New App Gofer.run Helps Canadians Save on Grocery Costs

A new app, Gofer.run, developed in North Bay, Ontario, is set to assist Canadian shoppers in managing rising grocery costs. As food prices continue to increase at a significant rate, this app enables users to compare grocery prices across various stores in their neighbourhood and find the most economical combinations based on their shopping lists.

The creators of Gofer.run designed the app to address a pressing issue: the challenge of comparing grocery prices amid escalating costs. With inflation impacting food prices—recorded at 6.3 percent as of the January 2026 consumer price index—Canadians are feeling the pinch. According to reports, grocery prices in Canada are rising at their fastest pace in nearly two years, despite a general cooling of inflation. Mark Sherry, co-founder of Gofer.run, noted, “We decided that groceries were the space that we could really help people in because of the price of groceries and also that it’s difficult to compare prices across many stores.”

How Gofer.run Works

Users can enter or upload their grocery lists into the Gofer.run app, which then compares prices for each item across local stores. The app functions by scanning store websites for price data and evaluating products based on unit price—such as cost per 100 grams or millilitres. For instance, if a user has cherry tomatoes on their list, the app will search through every store in the user-defined neighbourhood to find the best price.

Sherry elaborated on the technology’s capabilities, stating, “If you have 50 items in your grocery list, and you’ve got 10 grocery stores in your neighbourhood, it will take you literally four hours just to go through all the websites to find the products that match your items on your list.” By leveraging artificial intelligence, Gofer.run ensures that users receive accurate results tailored to their specific needs.

Developing this technology took approximately two years, allowing the team to create a system capable of comparing vast amounts of data in real time. The app is currently available for free across Canada on both iOS and Android platforms.

Implications of AI in Grocery Shopping

While the app provides a practical solution for consumers, it also raises questions about the role of artificial intelligence in everyday shopping. David Eliot, a PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa, commented on the environmental impact of AI technologies, stating that while AI systems consume significant resources, their impact is modest when compared to other industries, like agriculture.

Beyond the environmental considerations, Eliot highlighted broader implications concerning consumer privacy. As tools like Gofer.run analyze shopping habits, they generate data about consumer preferences and behaviours. “What amount of change will make us change our behaviour? How much cheaper does the ketchup need to be at a store 10 kilometres away for us to actually go to that store?” he posed, emphasizing the need for critical discussions about privacy in the age of big data.

As digital tools increasingly influence retail, consumers may find themselves navigating new dynamics in grocery shopping. Grocery stores are already adopting digital pricing strategies to optimize sales, leading to evolving consumer experiences. Eliot remarked, “We’re seeing grocery stores adding digital pricing now so they can change the prices during the day.”

In a landscape of rising food prices and evolving technology, Gofer.run represents an innovative approach for Canadian consumers looking to maximize their grocery budgets while also engaging with pressing questions about privacy and data usage in the digital age.