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Amazing supermarkets in Europe

A

avole

The wise never post on Internet forums
I used to think Waitrose had a monopoly, but it has a challenger that is fast catching up, if not beating it in some areas. The name?
Le Grand Frais​
Serioudy stunning rang of fresh fruit and vegetables, not to mention all the ingredients you need for SE Asian cooking, from kaffir limes to fresh turmeric. The quality in particular is excellent, to the point where, out of nowhere, it has become legendary. Can’t really comment on the fish and meat part, but I’ve not seen a superket recently with a specific area where you are served sweets, nuts and other goodies by weight.


Where it loses out is in wine, which it has at decent prices, but not the range of other UK supermarkets, and things like Soy sauce etc can be expensive. Nevertheless, the 100km bus trip is well worth it. If you are in France, do give it a try. French supermarkets are good anyway, but this one is getting a strong following.
 
I am always amazed that nearly every French supermarket I go in has a fresh fish stand that always has piles of fresh langoustines and a much greater variety of fish than standard UK fare. Langoustines in particular are notable by their absence in English supermarkets.
My local supermarket in Brittany sells nuts, pulses and dried fruit by weight from dispensers into paper bags.
An orange press produces fresh orange juice on demand.

Italian supermarkets make my jaw drop in admiration.
Enormous Charcuterie stands, same for cheeses. Freshly baked bread in abundance.
 
I think the difference is considered smaller purchases of great fresh ingredients, or trolleys full of cheap shit. Sadly we followed America.
 
Bob McC said:
I am always amazed that nearly every French supermarket I go in has a fresh fish stand that always has piles of fresh langoustines and a much greater variety of fish than standard UK fare. Langoustines in particular are notable by their absence in English supermarkets.
My local supermarket in Brittany sells nuts, pulses and dried fruit by weight from dispensers into paper bags.
An orange press produces fresh orange juice on demand.

Italian supermarkets make my jaw drop in admiration.
Enormous Charcuterie stands, same for cheeses. Freshly baked bread in abundance.
Click to expand...

What is also amazing, and somewhat ironic, given their almost total absence in UK supermarkets, is that pretty much all the langoustine and much of the fish you see is caught and landed in Scottish waters before being transported direct to mainland Europe. I used to think langoustine was from the Mediterranean!
 
quite

Also if I want gurnard or red mullet or crab they are available in my local Champion.
Here in the UK I have to drive miles to a specialist fishmonger.
 
garyi said:
I think the difference is considered smaller purchases of great fresh ingredients, or trolleys full of cheap shit. Sadly we followed America.
Click to expand...

Yes, you won’t find Kiwi fruit from Thailand in a French supermarket near me. There is a much greater supply of local seasonal produce.
 
Weird thing about Italian supermarkets is they have almost no good bread. And even their specialist bread shops have very little good bread. Not a problem in France !
They also don't have lamb. Also not a problem in France.
Everything else though is great. I love those orange press machines...until they jam and splatter you.
 
Completely agree with the posts here. People who berate the EU who actually visit Europe amaze me.
French supermarkets make ours look incredibly poor (tho tbf some are a bit “niffy”). Spanish and Italian ones are better still.
 
Bob McC said:
Langoustines in particular are notable by their absence in English supermarkets.
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not just Langoustines though! most forms of sea food. We are lucky we have a street market with a sea food and fresh fish vendor, but the lack of these ingredients is a constant source of disappointment to me.

We have spent alot of time in Barcelona over the last years, and talking to vendors in the markets, it is clear that alot of their stock comes from UK waters supplied by the UK fishing fleet.....
 
Not at all. Would you make shepherds pie without the potato?
I doubt they sell foie. They also seem to be into all that cruelty to birds shit you so despise.
 
French large chain supermarkets are rubbish. Especially since they smell like a sewer when you walk in. Not surprising, as the fresh stuff has mould on it (as does Spain), The queues are too long and the range is meh. I also reckon they are 20% more expensive than UK and Germany.

UK is world leading and has been for over 20 years. As was Thailand when I was in supermarket research 20 years ago. I also worked on Woolworths and Coles in Australia. That was like going back another 20 years.

No doubt some people will say this is not their experience regarding France. When they do, I will go to my Carrefour and take some pictures of the mould for you. I might throw in a video of me queuing too if you are lucky. You will see that getting the product through the checkout fast is not a priority for the staff.

When I come back to the UK, I fill the van so I can avoid French supermarkets. Boulangeries are fine, as are small meat delis. It's the big brand supermarkets that need knocking into shape. Carrefour pulled out of Thailand after only a handful of years because the idiots filled the shelves with French produce. You couldn't make it up. Tesco, who I worked for in Malaysia on range assortment and category management for their first store, cleaned up in Thailand by buying Lotus and developing from there.

Some might argue the smell is authentic That is how fresh food smells. That does not add up at all. Local fresh fruit and veg stores in UK do not smell like someone dropped a massive frart at the door.

But the arrogance still filters through to the stores here in France. They think it is fine if I am queuing ten mins for a bottle of milk, which I am lucky to get, as it often does not arrive until late morning. Carrefour number 1, customer number 2.
 
richgilb said:
French large chain supermarkets are rubbish. Especially since they smell like a sewer when you walk in. Not surprising, as the fresh stuff has mould on it (as does Spain), The queues are too long and the range is meh. I also reckon they are 20% more expensive than UK and Germany.

UK is world leading and has been for over 20 years. As was Thailand when I was in supermarket research 20 years ago. I also worked on Woolworths and Coles in Australia. That was like going back another 20 years.

No doubt some people will say this is not their experience regarding France. When they do, I will go to my Carrefour and take some pictures of the mould for you. I might throw in a video of me queuing too if you are lucky. You will see that getting the product through the checkout fast is not a priority for the staff.

When I come back to the UK, I fill the van so I can avoid French supermarkets. Boulangeries are fine, as are small meat delis. It's the big brand supermarkets that need knocking into shape. Carrefour pulled out of Thailand after only a handful of years because the idiots filled the shelves with French produce. You couldn't make it up. Tesco, who I worked for in Malaysia on range assortment and category management for their first store, cleaned up in Thailand by buying Lotus and developing from there.

Some might argue the smell is authentic That is how fresh food smells. That does not add up at all. Local fresh fruit and veg stores in UK do not smell like someone dropped a massive frart at the door.

But the arrogance still filters through to the stores here in France. They think it is fine if I am queuing ten mins for a bottle of milk, which I am lucky to get, as it often does not arrive until late morning. Carrefour number 1, customer number 2.
Click to expand...
Let me get this right. You fill up the van (with food?) in Hull and take it to France?
 
German supermarkets have limited ranges when it comes to anything other than sausages and their derivatives. 2 frozen chickens seem to be the allowance, and maybe a couple of different cheeses. They certainly have the best spatzle around.

Makes you wonder why so many Germans drive down the hill from Stuttgart to buy from stinky old Cora, doesn’t it?
 
I see your image of me eating sausage and mash with my union jack vest on. But it is not like that.

If you like quality cereal you are struggling for choice. It's mainly choco shite here.
If your kids like baked beans like mine do, it's 1,50 a tin. Baguettes are king but the sliced bread is not great here either. I like a Bovis granary in the freezer for toast. 500ml of Heinz ketchup? Add 2 euros. Cordial? I have yet to find any. The kids won't eat smelly sausage yet. They like saucisson. But with beans they don't like the French stuff. They are slowly converting, though.

So we stock up on stuff like that. Then I gorge myself on red wine, saucisson and soft cheese.
 
All the Spanish I know that have visited the UK for either holiday or work ALL say the UK supermarkets are, overall, quite superior to theirs. I will also agree that there is plenty of poorly kept product to be found in Spanish supermarkets. They do have some strengths but on balance are a bit pants.

It was a shame that Carrefore pulled out of Thailand as BigC is a poor substitute. Even the Tesco chain in Thailand is nothing special. Why do it well when you can make money with mediocrity?
 
re French supermarkets, there's someone who has created a business selling baguettes to them made in the correct way -- correct flour and correct proving and baking process. 2 euros a stick rather than 1 or less, but well worth it. You see them even in the likes of Carrefour or Leader Price.

I wish you could get good bread in UK supermarkets.
 
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