British Expats - Supermarkets!!!!

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Australia (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/)

- - Supermarkets!!!! (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/supermarkets-298302/)

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

The only food you can get at Uk supermarkets that you can't get at OZ supermarkets are a large variety of those disgusting frozen pre-package microwave dinners and lunches. In OZ we only use that garbage as hospital meals and the meals that they give old age pensioners in nursing homes without any teeth that they force feed them then it sort of all dribbles down the side of their mouths :eek: The other type of food you can't get here is Mad Cow and Foot in Mouth infested meat. They only sell that in Uk supermarkets.

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bal56

In the days when I was contemplating Melbourne, I was talking to a recruitment agent about jobs at Coles and was quoted several ex-Tesco and Sainsbury's people who'd moved to Oz. (I worked for Tesco in my formative years - wish I still did - I'd have some pretty decent share options!).
There is also some commonality in IT, so pretty soon I imagine Aussie supermarkets will closely match those in the UK.

why should aussie supermarkets have to be like pommy ones?
what i would say is, if you dont like aussie way of doing things then dont stay there!!!
personally from my own experiance i like australia just the way it is

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Pound of sugar? Yes Mrs Harden. Anything else while I'm round the back packing it?

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

A we have just become residents of the up-and-coming suburb of Aspley, I was delighted to find a lovely little shop called the Pick'n'Pay Hypermarket. Think of a very good Asda, (with George, and garden stuff etc), remove the alcohol, and there you have it! Huge! Good food,large variety, good cuts of meat, GOOD CHEESE!!!!!!, very impressed. Amazing what a house move can do for your shopping experience!

(We now have a kitchen full of Homepride Cook-in-Sauce,Jaffa CAkes, PG Tips, Weetabix, and Foxes Glacier Mints as well :eek: )

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Hi Neil, Thanks for the tip we will keep that logged for when we arrive :D Whilst we will be renting in Frankston (we thought it was central enough for us ie train, etc for the first 3-6months. We really would like to buy straight away but we need to check out the neighbourhoods. We have not been to Mornington but have heard good reports. Your friends are not called Ron & Angie? Yes, but sometimes the world is a small place.... :) Any tips on where to settle down? We went up to Arthur's Seat (but it was foggy and I did not fancy that cable car from which someone had already fallen.... :eek: ) there is a town called Dromedar so something like - supposed to be cheapish to buy? We are looking for a "shedish" type of house (my other half is a carpenter and pretty handy on plumbing, etc best leave etc out :D ) on 1/4 acre of land with all connections to mains,etc and road access. Maybe you have a few tips.
Is life in general easier over there?? Take care, Syltgirl

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil S

Hi syltgirl, good luck with your visa. Surprised about your concern with the wine prices, did you use Dan Murphy's? They are about the cheapest liqour retailer and our fave wine goes for about 8.90 dollars there, cheaper if you get 12 bottles or more. By the way we have some friends in Bittern too. Neil.

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Sounds like life is on a roll for you now :D

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

Sounds like life is on a roll for you now :D

Its certainly looking up :) I'm just scared to be too optimistic in case it doesnt last :rolleyes:

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Its certainly looking up :) I'm just scared to be too optimistic in case it doesnt last :rolleyes:

I know what you mean, but moving from NSW to QLD changed everything for me :D

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombat42

The only food you can get at Uk supermarkets that you can't get at OZ supermarkets are a large variety of those disgusting frozen pre-package microwave dinners and lunches.
.

AND Monterey Jack cheese for my nachos.

To the person re biscuits, sorry but are you blind, there are hundreds of types. IMO the chilli tim tams are ok, but the black forest ones are tops!!

And i agree with scossie, get over it :p :D

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Whilst in Perth over the Christmas period, I went to do the shopping with my sister in law and a friend. I will not go food shopping over here in the week before christmas, as it just gets stupid with pushing and shoving. None of that over there, plenty of room for everyone.

There were going to be 14 of us in one house for the whole of the festive period, 7 adults and 7 children. We needed a great variety of stuff, anything you could possibly imagine we needed. We had no trouble finding everything we wanted, we filled (and I mean filled to overflowing) three trolleys. When it came time to pay we didn't have to queue, imagine that in Tesco's two days before Christmas! The nice girl on the checkout packed it all for us.

I love Oz supermarkets, and I love the fact that you don't have to fight for the cashier's attention with the woman 3 tills down that she is having a conversation with! I love that the things on the shelfs are different than they are over here. Variety is the spice of life, and if all things were the same the world over, how boring would that be! If there are things you can't live without then don't - go back to where you can find them readliy.

I have lived in different countries and on different continents, and I can honestly say the only things I missed were family and friends.

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

supermarkets in perth suck!!!!!

the trollies are made from cast iron and a scattered around the car park,
the conveyer belts are 3 foot long so you cant even put your trolly load of shopping on,
they arnt as big so there for theres not much choice,
apart from a thursday night they are only open when im at work...how convenient....
and i love it when the check out girl only puts 2 items in each plastic bag.

give me morrisons any day

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

You listed these examples, and I said "Ours have a bigger range of biscuits than you have just listed" as we can get most of those plus more:

Just a few example biscuit Manufacturers here from Woolworths, I haven't checked what Coles, BiLo, IGA, Foodworks or ALDI sell.

* Mars Bisc And Bounty150g
* Mcvities Digestives Wheat Biscuit 250g
* Westons biscuits Nice 200g
* Griffins Biscuits Lemon Treats 250g
* Aunt Bettys Wheelie Chocolate 8pk 360g
* Dick Smith Shortbrd Cream 250g
* Cadbury Fruit And Nut Biscuits 200g
* Nabisco Oreo chocolate Creme 320g
* Fine Fare Creamy vanilla 250g
* Unibic Rsl Anzac biscuits 375g
* Paradise Cottage ckis Macadamia 220g
and of course Arnotts :)

What I am stating is that NOT ALL supermarkets in Australia are as bad as you indicate, and to indicate that there is only ONE manufacturer of Biscuits on Australian Supermarket shelves, does appear to be inaccurate. :)

Oh My God!!! What have I started? Now you have made me hungry for biscuits, so can I blame you when I am about a stone heavier tomorrow? :D

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProofReader

Toowoomba is a smallish regional Queensland city which, up until a few years ago, was still very 'countrified' and behind the times in many ways. However, I have been there a couple of times with work in recent months (this year) and was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of changes and modernisation. There are several new estates and several new shopping complexes with excellent supermarkets.

So, to answer your question, specifically to Toowoomba: yes, there are supermarkets there at which you can buy everything you would in a large supermarket in UK. :)

As to the differences between supermarkets in Aus v UK, some of the more noticeable things for me were:

In Aus they pack your bags for you at the checkout - every time.
In UK far more unnecessary packaging was used, particularly on fruit and veg.
In UK there is far greater variety of 'ready to heat and eat' meals, particularly frozen ones. (I call them 'pre-chewed' meals!)
In Queensland you can't buy booze in the supermarkets, but there's usually a booze shop nearby.
In both countries the standard of customer service is low, specifically regarding the use of good, old-fashioned manners. Most young workers these days have no concept of saying "please" when asking to be paid, nor do a lot of them say "thank you" once you've paid them. This one really gets under my skin! :mad:
In both countries the amount of stock, and so the choice of products, carried by any given supermarket will vary from area to area.
Overall the fresh meat (particularly beef and lamb) in Aus is far superior in quality and choice of cuts and a lot cheaper. Try getting diced lamb in a UK supermarket - not impossible, but not 'regular'! Also many of the cuts in UK (including bacon) are pumped up with water to add weight. Try frying UK bacon or what passes for 'steak' in UK on a low heat and you end up with a pan full of watery fluid. Sausages, however, are generally better in UK.
Fruit and veg are generally cheaper in Aus, though there is less choice in types of potatoes.
You will find some things named differently here (Aus) but they are the same thing: eg sweet peppers are called capsicums here, corgettes are zuccini here, etc.

Overall, the grocery shopping 'experience' is much the same in both countries. Of course you will notice differences between your local shops and those in Toowoomba, it is, after all, a different country! However, I think you'll find things to be much of a muchness. :)

Oh, and by the way, the range of types of biscuit here is just as good as UK. There may just be less brands (manufacturers). McVities Digestives and Hob Nobs are available here in the larger stores which carry more imported stock. And chilli Tims Tams are alright; different, not the sort of thing you'd eat a lot of, but good nevertheless!! :D

Hi Proofreader, Thank you so much for your reply, I am really pleased that you have been to Toowoomba yourself and can tell me what it is like as I have never been. I am pleased that the the supermarkets are good and that I will be able to buy everything under one roof. It wouldnt be the end of the world if I couldnt get everything from one store, its just that it would be easier and would take less time. What do you think of Toowoomba? Is it a nice place?

Thanks again
Jessica Rabbit

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony440

Who said Aussie supermarkets have to be the same as U.K ones? I didnt say that nor did I say I dont like the Aussie way of doing things, I was simply asking a question on what the supermarkets are like there to over here. This forum is to ask questions and get help on the things that you are not sure about and that is all I was doing.
Jessica Rabbit

Re: Supermarkets!!!!

Yes there will be UK fav foods I will miss at times but generally i'm excited to go and try new brands and types of food - I would imagine there would be a strong Asian influence on some foods and that mealtimes could become more exciting - I get bored with the same food over here time and time again - bring it on Brisbane! :D

Lynn