Fred James

I must admit to shopping at Iceland Fuengirola occasionally.

I wouldn't touch most of the convenience food in the freezer section (who would buy frozen mash potatoes?) but they do have frozen Haddock (not smoked) which does not seem to exist in Spain (which is odd as their fishing fleet must catch it in UK waters).

Their fresh food section has decent mature Cheddar at sensible prices and also decent smoked back bacon which, again, does not exist in Spain. Their in-store butcher also has decent English lamb chops that are at least 3cm thick unlike the poor thin specimens in Spanish butchers at a higher price.

What does surprise me is the huge number of Brits who seem to do their weekly shop there!

gillterry

when in spain...
must say the english shops tempt you with goodies but market day is where all veg, fish and bread is brought.
Friends thought the chickens were cute then saw a spanish lady stuff a live one in her string bag ready for sunday lunch

cricketman

I've never seen live chickens for sale!

jojojojojo

Altho recently I've seen more and more Spanish in there, especially younger professional types buying in their ready meals lol - they seem to be following some British bad habits sadly!!!! I only go it there to get pork scratchings, British sausages and lenor...... oh and that new breakfast cereal, "Crave" The kids love it!!!

Jo xxx

jojojojojo

They sell live rabbits up at our local shop and will even "do the honours" to prepare them for the roasting tray

Jo xxx

Casa Santo Estevo

Fred As I understand it Haddock has several names in Spain.

1. Eglefino
2. Pescadilla

I have seen it around, well here in Galicia at least.

gillterry

cricketman, also turkeys at christmas, try the market in Alguena,Alicante province, some time, also has a local policewomen we 're sure keeps her lipstick in her gun holder, it's fun out in the sticks.

jackytoo

Saw it years ago when we first bought in Spain. Thankfully live poultry doesn't feature in the markets in Andalucia. They are a bit more civilised now. Living in the sticks may be fun if you can go home to Oxford but it sure isn't when there is no bolthole...done it

VFR

They wipe the floor (price wise) with any Spanish supermarket I have been in, including Vidals which has been the cheapest on the block for some time (now in trouble though)

Our nearest shop is in Javia that is an hours drive away, but we can combine this trip with a day out & this offsets the fuel cost.
The Spanish seem to like the store & we often see them in there on our monthly visit to buy items that are cheaper/unavailable in our local stores.

English back bacon, not available elsewhere & a lot cheaper than the streaky type you see on the shelves.
Biscuits again are half the price.
Icelands new finest sausages are well priced & tasty, with a good deal less fat.
Sweets/chocolates cheaper.
Smoked haddock (frozen) not cheap but we like it.
Most of the Fresh Counter items are as good & cheaper.
Flora spread (blue one) is again a lot cheaper.
Tea bags & decaf ones available & vastly cheaper.
Big range of sauces at keen prices.

Yes most of the frozen stuff is processed, but that applies everywhere if you eat that stuff.
Checkouts are fast & efficient, so IMO selective shopping at Iceland is a bonus or most in Spain and the amount of customers going through there bears that out.

w1ldcat

I don't go as much now , some of the prices are crazy . The last time i was in there more spanish n brits in. There be massive queue when it opens.

Fred James

Eglefino - yes, but not Pescadilla - that could be anything.

If you find it up there I would not be surprised as it is caught mainly in the North Sea or North Atlantic.

However I have never seen it in the south, frozen or fresh which is a mystery to me as it is as similar fish to the Merluza which the Spanish adore.

It seems to be almost unknown in France as well.

Fred James

It depends - most of the Iceland branded items are marked in Pounds so there is no escaping from the original price.

The exchange rate they use is about 1.25 which is very reasonable bearing in mind the shipping costs.

Lionda

Why are there so many food snobs eat what you like, shop where you want and enjoy. We are all entitled to eat and live and shop where and how we like

cricketman

True - and that applies to so many things

But then we wouldnt have much to talk about would we?!

I do like the idea of picking your live rabbit and then taking it home in a baking tray

JLFS

I agree,eat what you want when you want Iceland is a fantasic place for some food stuffs, as is the local market, the Asian store, and the local butcher, Mercandona and Uncle Tom Cobley and all,

We often go to Iceland in Torrevieja, we visit friends there and stock up on the cheddar, and other cheeses, the frozen forest fruits,tinned fruit fillings, crumpets, cheesecake and other goodies that are unavailable in Spanish supermarkets.

There seems to be a lot of "non British" shopping there, perhaps they have seen the light too. That a little bit of this a little bit of that and even if you do have to run the gauntlet the of "why would anyone want to buy in Iceland, when there is so much fresh produce in Spain" brigade.

Just because you shop in Iceland does not mean that you ONLY have to shop in Iceland, but even if you do, so what?

You can still eat well, healthily and cheaply by just shopping there.
My wife was given a project written by a student friend of hers (in the UK) that had a healthy weekly menu for one for about 15 pounds.