card earns Avion points and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 3x Avion on groceries, restaurants, food delivery, transportation purchases, digital purchases, and more.
14,000 Avion
$0
$218+
$48
Yes
May 7, 2025
The RBC ION+ Visa card also earns 3 Avion Rewards points per dollar spent on, dining, food delivery, transportation, including gas, rideshare, daily public transit, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming, and subscriptions. It earns 1 Avion Rewards point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
The Avion Rewards program is a flexible points program where points can be redeemed towards travel, gift cards, merchandise, or even transferred to other loyalty programs, such as WestJet Rewards.
Conclusion
Since there are so many good credit cards that earn bonus rewards on grocery purchases, the best credit card for groceries will spend on your personal financial situation, spending habits, and preferences.
For example, if you tend to shop at Empire stores, the Scotiabank Gold American Express card is hard to beat with its effective 6% cash back on all purchases. On the other hand, Costco shoppers are tied to Mastercard and might find the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard more attractive.
People who want to maximize return and/or rack up travel points will lean towards the American Express Cobalt card, whose points can then be transferred to Aeroplan and redeemed for exceptional value.
Regardless of what card ends up being right for you, we hope this article has helped narrow down your decision of which credit card to add to your wallet next to maximize rewards.
Reed Sutton
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the FAQ should be updated. No Frills does accept Visa. I haven’t encountered any No Frills where my Visa was not accepted. I believe them not accepting Visa was before….
Thanks!