Stephen Jones

I know it's probably been done to death before but can anyone enlighten as to what supermarket shopping is like in New Zealand?

Are there large stores with variety a la Tescos in the UK or are stores more in line with the Woolworth food stores that you can find in Australia?

Also, what are the food ranges like?

Any information will be gratefully received.


Steve

zummerzet_lou

We've found the supermarkets to be plenty adequate, with a decent enough range to get what we need.

Usually buy our fruit and veg, from a local fuit n veg shop, but supermarket for most other things.

As for the huge Tesco types .. no. In our local town we have a New World and a Countdown. New World is slightly posher, and a tad more expensive but both are more akin to Somerfields rahter than the larger chains.

Although the store is smaller, and not quite the same choice why does it still take me the same time to do the weekly shop? Hmmm

TeamEmbo

Yep there's Woolworths, Foodtown and Countdown (Oz owned), New World (NZ owned franchises), Pac'n'Save and 4Square and, erm, I can't think of any others. Zummerzet Lou's right - Countdown and Woolworths are like Somerfield but you can get just about everything you need. They have small selection of 'internationl' foods and gluten-free products and my local Woolworths has a huge range of cheese - I mention this as some on here will tell you good cheese is hard to come by - I don't think it is. Fruit and veg is cheaper at the local produce market shop and I prefer the meat, selection and prices at the local butcher, but again that's just me. Oddly, I find chicken expensive - 3pack of chicken breasts were recently on special in Woolworths for $18 but the supermarkets always have specials on and its not too difficult to budget shop if you're careful.

pixi-dust

We've only got the choice of a Woolworths or New World, but the New World is amazing. It's smaller than the big supermarkets in the Uk, but we only live in a small town!
It has an amazing range of things for the size of it.
But like other said, either grow your own veggies! or get them from stalls or markets if you fancy.

TeamEmbo

Oh yeah, forgot to say that. We do grow heaps of our own veg and some fruit and keep chooks as well for eggs (not eating as they're only wee bantams!).

southerner

Add Fresh Choice to the list.

They are I guess trying to be a bit similar to New World in that they are owner operated and (at least the one I go to) have a better selection of nice stuff.

irnbru14

And if you are being very posh you can add in Moore Wilson, though only in and around Welly

kiwinow

Pak N Save is probably cheaper over all and has a huge range of foods at discounted prices, but you pack it yourself and there's not such a range of gourmet or specialty foods as there is in Woolworths. Countdown is probably next cheapest, followed by New World, but not always. It depends on what you buy and what specials are on. Wine and beer are sold in supermarkets, usually a bit cheaper than at bottle stores. I buy everything from the supermarket for convenience, but sometimes the local butcher is cheaper. Where we live now we aren't near any orchards, but if you are they are often cheaper. It's just a matter of organising yourself to drive by. The smaller the town you live in the less the choice of supermarkets as a rule, making it a bit more expensive.

CarolineSwan

I love the supermarkets here, i buy all fruit and veg from new world and most meat .. and the rest i get from pac and save, as same brand just cheaper oh and we get our fillet steaks from pac and save as they are tastier.. so i dont have to pack it my self, i take a couple of boxes in for my trolley and do the scan and save option, put everything into boxes as i scan them then just put full boxes into car boot

i dont think theres less of a selection here atall only maybe that they dont have a clothes part

easier to shop as quieter and barely any queues as they actually use all there check outs here ( used to piss me off when they would be 20 checkouts and 4 opened and queued out the dorr lol)

with chicken i find it ok , in NW its about 10 - 12 dollars for a 3 pack and its huge chicken breasts you get , i swaer what are they feeding these chickens lol

i also find wine cheap , i drink 3 diff brands(mudhouse, montana and occasionly banrock) and just buy what 1 is on offer in any week , sometimes i stock up(but then drink it all that week so doesnt save any cash lol)gary bouoght me a lovely bottle of stoneleigh to try but that was around 17 bux so not the cheapest but very nice indeed

overall i just find the food selection better, my hubby eats meat more here as not fatty the way it was in the uk... we eat red meat maybe 4 nights a week here , probably once a month at home cos he was so fussy

anyway sorry for the ramble , just tyoing out as i think it lol

hth caz

Kiwiprincess

Woolworths in Australia are very similar to the Woolworths in NZ now. Never used to be but after rebranding and purchase of the brand both countries are more aligned. Even the branding is coming more into line - some things are more like Oz, others more like NZ.

New World - for all its stupid adverts about locally owned and operated supermarkets actually is pretty much that. So you often do get a wide variety of the 'types' of new worlds around. It's why when towns are big enough to have a supermarket (and bigger than just a four square which is a larger convenience store) they tend to have a new world first up.

Pak n save comes when it can service a much bigger population. I hate the shop but it does serve a purpose.

Moore Wilsons is great. I love being able to look at the enormous boxes of cornflakes and pretend I am a giant. Seriously, they have catering level products so it's fun. Their grocery section isn't particularly cheap, but it's great looking at the giant packets

Their fresh fruit & veges and their deli is yummy. Try avoiding it Christmas eve or before a public holiday. You will end up hoping for pak n save.

deb_steve

One again I say thank god for you!!

Having done what I though was a lot of research, I was under the impression that supermarkets were not really available and you had to go to several little shops to do your weekly shop.

When I found out we would be living in NP not Auckland I was a little gutted, but the more you tell, the more I am glad we are heading there.

The wine info duly noted, an extra bonus!!

Wellington Will

Oh for Lidl, to get some marinated herrings and cheap chocolate and rye bread.

The trolleys deserve a mention. The NZ trolleys only steer from the front wheels and they take quite some getting used to.

I've bashed a few corners and knocked stuff off the shelves.

dkb_herts

Sometimes there's a lack of choice in a surprising area - in the UK, I used to find well over a dozen different frozen and chilled pizzas in my local supermarkets, four or more of which were vegetarian - here, typically there will be no more than four or five, none of them vege*. Not even a plain cheese and tomato, which I find really odd! It can be a good incentive to cook properly rather than rely on ready meals.

* I've looked in four different branches of New World, haven't found a competitor within walking distance yet.

Mgee

Hi Steve,
Just google with "NZ" and "supermarket" and you'll find the online shops for several NZ supermarket chains. I've browsed through the categories on several sites, and they give a good overview of both the products available and of the price range.

crap coffee

Yeah, that's what I do.......................all the time You can't help that.......if you live here. No other options. I don't really buy local made packaged stuff...(as they are mostly horrible and cr@p quality) apart from fresh vegies and fruits. so I have to walk around a lot to find made in Europe or Organic stuff. I don't eat rubbish.

Commonsense Organic shop, Moore Wilsons, Kirkcaldies, Cool Britannia, an Italian place and NW............. It's sometimes annoying tho. Because I don't drive all the time ...........I usually buy foods when I go out for a walk ......or when I go home after work......too dark though.

I buy 12 pack of beer...It's very heavy........ but still walk home.