Seriously. If I could go drunk or drink while shopping, maybe just maybe, the experience would be less stressful. Let me start by saying, I’m Germany’s biggest fan. For the most part, I think they do so many things better (future post to come), but no one is perfect. And the things they aren’t “perfect” in make this expat want to curl up into the fetal position and cry…..or drink. Can you drink while laying curled up in a ball? If so, that’s how you can find me most days after going to the store.
THE STORES. I could probably write a whole post on that alone, so I’ll do my best to summarize. For the most part, there are two stores we frequent the most, Real and Aldi. When we want to live like royalty, we go to Edeka where they have wonderful produce and other products and you pay for it. So, since we are paupers, we stick to Real which is the German equivalent of Wal-Mart. This store serves it’s purpose and its generic brand, Tip, has many good quality items. But the store itself drives me nuts.
First, it’s divided into two sections both which have entry and exit points. It’s very similar to this picture but you actually walk into the store and go to the left for household, baby, electronics, toys, clothes and hygiene. To the right is the actual grocery part of the store with food, produce, butcher and bakery. Each section then, has an entry such as this.
So why is this so annoying? Well, for starters, the portion with kids toys, sporting gear, etc. is located upstairs to which there is no elevator or ramp. So, if I have my kiddo, I either have to carry him up there or I can’t go. Plus, there are some large items up there, so you just have to carry all that stuff down? This makes no logical sense whatsoever. Secondly, if you need paper towel, diapers and laundry soap in addition to your groceries, you have to shop on the “left side” first, check out and then proceed to the “right side”. When you check out for your second time you usually have to show your receipt for the items you bought on the other side. Again, not logical to me as it is difficult to get out from the left side because of the little gates and you can’t buy the majority of those items on the right side. Are you confused yet? Just writing this is annoying.
And then there is Aldi. I love this store for its cost-effectiveness and size, but every time I go there, no matter what day or time, 5,000 people come in right after me and swarm the aisles. So, while you are trying to walk through a two-lane aisle imagine someone impatiently waiting behind you to get to the product they need and someone moving slowly in front you AND THEN someone racing past you on the left. I really should take a photo of this phenomenon, but I’m afraid I’d be tackled while in the way of someone getting to their cheese.
To add to this chaos, the employees decide to start stocking and get irritated that you are in the way! Oh and the best part? Expect to wait a good 10-15 minutes at least in line for the one checkout lane they have open. And, if you’re a rebel like me, do this all with a toddler. It’s great fun. They have so much patience and love just sitting still.
THE CHECKOUT. I have a total love/hate relationship with this one. In Germany, they don’t have employees to bag your groceries. It also costs money for bags (this I love) so you need to bring your own. The problem I have with this is it just stresses me out. Unless you buy a handful of things that you could carry out anyway, you are scrambling to quickly put all of your items in your cart, pay and get out of the way because they start the next person right away whether you have moved your stuff or not. Again, try doing this with a toddler who is trying to pull everything out of the basket you are putting in, trying to climb out of his seat, empty your purse and scream at you for not going quick enough and giving him the attention he so thinks he deserves. In some ways, it’s nice to bag my items because then I don’t have to worry about things like someone putting canned goods on top of my bananas even though I put it in a nice order in the first place. However, when we have to do a large shopping, even with the two of us, it is just stressful.
WEIGH IT YOURSELF. When buying produce in Germany, you have to pay attention to the price signs to see if the cost is per stück (piece) or per kilo. If it is per kilo, then you need to find the scales, look up the item, weigh it and print out the price tag, placing it on the item to be scanned at checkout. The picture below gives a good idea what they look like. The one at Real has a nice colored touch screen, but other places have no touch screen and you just enter the item number from the price sign.
I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to do this. Then, at the checkout, I have to do it with people waiting and I hate that. They do have a scale by the register and sometimes they are nice enough to do it for you, but really, just DON’T FORGET. Also, some items may be packaged already and usually this means they are the price for the package, but not always. Another learning lesson for me. In general, I like this; it helps me practice my German and I know the price right away. The annoying part for this difference is that sometimes it is hard to tell if it is per kilo or stück; even M has made the mistake.
THE PRODUCTS/LANGUAGE BARRIER. So this is not Germany’s fault {obviously}, but just a problem that comes along with being a new expat. For me, there is no running in and out or even knowing what I need when I go. Sure, I have a list, but do they have these things? Can I find this in a German grocery store? (Canned pumpkin or condensed cream soups are prime examples of some items they don’t carry.) Ok, so I can’t find it, then is there a substitute? What does this word mean? What is this???
I have been here almost 6 months now, so for the most part, this is becoming easier and the products aren’t that different from American ones. Sometimes, this is even fun as I get to explore, learn and try new things. However, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the ease of shopping in my own country where I know what I want, what I need and where to find it as well as which brands are good, which you can buy generic and which you should avoid completely.
Here are just a few random things in my kitchen that I had never had prior to moving to Germany.
While these are a few things about grocery shopping that drive me nuts, keep your eyes open for the follow-up with things that I love!
What are some things that drive you crazy where you live?
You know what’s funny- is here I have totally give up. I order it all online (super cheap) with Albert Heijn. I can’t deal with the produce weigh it yourself when I can’t figure out how to read the scale and print my own label. Which button?! I always forget. Secondly, I really need Google Translate next to me so I know I get the right thing. I have never enjoyed grocery shopping, and this is making it somewhat tolerable. But totally with you on all counts!
Haha! I love that you have that option! We have Bofrost which is like Schwans but some of the items are very expensive. We are thinking of trying it for some of the better buys. I actually love grocery shopping but here I’m so stressed when I get home and then I have to carry it all up to the third floor!
I’m an American living in Sweden and the grocery shopping here is the same. I hate that the stores are so tiny and narrow that you can’t get down an aisle half the time. Sweden has at least gotten a little better over the years about having pumpkins available and now I know the specialty stores to buy the canned ones plus cranberries. Bagging your own groceries I don’t mind as now when I go to the states I get frustrated waiting for the slow baggers to do it for me (and use 20 bags). :)
They do have pumpkins here too but it’s not always practical and they are a bit pricey. It is funny how you get accustomed to certain things! Thanks for stopping by and following! I’ll have to come check out your blog as well.
Maultaschen! Yum!
Your Real really does sound annoying… the Real here is nothing like that :-/ There are two sections - a big drinks section and the main store, which has everything else - clothes, toys, books, electrical stuff, household stuff, toiletries and of course food. I rarely go to Real though as it’s out of town. I usually shop at Rewe… my cupboards are full of “Ja” products.
I hate having my stuff thrown at me while I try my best to shove it all into bags at lightning speed! The Germans all seem to manage to pack everything away and be waiting with money in their hand as soon as the cashier tells them the total price. How?!
I love Rewe! Sadly it’s a bit far away for a regular shopping.
I know! It’s a skill they must be taught at a young age and it’s a secret too! ;-)
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How we do it? Experience from childhood onwards - especially shopping at Aldi is the best training you can get in packing things away quickly.
Yes yes and yes! What is up with speed scanners? And then they start tossing the next person stuff and jumbling it with yours. I strategically place my items on the conveyor belt to slow them up so I can pack faster. I never put so much thought in grocery bagging before Germany. I do love the reusable bags though!
I think you could probably drink while curled up in a ball…maybe with a swirly straw? That makes everything fancier ;)
Haha! I do the same trying to put things I think will take longer between faster items. I’m not sure it helps but anything to slow them down!
I love fancy straws :-)
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Damn this sounds arduous! I hope they find a solution to this soon
Haha! I doubt they will change their system they’ve had for decades. Thanks for stopping by!
Many of those things you describe are very similar to shopping in Denmark, like weighing your own produce, buying bags, and bagging your own groceries. The grocery stores here do have a little arm that move your groceries over to the side and out of the way so you can bag them while the next person is getting checked out. So it’s a little less stress than it seems like you’re feeling, but there’s obviously still a time limit and you’re definitely rushing to get finished.
That situation at Real sounds ridiculous!
A few of the stores have that arm I think you’re talking about and that does take some of the pressure off!
The only place I know that has that is the Karstadt food department!
DM has it….it’s not an arm exactly but a barrier.
Ooh, true… DM here does as well. I was only thinking of food places!
Haha. Good point. We go there a lot for baby stuff, snacks, milk etc. so in my mind it was the same. Lol
The problem is that in Germany standard grocery bagging doctrine changed when they introduced scanners. In the old days practically all checkouts had a lot of space at the end of the conveyor belt and most had those dividers. Ringing up the items was relatively slow and if you were quick, you could more or less keep up. Scanning the items is much faster and realistically you won’t keep up. That’s why they actively discourage attempts to bag in real time. Generally you won’t find those dividers in modern grocery stores where most people use carts. You are supposed to drop everything into your cart, move out of the way and bag where you don’t block the checkout. Of course some people, often elderly, still try to use the old system, but that is about as popular as spending several minutes looking for exact change.
That’s interesting about how it used to be and what it has evolved into. We usually do just put it all back in and then bag at the car. As efficient as Germans tend to be though, this is a lot of wasted time.
And yes the elderly do tend to stand there and do it and while I don’t mind waiting, I do mind that they are already scanning my items and now I’m behind an already losing race. :-)
That works at Aldi where they have the little shelf at the back, so you can take your trolley over there and put everything in bags. At the Rewe I go to, there is no area beyond the tills to place your bag while you fill it.
Thats totally opposite from the REAL here by us! Only one level but still huge and one door in and out! The Getranke market for REAL is the next building over but not hard to deal with! I’m so sorry you live in a town that has a crappy REAL!!! Do you have Kaufland?? I like that store a lot better!
Really? It’s one door in and out but the sides are separated with the different items. Ours also has the separate Getranke market on the side which is really easy. We don’t have a Kaufland close so we go on occasion but not regularly. :-)
Shoot! Well, I guess its sort of like being on an adventure! Which door will you choose?!? :-)
Our Real is in a building with some other shops (Deichmann, a flower show, a chemist and a bakery). There are 2 entrances to the building but only one to Real itself (the Getränkemarkt is separate). To get out, you have to pass through the tills.
You have to check out before going to the other side of the store? So annoying! I never thought European grocery stores would be less efficient than Chinese ones. I’m terrible at bagging groceries while getting my money ready too; can’t imagine doing it with a toddler!
Yes! And while it’s not that big of a deal, it’s a hassle to pay twice especially when there are long lines which happens on the side with the appliances and stuff. Lol yah having a toddler magnifies everything!
That store with the two sides doesn’t make any sense. We also have the self-weigh (which I’ve mostly figured out) and we’re missing baggers (but we have self checkout now, so that’s pretty awesome). And the language barrier still gets me. Sometimes it’s a flawless one to one translation, other times there is no way you could figure it out and Google Translate app is no help. I really wish there was more of an organic selection. It’s pretty hit or miss.
I can only imagine in Dutch!!! Sometimes the pictures help. Lol But other times when it’s something I’ve never had or heard of and can’t read then even pictures don’t help!
I can’t say I share any of your gripes on this one, but it’s interesting to read someone else’s point of view. When I first arrived my bf pretty much showed me the ropes and the Real near us is definitely not set up like the one you venture to. Sometimes I am a little slower than Germans putting my stuff into the cart at check out, but I learned to not care whether or not someone has to wait 3-5 seconds for me to get my stuff in order. The very first thing I did when I moved here was figure out what things were available and for the things that are nowhere to be found, figure out what the best substitute is. It’s a learning process from day one, eventually we will all be pros.
Yah like I said, I have things I love too and the learning curve is definitely getting smaller. It also used to be much easier when I lived here BC and could take all the time I need only having to worry about myself! :-) But I can’t blame everything on my kid. ;-)
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My Monoprix in Paris used to completely reorganize the store, I swear every month. I could never find anything in the same spot twice!! And of course asking was out of the question at that point, as my French was certainly not up to par. Even if I could have formed the question, there was no way I could have underwood the reply! Ahhh good times… :)
Oh that would be so frustrating! I’m glad they don’t do that here. :-)
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Bahaha! Oh Aldi. I do love Aldi though. We went to the states so I could get my grubby hands on some Aldi chocolate. German chocolate is delish.
I remember feeling overwhelmed having to relearn the layout of supermarkets. It’s weird the difference between countries.
Hannah
So glad you laughed! I wrote this to be humorous but I’m not sure it landed. ;-) It is funny how different they are….maybe I don’t like grocery shopping as much as I think I do.
I’ll send you some German chocolate. :-)
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Your Real sounds absolutely ridiculous. I have the luxury of having a huge Globus about 10 minutes away. There are only a few items I prefer to buy there as opposed to the commissary here on base, but I’m always a bit overwhelmed when I go, and I usually have Google Translate pulled up on my cell phone before I even walk in. I had no idea before moving here how serious Germans are about their dairy products. I now have a new favorite yogurt, and that’s due to me buying something without knowing what it was. I have also found that I like German muesli better than American cereals. I also love the fact that I can get a tenner of the fabulous Globus brotchen for 1 Euro. I don’t bag my groceries in the store because I get anxious when I feel like I’m in the way. I just roll the cart out to the car and toss all of my stuff into one of my giant Thirtyone bags in the trunk.
Which yogurt? Yah I stopped bagging in there too for the same reason and soon I’ll have a new ThirtyOne bag to use. ;-) Nice plug ;-)
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LOL! This was a good laugh out loud. Completely agree girl, I HATE grocery shopping here. It’s the one thing I miss the most back home. I miss the convience of pulling my obnoxiously sexy SUV right up to the front, running in and spending a small fortune (reluctantly, since I am from Northern California) and then get right back in my car. Here I have to make several trips, to different stores to get my weekly lists. Aldi, Rewe, Lidl, Tegut, UGH!!!!! Thank god I have a market below my house or I would never find the right produce. Nice rant, I throughly enjoyed it :)
Lol! I love the “obnoxiously sexy SUV”! I miss it too and thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it! :-)
You’ll never find canned pumpkin in this country, it doesn’t happen. The closest you’ll ever come is pumpkin pieces in a jar but that’s weird. The one that kills me is the lack of packed brown sugar. Oh, also, Cetaphil. So both of those I buy in bulk and bring back with me when I go home to visit!
You don’t have brown sugar? :-( We have it here. Thank goodness. One less thing to order or request from home! :-) the canned pumpkin pieces do sound a bit odd. Hmmm could’ve sworn I saw Cetaphil at the apotheke but maybe not.
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WHAT, you have packed brown sugar? The real stuff, not the brown tea sugar?
Altogether, I have spent practically 3 years in this country in both Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, and Niedersachsen, and have never seen it, not once! What magical corner of the country do you live in so I can relocate and never leave?
What is brown tea sugar? I saw some that may be what you are referring to, but this is quite as sticky as our packed stuff but it’s not much different and it tastes the same. I’ve also used it in cooking and it has turned out the same. Lol well I guess it is a magical place! We live in Rheinland-Pfalz on the end closer to Luxembourg. I have it in a canister, but next time I’m at the store I can take a photo for you and if it’s different than what you’ve seen, I’d be happy to send you some!
for sure we have brown sugar *shaking head* It is called Rohrzucker - from cane - not from our sugar turnips. And I DO live in Niedersachsen … You can even get it organic.
Latvian shoppers are THE most irritating shoppers in the world. They block aisles, produce, stand chatting on their phones (yes, they chat on phones, just not in person), move slower than the dead, push you out of the way, can’t make a bloody decision to save their lives… GAH!
And yes, you can drink in pretty much any position you can imagine ;)
Well Linda….just how many positions are you familiar with? ;-)
Like I said, anything you can imagine haha! :)
Wow this is so different from the US! No cashiers, differnet entries and paying and shopping from one side first,etc? This is crazy!! I agree. It would definitely take a lot of getting used to and planning with kids! LOL
For sure! Going to the store with just my boy takes some thought on my part from where I park, how much I buy and even packing it up and bringing it home to our third floor apartment. :-)
Your grocery stores sound a lot like our grocery stores in Japan. :)
XO/Lena @ Root&Blossom
Do they? It just takes getting used to I’m sure. :-)
omg…sounds like China….I wan’t to poke my eyes out in some of the stores. I purposely go to the more expensive stores & pay the mark up just to avoid the hassle. It’s pushy here too….people behind me are already putting items on the conveyor belt before I even have a chance to set mine down. So, against my normal mode of operating…I proceed to move their items and shove mine in between the person in front of me and them. I don’t think they think its rude though. Just different culturally. It gets under my skin though when the person behind me stands at the credit card machine when I still have yet to pay…I’m American. I need my space bubble.
That’s such an excellent point about our culture as Americans. Other countries view is as social and overly friendly but they don’t realize we have an inherent need for personal space.
I lived in Korea for two years so I compleeeeeeetely know where you’re coming from. The memories of shopping there make me shudder, and having to weigh the produce myself has a lot to do with it. The good thing about being a Westerner in Korea was that it was pretty obvious to store clerks and employees that I might need some help, so they were usually prepared to come to my rescue.
That’s nice that they were helpful! Once they realize I’m American they tend to be more helpful but I try to blend as much as I can. :-) Thanks for stopping by!
Oh I feel you! Grocery shopping in France is no picnic either! I think the aisles must be smaller than in the US or something because the store always seems way more crowded. I only grocery shop right when it opens or at 12:45 when all of France is eating their lunch. It’s the only way I can handle it.
I keep trying to figure out a time! For Real the earlier the better but Aldi, it seriously doesn’t matter. I get there and the crowds swarm. Every. Time. Lol M and I just went early Saturday morning and when we pulled in it wasn’t that crowded. As we were walking in a line of cars was forming just to pull in!
Shopping is easily the most regularly stressful part of my life in Germany. I hate it.
But what I hate even more? When I find myself becoming impatient at the people ahead of me at the checkout who are taking too long. That’s when i know it’s time for a trip to Britain, where things are at least somewhat similar to Canada!
Haha! It is stressful and I do the same, but usually, I’m getting anxious about those in front of me because they are costing me time in the race of getting your stuff in the cart and paying! What’s it like in Britain or Canada?
Your Real sounds awful. At least in Real you can generally find most things you need. We only have smaller supermarkets near us and it’s hard to get everything you need from one, meaning multiple supermarket trips with annoying curious toddler. Do they also check your trolley when you get to the till to check you haven’t stolen anything? They do this everytime in Bavaria and that kind of gets to me. I’m not a thief!
They just want to see a receipt for the items you bought on the other side otherwise, no they don’t. That would really bother me too!
Haha, this is a good read. I am German and I can actually tell you - no, we don’t learn this fast bagging up stuff etc. from childhood onwards :-) I have to admit that I hate it as well and will never get used to it! We just spent our holidays in Spain and there you just wait until everything is wrapped up and that’s it - I’m always a bit jealous when I see that it works elsewhere but Germans seem not to realize that it makes sense. Here you say “Service-Wüste”, means a service / help desert :-)
Haha. I’m so glad you enjoyed it and it’s nice to hear a German’s perspective. My husband thinks that it’s better in order to keep costs down which I agree, but in just hate that it’s so stressful. Thanks for stopping by!
talk for yourself - I learned it from childhood on … ;)
Awesome! I live in Germany since I am 4 years old and I was quite curious when I first read the title of the post. I couldn’t think of anything annoying. But while reading your post I noticed that each and every thing you mention drives me crazy while grocery shopping. Haha. Guess you have to get used to it when you want to save money ;)
Haha! I was wondering what others would think of this post, especially Germans! But so far, everyone agrees. :-) Thanks for stoping by!
I must remember to appreciate the bagger a little more the next time I’m at the neighborhood Carrefour. The thought of bagging your own groceries would be scoffed at in Qatar; this is the country where IKEA employees carry your stuff around For you then follow you home to put it all together… Must say I get extremely flummoxed in North America and Europe, trying to pack as fast as they scan.
Really?? That really happens at IKEA or are you being funny? :-) If so, that would be awesome and weird all at the same time!
I love reading about your experiences in Germany. I’ve grocery shopped in France, Ecuador, and South Africa before. I was on vacation so all the differences were quaint because it was an adventure. Although each time I did sweat bullets at the register.
Haha! Yes I suppose it would be an adventure when it’s not the everyday. I think throwing a toddler in the mix just adds to the pressure! I’m glad you enjoy reading Jean!
I forget to weigh stuff ALL THE TIME. I usually frequent Penny, and then if they don’t have whatever strange ingredient I’m looking for, I head over the Edeka. So many of my friends shop at Edeka all the time without realizing how much more expensive it is.
I don’t think we have a Penny here but I’ve heard of it. Edeka is really nice but you do pay for it!
I can’t even tell you how much I love your post! It is so much fun to read about this from your perspective. I always feel so lost in the American supermarkets and there are so many weird things for me. I am always shocked by the waste of plastic bags in the stores. I mean, it is not necessary to use that many bags! And all the weird items I have never seen before. :) And the greeters who wait at the door for you! So many things….
Thanks for making me laugh!
Oh I hate all the careless waste in the states! Lol I forgot about the greeters!! Haha I bet that’s really weird to a foreigner at first! :-)
A kingdom for a German grocery shopping experience. Or a UK one. Or a US one. I hate, hate, hate grocery shopping in Spain. They just… don’t have anything! All packaged foods are made by either Nestle, Unilever, Kellogg or Danone. Store brands are hideously poor quality, like they used to be in the UK 20 years ago (they are excellent now). OK, they have 1000 different types of fresh shellfish, but I don’t like to cook it. I despair :(
Anyway, great post :)
Haha. I can only imagine! Well based on my limited experience being that of only the “Spanish” section in both the US and German stores. Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Kudos to you for dealing with the insanity of the German grocery store experience with a toddler in the mix. I can barely keep it together alone, trying to get everything put into bags and my wallet out ready to pay the intently staring cashier without losing my mind. I’ve been here a year and it’s only gotten slightly easier…I have one rule I try to stick to which is, avoid Saturdays at all cost if possible.
Haha! Thanks! I’ve been hearing that a lot so it makes me feel better! Oh for sure! We hate it when we get stuck going on Saturday!
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hah! I stumbled upon this and appreciated the read. I am an expat from Finland, living in the US. I feel you on your experiences! I return to europe for extended periods of time and have to relive the experiences of figuring out HOW to eat in another country. the best thing I’ve found is simply figure out a few recipes that are local, that you like. and forgetting about the things you can buy in your home country. I kinda love the adjustment every time and makes me really appreciate certain foods I can eat regionally!
I got a special kick out of weighing your bulk vegetables and paying for grocery bags! can’t tell you how many times I’ve paid for my groceries and gotten to the end of the check stand to the pile that is now my groceries are and realized I have nothing to put them into! with everyone staring at me like I am an idiot. after standing in that long line to pay for them!
Haha! Well I’m so glad you found it and enjoyed it! I had no idea so many people could relate to this one aspect of being an expat! You are right that you do have to forget a lot about what you can buy and make at home. But I am slowly learning how to make many “American” dishes that I previously could not find ingredients here for. I just simply have to make some things from scratch. It’s a bit time consuming sometimes, but if you really have a craving, it’s worth it!
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I can totally relate to your experiences - just the other way round as a German expat living, shopping, and cooking in the US. Sometimes German grocery stores like Aldi, Lidl, etc. feature specialty weeks with international food. During my last visit to Germany Lidl was having what they called “Grosse Amerika Woche” offering “Erdnussflips in der Super Size Tuete” which is so American, right? ;) Thanks for a very entertaining blog, it helps against the occasional Heimweh.
Haha! Yes, I’ve seen the American shopping days and it’s so stereotypical. But I can’t complain. At least sometimes they do have things it miss from home. My husband lived in the states with me before we came back and he had the same issues. It’s always hard being away from what you know. Thanks for stopping by and reading. Hope you’ll stick around!
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Welcome to the “old” world. I do not miss the shopping experience in Germany, but I DO MISS the food options and quality. it is sooooooooo much better. How about you wrtite a blod about your experience with customer service ;-P ?? LOL
Yes! The food and quality are definitely so much better and so good! I wrote a follow up to this about what I like about shopping and now doing some pieces about the food. Customer service? Lol they have that here?!?! Thanks for reading and commenting!
We have Aldi here in the UK as well, and my pet peeve is having to put in a coin deposit to get a trolley, digging for a 20 p piece that I often don’t even have. Lidl and Home Base also do this, only Tesco lets you use the trolley for free. It’s the little things!
We have little plastic pieces that are made to fit instead of using actual coins. :-) I don’t mind that too much because I used to hate how people wouldn’t put their carts away in the states this adding to door dings in your car when one runs away. It’s most definitely the little things!
I really enjoyed this post. I thought it was just Malaysia that starts checking out the person after you even if you haven’t come close to bagging all your groceries. I sometimes wonder what the next person would do if I “accidentally” took their stuff. In Malaysia, you also have to get your produce weighed and stickered, but it’s not self-service. At the Tesco, there’s usually a line. At Cold Storage, half the time no employees are around so you have to wait until someone shows up. Don’t even try checking out without having it done. You’ll just have to go all the way back to the produce section. Because so may Malays are Muslim, most stores have a separate non-Halal section where items prohibited by Islam are sold, like pork products and liquor. You must buy all these items in this section before proceeding to the main checkout. If no one is there, you are then allowed to go to the main checkout, but you have to handle all the prohibited items yourself if the checker is Muslim. So, you may have to hold up the package of pork for the checker to scan and then put it in the bagging section.
Wow! I had no idea so many Malays were Muslim and how interesting that you’d have to hold the item. It sounds like it can be so complicated there as well! It’s definitely not that I don’t understand, but it’s challenging to learn when you’re new. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read and comment!
I’ve been spending the last half hour all up in your “German Experience” section. Loving these posts! I keep reading tidbits to my husband. I’ll be taking notes from your blog if/when we get to visit Germany! I know he’d love to go back! :)
Nicole! I love that you’re all up in my “German Experience”. Ha! Really, glad you’re perusing and enjoying. There will be another little one this week about the foods I wish I’d never tried. :-) If you guys ever have any questions, seriously, don’t hesitate to ask. I probably won’t know (haha), but my resident “German expert” aka, my German husband, will. :-)
Awesome! I definitely will. Thought of you when we were in Aldi yesterday! lol!
Awww! That is both funny and endearing yet a little sad. Haha!
A straw in a bottle of wine will probably allow you to drink in the foetal position. Worth a shot?
Aldi in the UK is the same. I love some of the deals there, but it is an insane shopping experience (and why are staff so pissed off that customers want to be in the store?!!)
Real sounds crazy too. What is the purpose of this split? (other than to drive you mental?!!)
Haha! I love that Amy! Maybe I should try it? ;-)
They split it because they have electronics, clothing and appliances on that side, which I get….but then they also have cleaners, hygiene products and all the baby stuff (diapers, etc) on that side. So, who wouldn’t have to go to both unless you do different trips??? Ugh.
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