Whats everyones opinion on shops in Spain specialising in English products only?
I used to live and work in Costa del Sol, and there were many shops on the coast that sold English product well fine, they cater to the holiday makers, but what about all the villages that have English shops in them that cater for locals? What happened to integrating and living the spanish life???
Not only are most over priced but you can get similar spanish equivalent in the local shops, Why pay over 90c or 1€ in most places for beans when they are 69c in Dunnes? Everything you see in an English produce shop costs at least a third more than the spanish equivalent. Now I know people like their home comforts and the BEST of both worlds, but maybe if you live here then you should support your local economy buy buying spanish, after all it is home isn't?
So what does everyone else think?

wheres the can of worms picture when u need it?!?!?!!

i´m sure someone will reply "as for the prices" well they have to pay for the shop etc etc and overheads etc etc...which, ok.. i can actually see as a fair point...

but i wanna know why people buy heinz beans as opposed to mercadonas? why people buy all their frozen english foods instead of the equivilent fresh spanish stuff at a third the price.. i just dont understand ?

Bloody hell mate we're agreeing on something, better take it steady I have no idea why really, and it goes deeper than that I think. Its the old thing about moving to Spain and creating your own bit of little britain. In my opinion part of the whole experience is totally changing your life style and that includes the food. I don't want to eat english type food, I want to change to a med type diet, fresh veg from the market, fresh bread every day from the bakery, oranges from the guy at the side of the road who grows his own. And imho the supermarkets in Spain make the UK look like a third world country as regards the huge choice and quality.

But I guess there will always be those who don't like to change too much and they will always be grateful for the brit shop down the road, and good luck to them!

wow 2 replies, Im impressed, although I thought Id have more people like you agreeing, maybe the english dont change that much!!!
Im impressed, there are people who embrace Spain as much as I do.
Hurrah!!!

If you shop in Mercadona you can get multipacks of small bags of crisps made by lays, so cross them off your list

And heinz beans and raviolli and heinz spaghetti, still over priced

jdr - the mercadona in alhaurin doesn´t sell lays singles - only the plain mercadona own ones, 6 bags for 1.20€ where as a big bag with twice as much in is only 65c ??


although, i have found that the tabacconist sells single packets of what i call "decent" chrisps.. lol.. by that i mean lays etc, for 30c a packet cant be bad i guess u pay for the quality, still thats only 20p in "real" money innit??

and yes, i know kiosko´s sell small packets - but i was talking about primarily in mercadona - i like "one stop shopping" like going to tesco in the uk and buying everything at once.

I only buy the Spanish foods The crisps are Spanish and cheap

All I buy English is cornish pasties from euromarket if I go past it.

Only in tescos adsa etc, most veg and fruit is imported so we probably get it FRESHER here and less pesticides due to conserving the freshness for the travelling!!

We buy spanish food in our local Waitrose , we are trying to get into spanish food prior to moving and so its olives and salad every day , we do try to support the community though by using the farmers market and local meat. But I agree with Mitzy, we want to immerse ourselves in spanish culture and especially the food, already hooked on Spanish sausage, bread (when available) and adore those olives.

Hi Kevray
It will be the best thing for the whole family, my kids now snack on olives pippas, nuts and dried fruit and bread, in the UK.... fizy pop and crisps chocolate bars etc, and not because it's what I gave them but as teenagers they bought the same as all the other kids, oh and on the news, well done to Arnie as the govener of calafornia, passed a law against selling junk foods and fizzy pop in all schools.

I've given up on how many variations of "Tesco" you can have over here , all using the same logo as a British supermarket giant and thinking changing a C to a K will get them out of legal bother.

I work for Tesco......has anyone heard rumours of Tesco branching out in Spain?
I've made enquiries through my manager but nothing has come to light. The costa Calida is rife with rumours about Tesco taking over Carrefour .....
Personally I believe the Spanish supermarkets and markets provide excellent choice in foods......the supermarkets providing a good choice, and the markets supplying a wonderfull variety of fresh produce that tastes like it should.
Mary

Oh God no ... please

An "English" shop opened in our small town in Sevilla province a couple of years ago. personally We have never been inside, and since they have just moved to smaller, cheaper premises. It seems like most of the few other Brits in town think along the same lines as us. I'll give them another 6 months before they close down alltogether.

Tesco and Carrefour have swapped some outlets in Asia. But I think anything regarding a take over between Tesco and Carrefour would be the other way round. Carrefour are the worlds 2nd largest supermarket group, behind Wall-mart.

regards
BW.