# I just can't see this happening in a UK supermarket



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

During my recent bimble around France I was a frequent visitor to Leclerc/Super U/Carrefour etc - some amazing sights like 20 different varieties of tomatoes and more species of wet fish than Rick Stein has ever cooked.

On one fruit counter there were 6 or 8 different melons with a sample one of each cut ready for customers to test taste - by using the kitchen knives that were stuck in them for customers to use.

Apart from the cost implication that I doubt UK supermarkets would be willing to swallow, can you imagine knives being made available to the UK general public as we all know that Brits are incapable of handling knives as we all want to go around stabbing each other. Even those old jack knives that were used to get Boy Scouts out of horses hooves are far too dangerous for children to have - and as for carrying one hooked to you belt - a hanging offence.

So - how is it that it works in France but not here? Is it simply the fear of litigation if someone gets cut and the reluctance of British judges to use common sense?

Sorry, this started off as a post about something I spotted and ended up almost a rant.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

May have started out as a rant, but you have only said what most of us think. :roll: :roll: 

cabby


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

We also always notice the difference with french supermarkets.

Just arriving at the veg counter makes us realise how crap asda is. I think Morrisons are the only store who compare.

Just visually the food looks more appetising with nice bright colours as opposed to washed out green.

So as cabby say we have all noticed what you have seen.
Are UK stores bothered. Naaah


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

We went to LeClerc in Boulogne to stock up with some wine and were choosing when an assistant came up and offered us tastings of the various wines we were choosing. Brilliant service as far as we were concerned.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

the displays of fresh produce is generally more appealing at French hypermarkets, and unlike most UK companies, it's not all pre-packed!


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

But, also , in UK supermarkets you don't get shown the exit at 12.00  

We love French supermarkets especially their fresh produce, and those garage-sized lettuces :lol: .

If only more would sell proper bacon rashers and decent black pudding!


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

If you want those then maybe stay in the UK, go on experiment, you know you want to. :lol: :lol: 

cabby


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Shop in Waitrose. We've got food tastings quite regularly- plastic forks are used but for hygiene reasons. If you're a serious wine buyer- ie more than a bottle of cheap plonk- you can always go and have a tasting and the fruit and veg is fresh, not, as in many French supermarkets, on display until it goes mouldy. 

Today there are purple, yellow, zebra and numerous shaped or coloured tomatoes for sale. Try buying more than the few veg produced in France in a French supermarket in winter. I don't particularly like veg too out of season but if I want strawberries and green beans in UK I can get them.

Further more I don't have to wait for ages at the check-out while Madame goes through her cards and puts each item out separately. In fact I haven't gone near a checkout at all for several years in UK. I scan the item on the shelf with my little wand, put it in my own shopping bag and swipe my credit card on the way out. (I notice that some Carrefour are now trying this but don't seem to have got it running smoothly- at least not in Cite de Europe). 


The grass is always greener for some !

G


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Spacerunner said:


> If only more would sell proper bacon rashers and decent black pudding!


You have to be joking!  they have an incredible range of pig products - far, far more than you'd ever see in a UK supermarket. Have you never tried that pig's face brawn? - mmmmmmm. Some of their smoked Jambon is truly "bacon".

And as for black pudding - they also have more varieties there than here - they just don't label them Pudding Noir. 

How about a gormandising rally over there one year - experimenting with untried delicacies - you can always start a diet when you get back?


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

The big 4 French supermarkets cater for all socio-economic groups and so stock things that, in UK , are mainly available in smaller, more specialised shops or more up-market supermarkets. If you live close to these speciality shops or up-market supermarkets then you have no difficulty at all buying a range to compare with, or ,I believe, exceed, that available in France.

If you have to rely on Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's however then you must expect your choice to be more limited. They do their best but, in UK, everyone demands cheap food.

Support your local butchers and farm shops, markets and better supermarkets and you have no need to go to France for gourmandising !

G

Edit In UK we spend about 8% of our income on food. In France it is nearer 14 %


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

You beat me to it Grizzly

We have the most fantastic markets with beautiful fresh fruit and veg, fish by the hundreds of variety, and every cheese including lots of French varieties My grandaughters Dad owns the biggest fish stall in the North and the variety of fish he sells has to be seen to be believed

I have to say the French supermarkets are very good but very expensive and the fruit and veg from the markets did not always keep well.

I love the differences in France, but you have as Grizzley says no need to go anywhere other than England to experience good food

8 different varieties of Mangoes on the Market last week, a box of 5 for £4

And the Asian stalls sell all types of different exotic vegetables including Plantains and Banana leaves

Aldra


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

tonyt said:


> Spacerunner said:
> 
> 
> > If only more would sell proper bacon rashers and decent black pudding!
> ...


Pork products certainly agreed. Sliced bacon seems a rarity although they do sell lardons which is chopped into small cubes. I've tried French Boudin Noir but its generally inferior to the British product.

Anyway you're talking to the the man who ordered the 'plat de jour' in a cafe and received a huge bowl of 'tryps' with frites! :lol:. I was a tripe virgin. My expression must have given the game away as I being closely watched by several locals as to what I would do with it. So I scoffed the lot and thoroughly enjoyed it. :lol:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Spacerunner said:


> .....a huge bowl of 'tryps' with frites!


Can any country expect a reputation for gourmet food if they serve tripe with chips ?

QED as far as I'm concerned however. Clearly the French watching you did not realise that in UK we eat- or used to anyway- far more varieties of tripe than ever you can get in France.

G


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Grizzly said:


> Can any country expect a reputation for gourmet food if they serve tripe with chips ?
> 
> QED as far as I'm concerned however. Clearly the French watching you did not realise that in UK we eat- or used to anyway- far more varieties of tripe than ever you can get in France.
> 
> G


Ah, but they did have table clothes and flowers on the tables.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

My wife says food costs are slightly cheaper in UK. But I say we have 'taste' here in France. We also have Routiers and extremely cheap lunches.

Somehow every time we eat out in UK I am shocked at the bill. A meal for 4 can cost a months pension in UK.
My kids (44 & 47) seem to think it's quite normal to pay £30 to £50 a head when out.

Ray.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

raynipper said:


> My wife says food costs are slightly cheaper in UK. But I say we have 'taste' here in France. We also have Routiers and extremely cheap lunches.
> 
> Somehow every time we eat out in UK I am shocked at the bill. A meal for 4 can cost a months pension in UK.
> My kids (44 & 47) seem to think it's quite normal to pay £30 to £50 a head when out.
> ...


We normally pay " 2 for a Tenner" or "2 for one" and rarely have a bad meal.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

raynipper said:


> My wife says food costs are slightly cheaper in UK. But I say we have 'taste' here in France. We also have Routiers and extremely cheap lunches.


I don't think I agree with the " slightly" cheaper Ray. I've been keeping a record for years now; I keep a few supermarket bills from each European holiday and check them against the same items when we get back to UK, either via online shopping or an actual supermarket bill from UK. It is cheaper to shop in UK. Meat is quite a lot more expensive in France though it does come more pre-trimmed than in UK so there is a little less wastage. We buy a lot of veg and fruit from farm shops and this is cheaper- and better quality- than France overall. There is no contest with fish: considerably better in UK.

Interestingly the cook-your-own baguettes I buy for emergencies are the same ones that are cooked in depot de pain in France thought they cost much less than the French cooked ones.

I'm also happier to know that animal welfare standards are rigidly maintained while the same cannot be said for France. I don't mind if my eggs don't come from ecstatically happy hens but I do prefer them free-range and I do like to know that the beef and pork I eat comes from animals that have not been over-wintered in filthy conditions but have been kept clean and so disease free that way.

G


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Meat is definitely a lot cheaper here in England and I don't want my meat trimmed of all fat, that's the taste in the cooking

Don't eat the fat now, sadly, what can beat the rim of fat on beef, the crackling on pork? --I digress

Like Stanner if we eat out we never pay more than a tenner each, and often 2 for a tenner

I love cooking so do not need to pay a fortune for eating out, the same wherever we travel, I like to cook and so does Albert

My kids are happy to pay an extortionate amount for meals out, its what they do, I judge it by the content and I cannot remember having a meal no matter what the price that was better than a home cooked one

but then again the enjoyment starts with the cooking--and the wine   :lol:

Maybe its a North South divide-- don't know the price of food in the South

Aldra


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I guess we must eat out at restaurants our sons frequent Stanner. Definitely not pensioners menus unlike here.

Hi G, I guess I can't be too well up on food purchases as I usually buy all the liquids and my wife all the 'solids'...?? 
But we do have deep discussions with other Brits who say their food shopping in France is more expensive. Yes they buy all the imported stuff from UK like Kellogs, English bacon, oxo cubes and Polo mints.

We now find Lidl does a great bacon and rarely miss the UK products. OK tea bags but only because the local importer loads the price.

Our outgoings in France are far less than the equivalent in UK. I am often under pressure from Family to move back to UK. But here we have a relatively comfortable life. If we sold everything we possess in the world we could just exist in a very modest dwelling in UK with a bus pass.

No contest in general.

Ray.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

We can quite understand why Ray(nipper) doesn''t want to give up his house! It's a beautiful place.

Aldra - yes there is definitely a North/South divide - we haven't got a decent fish shop around here and we live 200 yards from the sea!!!

Grizzly - Ray's definitely right about the taste of food - it's far better in France than even the farm shops supply.

Denise & Joe


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Ray,

my not so wrinkled one

Food is definitely dearer in France than it is in the North of England, not withstanding Kellogs, oxos etc

Actually French stock cubes are very good if somewhat limited to beef, chicken and veg

Move from France the day you want to

you have a lovely home, a lovely wife and its not so far from Britain

How is my plant doing?

the weather however remains in my memory as absolutely c***

Love and hugs to both of you

Sandra (and Albert) but his hugs are limited to Pru :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

joedenise said:


> Grizzly - Ray's definitely right about the taste of food - it's far better in France than even the farm shops supply.
> 
> Denise & Joe


My goodness ! but there's a generalisation if I've ever read one !

Change your farm shop....

G


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

aldra said:


> Ray,
> 
> my not so wrinkled one
> 
> ...


Thanks Sandra.
I plan on staying as long as Prue can manage the garden.... :twisted: 
Yes the plant is covered with flowers and doing very well thank you both. xx

Weather been much better since you left ...  Managed several spectacular 'windows'. One for the Jubilee (got sunburnt). Millpond ferry to UK on the 13th. June. Then perfect weekend 15th. to 17th. big birthday event and another millpond back on 21st.

Since then one social engagement after another. Picnics, funeral and commemoration and long walks all in brilliant weather. No floods or little rain.

Huggsss to you both. Safe travels.

Ray.

Now what was I saying about food? Love chips and truckers restaurants.!!! The garlic and onions nearly turn me insideout.

Ray.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

G - our farm shop is about 4 miles away, Tesco's nearly 10, Asda nearly 15, Sainsbury's 17. Next farm shop 25+ miles.

You obviously live nearer to shops than we do and also have a choice of farm shops!

Joe


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

joedenise

you are just have to grow your own


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I always find it amusing that UK farm shops sell things like oranges, bananas, granadillas and even Cyprus potatoes - it's amazing how they get those to grow in this climate


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## alhod (Nov 1, 2010)

I saw something this week in LeClerc you would never see in Sainsbury or even Waitrose. A woman was unloading hertrolley onto the checkout whilst sitting quietly in the child seat was.... .a really cute, jet black puppy

Alan. :lol:


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

This guy and friend were in the village boulangerie queue Sunday, no one in the shop batted an eyelid at the parrot.
Just like the UK


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

alhod said:


> I saw something this week in LeClerc you would never see in Sainsbury or even Waitrose. A woman was unloading hertrolley onto the checkout whilst sitting quietly in the child seat was.... .a really cute, jet black puppy
> 
> Alan. :lol:


Can't believe that!

No jet black puppy can sit still quietly !!! :lol:


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

aldra said:


> joedenise
> 
> you are just have to grow your own


Haven't got much of a garden but grow a few bits. Trouble is we're usually away in the van when most of it is ready for harvesting LOL!

Denise


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Same here, the kids harvest it

but lettuce, rocket, herbs etc we harvest when young and resow constantly

most of it in the greenhouse

but ate some very nice figs today, and the strawberry pots will yield up strawberries tomorrow

not cheaper but such good fun and they taste delicious :lol: :lol:

Aldra


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