PC Optimum is Loblaw Companies’ loyalty programme — the dominant retail rewards programme for Canadians who shop at Loblaws, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, Fortinos, Zehrs, and other Loblaw-banner stores. With over 17 million members, it’s one of the most widely used loyalty programmes in Canada.
In This Section
- How PC Optimum Works — Earning, redeeming, bonus events, and expiry
- PC Optimum Bonus Events — How to stack offers for maximum points
- PC Optimum vs Scene+ — Which programme is better for your lifestyle?
- Best Credit Card for PC Optimum — The PC Optimum Mastercard vs other cards
PC Optimum at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Operator | Loblaw Companies |
| Member stores | Loblaws, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, Fortinos, Zehrs, Maxi, Provigo, Joe Fresh |
| Points value | 10,000 points = $10 (0.1¢ per point) |
| Points expiry | Points expire if no earn or redeem activity for 12 months |
| App | PC Optimum app (iOS/Android) — required for personalized offers |
| Credit card | PC Optimum Mastercard (issued by President’s Choice Financial) |
How PC Optimum Points Work
Earning: Swipe your PC Optimum card or scan the app at any Loblaw-banner checkout. Base earn rate:
- Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore / Fortinos / Zehrs: 10 points per $1 spent
- Shoppers Drug Mart: 15 points per $1 on most purchases; 45 points per $1 on beauty products (Shoppers Optimum Beauty Boutique)
- PC Express (online grocery): 10 points per $1 + potential delivery bonuses
Redeeming: 10,000 points = $10 off any eligible transaction. Minimum redemption is 10,000 points. Redemption increments of 10,000 thereafter.
The Personalized Offers System
PC Optimum’s biggest value driver is personalized offers — weekly bonus point events tailored to your individual purchase history. Examples:
- “Earn 2,000 points when you buy any two Compliments products”
- “Get 5,000 bonus points on your next $50+ purchase”
- “15x points on all vitamin purchases this weekend”
Load offers via the PC Optimum app every Thursday. Offers expire weekly. Shopping the offers you’ve loaded (not just scanning your card) is essential.
Offer stacking: Personalized offers + in-store shelf tags + credit card earn all stack simultaneously — multiplying effective earn rates.
PC Optimum Points Value
10,000 points = $10 — a fixed rate of 1 cent per 100 points, or 0.1 cents per point. There’s no variable redemption; the value is always the same. This makes PC Optimum simple but relatively low-value compared to transfer programmes like Aeroplan.
The PC Optimum Mastercard
The PC Optimum Mastercard earns PC Optimum points on all purchases:
- 45 points per $1 at Shoppers Drug Mart
- 30 points per $1 at PC Travel and Esso / Mobil
- 25 points per $1 at Loblaws-banner stores and PC Express
- 10 points per $1 everywhere else
- No annual fee
- No income requirement
At 25x points at Loblaws ($25 per $1 = 2.5% return) and 45x at Shoppers (4.5% return), this is excellent value for Loblaw shoppers — especially combined with personalized offers.
Related Articles
- How PC Optimum Works
- PC Optimum Bonus Events
- PC Optimum vs Scene+
- Best Credit Card for PC Optimum
- Best Credit Cards for Shoppers Drug Mart
PC Optimum programme terms, earn rates, and partner lists subject to change. See pcoptimum.ca for current details. See our Advertiser Disclosure.