hpka

I was thinking about this the other day. One of the challenges that some people find when moving over is that they are looking for certain shops from home that they cannot find in Canada. For example, when I got here (to BC) I quickly worked out that these make pairs (sort of):

UK Shop - Canada Shop
Boots - London Drugs/Shoppers Drug Mart
TK Maxx - Winners
eBuyer - Newegg.ca/NCIX.com
TM Lewin - Tip Top Tailors
Next - American Eagle

But there are a few I cannot pair up. I was wondering if someone could help this new Vancouver resident?:
M&S
Primark

(plus I'm still trying to work out the entire scale on the supermarkets)

While I was thinking about this, I thought a thread of these kind of matches might be fun, so feel free to post your own matches/request for matches. Include your province just in case.

Edna Bucket

There's nothing like M&S. Reitmans might be similar to Primark in as much as the clothes look like rags after being worn a couple of times.

hpka

Damn... you see I'm after £2/$4 for 5 pairs of socks and £2/$4 for 3 pairs of good boxers. Can take them round the world with me (the long way, with lots of stops) and still use them (well I do do that, I'm not sure if I should be)

Moggiemiss

Primark = Old Navy

pinzo

I wouldn't compare Primark to Old Navy.

I personally like both shops, but Primark have a lower quality and much cheaper (but great for buying socks in bulk!)
Old Navy's quality is much better - in my opinion - and more expensive for most things.....buts that's just my opinion, others may disagree.

I would maybe compare Next = Fairweather??

bsmith

Future Shop/Vision Electronics - Currys/comet
MEC - Millets
Canadian Superstore - Lidl?
Save on Foods - Tesco
Sport Check - JJB
Zellers - Primark
Canadian Tire - Halfords
Homedepot - B&Q
Sears - Debenhams

...this is fun!

ann m

No, no , no

My husband could spend three hours, and $5,000 in MEC without too much effort.

He'd be hard pushed to spend much time or many pounds in Millets. Sorry - no comparison.

I'd pair up Millets with Mark's Work Wearhouse - sort of ....

ann m

Debenhams = The Bay
Woolies = Zellers
Asda = Canadian Superstore
Sainsburys = Safeways
Waitrose = nearly equals Sobeys
Boots = Shoppers Drug Mart - I think London Drugs is too 'cheap' to equal Boots!

oh - and Ikea = Ikea - the layout seems the same the world over

hpka

Agreed. I know that wherever (at all) I go I can rely on access to $1 plastic utensils that are the most useful thing I own (not kidding)

bsmith

Asda - Wal-mart, surely?

ann m

D'oh !

I was thinking of the supermarket/food element - rather than the other stuff I suppose.

bsmith

MEC - Millets with higher prices and added smugness

ann m

Aw c'mon - when was the last time you went to Millets to salivate over 12 different kayaks, 8 far-too-expensive canoes and a multi-coloured tin opener?

bsmith

Must admit, me and the wife got all our winter gear there! No canoes though

lmartin999

Nothing near Waitrose might be the one thing I miss most about the UK (or at least the places that had one!). Just wonderful for so many reasons. All I have now are my self-scan bags...Supermarkets here are awful for so many reasons.