For international students in the UK, the supermarket is definitely one of the most frequented places. Discovering new snacks, conceptualising ingredients to cook every night or checking out the special offers are all part of the fun of visiting a supermarket. However, there are so many different types of supermarkets in the UK that many students don’t realise the differences between various supermarkets. In this blog, we will introduce you to the 4 main supermarket types in the UK:
After thie blog, you can quickly know where to stock up when you arrive in the UK.
High-end supermarkets in UK
Marks & Spencer
M&S opened in Leeds in 1884 and is a long-established British brand based in London. It not only sells home-grown food but also fashion and homeware. M&S has recently partnered with online supermarket Ocado, so you can order fruit, vegetables and fresh produce from Marks & Spencer’s online and have it delivered to your door. M&S’s food is excellent in quality and flavour. Although the fruit and vegetables are a little more expensive than in a regular supermarket, they are very fresh, and the desserts are great, too.
Waitrose
Waitrose is a favourite supermarket of the British middle class, with medium to high prices, and often sells many high-end products that cannot be bought in affordable supermarkets. Waitrose is one of the favourite supermarkets of the British royal family. The British department store John Lewis is one of them, usually the supermarket area is relatively large. Still, in recent years, it has also gradually increased the number of supermarkets that are more like the convenience store model, called “ Little Waitrose“, mainly opened in busy areas with high pedestrian flow. Little Waitrose”, which is mainly opened in busy areas with high pedestrian flow. There are branches all over the UK.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods is a hgh-end supermarkets from the United States, selling healthy organic food. You can buy many niche high-end brands not offered in regular supermarket chains. The price is much higher than the average supermarket, by many celebrities rich people love. There are fewer shops in the UK, and most of them are located in London.
Popular Supermarkets in UK
ASDA
ASDA is a British supermarket owned by Walmart, and green is their trademark colour. It is less seen in London, because the supermarket area is generally more prominent, often in the suburbs or slightly away from the city centre. ASDA has a wide range of goods and cheaper prices than Tesco and Sainsbury’s. It has shops all over the UK.
Costco
Costco is a large supermarket chain from the U.S., and the goods are large and high quality. Costco may not be as well-known as those supermarkets on the high street in the U.K., and one of the unique features of his family is that you have to have a membership card to enter. The annual fee for a personal membership card is £28, and the supermarket regularly sends vouchers, so you can earn your yearly fee back in a year.
Sainsbury’s
An old British supermarket chain founded in 1869, orange is their representative colour. Depending on the size of the branch, the suffix name is also different. Apart from the slightly larger Sainsbury’s, there are also Sainsbury’s Central and Sainsbury’s Local, with Local being smaller and more like a community convenience store.
Tesco
Tesco is the largest supermarket chain in the UK. Tesco has four types of shops: Tesco Extra – a large shop, usually not in the city centre, with a wide range of electrical appliances, clothing and household goods; Tesco Superstore – a little smaller than Extra, it is a standard Tesco supermarket; Tesco Metro – the size is between Superstore and Express, generally in the city centre shopping streets and busy areas; Tesco Express – can be found in small shopping streets, towns and neighbourhoods. This is the most minor branch, the goods are not complete, but it is very convenient, some branches are open 24 hours.
The Co-op Food
Formerly known as Somerfield, this supermarket was a well-known UK supermarket with shops in various cities and towns but was bought out by The Co-operative Group in 2009. The Co-operative Group has several businesses based in Manchester, including travel, pharmacy, banking, legal and funeral services.
Low-priced supermarket in UK
ALDI
ALDI is a low-priced supermarket from Germany, and their advertising slogan is very memorable: “Don’t change your lifestyle, change your supermarket”. If you want to save money, then ALDI is definitely for you.
Iceland
As the name suggests, this supermarket specialises in frozen food at exceptionally cheap prices. Frozen food includes chips, fried chicken, fish fingers, pizza, ice cream, desserts, frozen seafood and some frozen vegetables. It’s an excellent place for students who want to avoid cooking. Their drinks come in large sizes and are often on sale for half the price of other supermarkets.
Lidl
Supermarkets in Germany have meager prices and a wide range of fruits and vegetables. However, the brands sold in the supermarket are all from Germany and other continental countries, so you may feel unfamiliar with the brands of the products in the supermarket.
Morrisons
The products are cheap and outstanding for money, with a more extensive selection, especially of fish and meat. It has a good range of vegetables, although the fruit is not varied or fresh. Morrisons has a food half-price sweep time every night before it closes, and it gets very crowded then. It takes less than a few minutes to buy up all the half-price food.
Poundland
Most of the items in the Poundland supermarket, from household items to chocolate biscuits snacks, are all just £1. Of course there are some £2 and £3 items, but they are usually no more than £5. For students who have bought too many designer labels while shopping, consider stocking up at Poundland.
SPAR
SPAR is a supermarket from Holland, generally more common in the northern cities of the UK. City centre branches are larger and have a more comprehensive range of products. A neighbourhood branch is more like a convenience store, with a smaller range of products, but fresh fruit and vegetables and snacks are available.
Online supermarkets in UK
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is the online supermarket of the Amazon family; delivery is fast, the freshness of the food is guaranteed, and it is also very convenient. Move your finger, and it is delivered to your door.
Ocado
Ocado is the UK’s largest online supermarket with great features. Ocado has been voted the best online supermarket in the UK many times, and nobody is a big fan of them. Almost everything you can buy in a regular supermarket can be found on Ocado. It has also recently partnered with Marks & Spencer, so you can expect to order Marks & Spencer fruit, veg and fresh produce online. It also has Waitrose as its supermarket partner, meaning you can buy Waitrose products exclusively on Ocado. Price-wise, there will be clear signage at the point of purchase as to which foods are on sale, and the checkout will also clearly state how much you’ve saved on this order.
All the common supermarkets in the UK are here, so you can choose the one that suits you best according to convenience and affordability.
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