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In the USA, I can think of no finer a store than Fred Meyer. In the UK Tesco, though not particularly posh, is wonderfully shopper-friendly. And, in Germany, Kaufland must be the best
After all, supermarket shopping is probably one of one's most pleasurable activities
For you. Some people, both Europeans and Americans, prefer small specialty shops, small family-owned neighborhood markets, outdoor farmers' markets, and the like. Speak for yourself, OldChina.
BTW, the ultimate "supermarkets" were developed in Asia along the Silk Road. That is the ultimate "supermarket culture".
^^ Isn't it ironic that WalMart, which is one of the best supermarkets in the USA, functions disappointingly, as Asda, in the UK. For instance, each branch is piped with music so loud and commentary so corny that it annoys me: and I feel sorry for those that have to work in them. However, I couldn't agree that the latter is 'nasty'
Walmart is very far from being one of the best supermarkets in the US. It is popular because is has discount prices and convenience, but it lags behind in products and services.
Shopping in supermarkets is great in summers when the temps outside are over 30 C° and you are stuck in your town. I think that there are several ranges of quality. Given that mine isn't a large city not all chains are represented.
1) Sisa, it may not be the same elsewhere but here the SISA shops are wonderfully run. It's a high range supermarket, they sell amost only branded products. It may not be expensive but not much more so than other chains. There are four of them and how down/upmarket they are depends mostly on the area where they are (3 of them are upper-middle class areas though and it looks like the other will be sold off to open a new larger one on the ooutskirts of the city). Their delicatessen section is wonderful.
2) Spar, Conad, Coop, Sigma Dok. They are fairly middle-high range, Coop and Conad are cooperatives of producers so they have the added quality of not giving anything to corporations when getting their products which are high quality and certified; they have brands too.
3) Lidl and Penny. They are mixed, they have both discount and brands, Lidl has the bonus of having a great bakery section and a park off of it while Penny is the place to go if you want to get branded drinks on the cheap.
4) MD/LD. Mostly discount and even cheaper when it comes to discount that other places are.
There are several local neighbourhood markets or little grocery stores but they aren't the right place if you are looking for a full shop. I and most other people prefer the when it comes to dairy for example. Apart from Sisa's delicatessen, i would hardly ever get anything from a supermarket, butcheries, fishmongers and other specialized shops are just better when it comes to quality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
For you. Some people, both Europeans and Americans, prefer small specialty shops, small family-owned neighborhood markets, outdoor farmers' markets, and the like. Speak for yourself, OldChina.
BTW, the ultimate "supermarkets" were developed in Asia along the Silk Road. That is the ultimate "supermarket culture".
Fully agree! When you've got these places close by, they are always the perfect places to go. Quality is always higher although it's more expensive. Outside of Sisa's delicatessen, i have almost never got any other vegetables, meat, bread, dairy from supermarkets. Tried them and always returned to neighbourhoods markets and speciality shops (fishmongers, greengrocers, ecc.)
In the USA, I can think of no finer a store than Fred Meyer. In the UK Tesco, though not particularly posh, is wonderfully shopper-friendly. And, in Germany, Kaufland must be the best
After all, supermarket shopping is probably one of one's most pleasurable activities
I would never describe Kaufland as the best supermarket in Germany. Kaufland is maybe popular for those who do a weekly grocery shop. Kaufland branches can be pretty large with a huge selection. It's a nightmare if you just want to buy a few items.
Kaufland is cheap, normally same prices like Aldi and Lidl, but in my opinion the quality of their store brand products is on average inferior. Kaufland is often described as a "Großflächen-Discounter" = large area discounter. Compared to more traditional grocery stores (Edeka or Rewe), Kaufland stores are not very stylish, just ordinary decoration.
I am pretty sure that a representative survey would reveal that most Germans would name Edeka as the best supermarket in Germany. Edeka is cooperatively operated and about 4,000 independent grocer runs about 7,000 traditional grocery stores under the Edeka umbrella. And Edeka has the best ads
I don't have any supermarket preferences, as in Finland you really don't have any options.
76% of the grocery market is controlled by two predators creating a duopoly - the S-Group and Kesko. These are not only supermarkets, but control restaurant chains, sports stores, furniture and electronics outlets, hotels and much more. As these are immensely powerful corporations (their combined turnover is almost half of Aldi's), they control politicians and can influence zoning trough corruption, they can kick out any competition coming to Finland trying their luck. They also have no problem in carteling up with each other, like they did when they drove Spar out of the country. The only one which has succeeded is Lidl, which has around a 9% market share.
I often shop at Lidl and small independent stores as a protest to these way too influential huge players, and their relations with politicals are troublesome and shady to say the least.
edit: Oh and I forgot, the S-Group has also an own bank. They want to control all aspects of our lives.
As these are immensely powerful corporations (their combined turnover is almost half of Aldi's), they control politicians and can influence zoning trough corruption, they can kick out any competition coming to Finland trying their luck. They also have no problem in carteling up with each other, like they did when they drove Spar out of the country. The only one which has succeeded is Lidl, which has around a 9% market share.
They need to be a bit careful.
Tesco was in a similar situation. It wasn't so long ago that £1 in every £8 spent in the UK was spent at Tesco, which does a lot more than food. Whole range of non-food, electrics, insurance, travel, bank/finance, petrol stations. It was said that all they needed to do was go into funeral services, and you could live your entire life as Tesco - and leave it too.
They also bullied local politicians and communities to get planning permission for huge shops like this one:
Sometimes they would promise to do stuff in the community as part of the deal (refurbish youth centres, for example), then fail to deliver once the store was open. Sometimes they would leave the land and not build the shop - purely so competitors could not get hold of the plot (the are often accused of having a "land bank").
Once they hit trouble, and sales and profits started to fall, nobody had any sympathy. They had made many enemies, in a way other supermarkets had not. Recently they were talking about becoming builders, and constructing (and selling) houses on some of their vacant plots where there is no prospect of a shop being opened. I don't even buy my potatoes from Tesco - I certainly wouldn't buy a house. Bright red walls with a blue roof! The houses would be as tacky and garish as their stores.
One big difference in UK supermarkets is the range of "ready meals". It's not something I am proud of, but we eat more ready meals than the rest of Europe added together. Never has there been more interest in food. Widest range of available ingredients. Diversity and quantity of restaurants. Endless food/cooking programmes on TV. Yet it is possibly to buy almost any dish you can think of, pre-cooked (or pre-prepared but ready to cook), and micro-wave or bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
They are massive popular with single people, elderly people, people working long hours (and we work the longest hours in Europe) and above all - lazy people. I am quite a good cook - I can make a very good moussaka from fresh ingredients, and on a weekend, or if friends were coming over then I would do so. On a late Tuesday evening, however, Sainsbury's "Taste The Difference" moussaka tastes as good as I can make.
If you wish to buy a ready made lasagne in Sainsbury's, you actually have the the choice of 5. From their "basics" range - a cheap, low quality version (to compete with Aldi). The "standard" version. The "Taste The Difference" version (top of the range). Plus 2 vegetarian versions.
Look at the range! I can't believe you can buy this much ready made food anywhere else in the world! Certainly not in the US. (Warning: some of it is disgusting! Some of it isn't.)
In the USA, I can think of no finer a store than Fred Meyer. In the UK Tesco, though not particularly posh, is wonderfully shopper-friendly. And, in Germany, Kaufland must be the best
After all, supermarket shopping is probably one of one's most pleasurable activities
Wha???
I think Wegmans has held that crown for at least 20 years, and it just sells groceries, for the most part, or at least what you'll find in a traditional grocery store.
Currently, the US grocery industry is divided into three primary segments, upscale, mid-market and discount. The top and bottom are squeezing the middle. Believe it's broadly similar in EU too.
Upscale chains like Whole Foods, Fresh Foods, Sprouts, and Wegmans are doing well, as are the discounters, Aldi, Wal-mart Costco etc. Traditional grocery stores like Kroger, Ahold, and Delhaize are suffering. A flu shot at a Kroger pharmacy cost $34.99. I paid $14.99 at Costco.
Fred Meyer, (about 100 stores), has been part of the Kroger stable, 2,600 stores, many trading names, and largest of the traditional supermarket chains, for at least twenty years, and uses all the Kroger private label products, plus the brands. I think it's their non grocery offerings that distinguish them.
A typical Wegmans is 14,000sqm, 140,000sqf, grocery only, chef prepared food for consumption on/off site. Cafe seating for 250, a bar if local law permits.
Tesco was in a similar situation. It wasn't so long ago that £1 in every £8 spent in the UK was spent at Tesco, which does a lot more than food. Whole range of non-food, electrics, insurance, travel, bank/finance, petrol stations. It was said that all they needed to do was go into funeral services, and you could live your entire life as Tesco - and leave it too.
They also bullied local politicians and communities to get planning permission for huge shops like this one:
Sometimes they would promise to do stuff in the community as part of the deal (refurbish youth centres, for example), then fail to deliver once the store was open. Sometimes they would leave the land and not build the shop - purely so competitors could not get hold of the plot (the are often accused of having a "land bank").
Once they hit trouble, and sales and profits started to fall, nobody had any sympathy. They had made many enemies, in a way other supermarkets had not. Recently they were talking about becoming builders, and constructing (and selling) houses on some of their vacant plots where there is no prospect of a shop being opened. I don't even buy my potatoes from Tesco - I certainly wouldn't buy a house. Bright red walls with a blue roof! The houses would be as tacky and garish as their stores.
Tesco also had a disastrous experiment with their Fresh & Easy smaller store concept in the western US.
Between 2007 and 2011 they opened 200 such stores in Ca. Az, Nev. Went to bankruptcy twice in two years, and cost Tesco $2B before they finally pulled out.
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