# French grocery prices - Shock !



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I've just done a careful comparison of 12 bog-standard, everyday items from my Tesco receipt ( from yesterday) with the same items- as near as I can get them- from Auchan. If I couldn't find a direct match then I have left it out of the comparison :

http://www.auchan.fr/magasins/calais/105/accueil/

Using today's exchange rate of 0.85 euros to the pound, the difference between the two baskets comes out at £8.77. The UK basket cost £17.10 and the French one £25.87 in total so it seems, on this small sample anyway, a shop in France is going to be about 51 % more expensive. I expected it to be so but not quite such a difference.

The only item that was cheaper in France was a 250 g Camembert which was 27p cheaper in Auchan - they were the same make.

I think we might turn left at Calais rather than right....

G


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## dolcefarniente (Jan 2, 2012)

We've alwaays found it more expensive as you say but don't forget the original exchange rate for the Euro was nearer 1.40.


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

I have to agree Grizzly. We came back from Spain in March and the price difference was quite noticeable. Not just supermarkets, but eating out seems to have gone through the roof. Lets hope the exchange rate gets better for us. At least that would help. Can't understand why with all the problems with the € it's doing so well against the pound.

Gary.


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

dolcefarniente said:


> We've alwaays found it more expensive as you say but don't forget the original exchange rate for the Euro was nearer 1.40.


Maybe memory is playing tricks but we were in Spain when the € was introduced and I think we got 1.60 to the £. Wish we could now eh!

Gary.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

dolcefarniente said:


> We've alwaays found it more expensive as you say but don't forget the original exchange rate for the Euro was nearer 1.40.


True, though in the days of 10F to the £, with a family of four to feed - well- I used to be delighted as to how cheap it was ! We didn't eat out much last October but suspect it will be even fewer times this year.
I don't normally take more than a couple of emergency helpings of pasta and pesto but think I might add a bit more. Even wine is roughly comparable for reasonable stuff.

G


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## Bimobil (Jun 16, 2008)

We always try to eat in season for fruit and veg..this works out cheaper..and try to take other grocery items with us.

Just have to be careful :wink:


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

Just buy more bottles of Merlot and the prices will even out  

Paul


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## Solwaybuggier (Mar 4, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> I think we might turn left at Calais rather than right....
> 
> G


May not help - a couple of years ago we fled back into France with relief because of prices in Belgium.


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

I suppose it all depends what you would regard as bog standard items.

I usually have a cursory glance at food prices on rare occasions that I go to the UK, the last time being last Autumn and for what we would normally buy I still find most consumables are still better value for money/price than in the UK.

We moved over 11 years ago and allowed say for meat for an evening meal for 2 people around 2.5 € per day, that was for example, 2 good sized pork chops or 2 chicken quarters and it's not far off that price now, may be 3€ depending on where we shop. Most fresh fruit and veg are at least on a par with UK prices and of course wines and beers on a like for like basis are cheaper. Also petrol and diesel are cheaper, again depending where shop.

The big problem is caused by the bl**dy exchange rate. When we moved over we were getting 1.54€ to the £ now it's around 1.13€ :evil:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Scattycat said:


> I usually have a cursory glance at food prices on rare occasions that I go to the UK, the last time being last Autumn and for what we would normally buy I still find most consumables are still better value for money/price than in the UK.


Have a look- for comparison purposes- here:

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/

and here:

http://www.auchan.fr/magasins/calais/105/accueil/

I think you'll find things have changed since last Autumn. We were there in October last year and I've certainly noticed the difference.

"Bog standard" includes eggs, milk, cheese, tomatoes, butter, oranges- the sort of thing I buy when in the van. I don't buy out of season fruit or veg and have tried to do an exact comparison- ie kg for kg , ml for ml etc.

I'm not sure where Auchan comes in the price rankings of French supermarkets but the same info is available, online, for Carrefour, Leclerc etc as well as Sainsbury's, Waitrose and so on.

I've not checked market prices; here in UK our local Monday market and permanent market are both more expensive- and worse quality often- than supermarket fruit and veg and we generally reckon that French markets are not the cheapest place to buy fruit and veg of comparable quality. We tend not to shop much in French markets- browse, yes, because we are often in town to sight-see and don't want to cart around heavy, fresh food in hot weather. By the time we are ready to go home the market has usually closed. If we had markets like the south London ones then price comparisons might be different !

G


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Scattycat said:


> I. Also petrol and diesel are cheaper, again depending where shop.


I've just checked today's fuel prices:

UK supermarkets ( South East) £1.34 per litre for unleaded

French supermarket: 1.57 euros per litre ( = £1.33 at exchange rate for today)

G


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

BRUAY-LA-BUISSIÈRE	Cora bruay Diesel €1.28 litre

= £1.05 a litre

Fairly standard prices from Supermarkets at the moment.

TM


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Local fuel prices as quoted are inaccurate - in the UK diesel is priced at a premium due to Governmental concerns about carbon particles - originally it was much cheaper than petrol and was then priced through the roof to slay a non-existent problem.

So in the UK at present diesel is about £1.43 per litre and unleaded about £1.34

In France diesel is much more widespread in use and costs currently €1.30 per litre with petrol being premium priced at €1.42 per litre.

The current exchange rate is £1 : €1.19 so €1 equates to £0.84

At those prices a litre of diesel costs £1.09 per litre and a litre of unleaded costs £1.19.

Fuel is about the only thing that we think is cheaper, some things in France are of a much higher standard e.g. the meat is much better trimmed of fat, but the price is higher.

Some things are VERY much more expensive e.g. in B&Q a large (10 litre) white emulsion is currently £19.98

In Castorama (the French version of B&Q also owned by the Kingfisher Group and selling the same products with French labels) the price is €102.90 for 10 litres......... 8O

and if you think I am joking you can check the link.........

http://www.castorama.fr/store/rechercher4/dulux-blanche?osearchmode=reg

So yes, France is more expensive IMO for food, but other things are MUCH less.

Dave


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## davesport (Nov 12, 2006)

I want to know why Grizzly's got a red band on her crown :x & I don't ?

I'm in the huff now :wink: 

D.


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Red band denotes the spouse has gratis membership


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*depends*

All depends on many factors.

Rail Travel from London to Nice from around £80 each way
Rail Travel from Manchester to London, around £75 each way

Baugette, Sainsburys £1
Baugette, LeClerc Boulogne €0.20

Diesel 20% Cheaper in France and Spain (That would save us £2,400 A YEAR)

Property Tax (Ours is over £2,000 a year)

Similar French & Spanish Properties are around the €650 mark

Property, cheaper.

Eating out, mostly cheaper.

Especially if you compare higher class joints like Jamies, Alberts and the like.

Our Local Restaurant / Pub is a chain owned by a bank. I choose a steak or Fish & Chips because everything else is Microwaved or re-heated 3663 type grub. Still cost £15-£20.

I like to eat in Restaurants in France that source locally grown and produced veg, meats and Fresh fish. Annecy is one of my Favourite areas. That will cost you around the same price as a any UK Pub Grub.

TM


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

See the heading I put on my original post........

The key word is ''groceries ''. These are what the bulk of our non fuel spending goes on when away and I can see no evidence that it will cost me less in France than in UK to buy food while away.

G


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

"Using today's exchange rate of 0.85 euros to the pound"

The current exchange rate is €1.18 to the £, not €0.85. This should make a big difference.
Butter at Auchen is cheaper than Tesco.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

selstrom said:


> "Using today's exchange rate of 0.85 euros to the pound"
> 
> The current exchange rate is €1.18 to the £, not €0.85. This should make a big difference.
> Butter at Auchen is cheaper than Tesco.


Apologies- slip of the keyboard and brain- I meant to say 85 pence = 1 euro and that is the rate I've been using for my calculations. Your rate works out to 84 pence per euro so not a huge difference.

Butter: Tesco own brand 98 p for 250g = £3.92 per kilo

Auchan, own brand is 1.45 euros per 250g = 5.80 per kg or*£4.87 per kilo *

Other brands are available but I wanted to compare like with like.

G


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

Grizzly said:


> Scattycat said:
> 
> 
> > I. Also petrol and diesel are cheaper, again depending where shop.
> ...


Ah, and what you may be don't realise is that those of us who live in France don't have to pay any Road Tax and the MoT is only every 2 years.

So given that those on here have at least 2 vehicles that make our cost per mile even better :lol:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Scattycat said:


> Ah, and what you may be don't realise is that those of us who live in France don't have to pay any Road Tax and the MoT is only every 2 years.
> 
> So given that those on here have at least 2 vehicles that make our cost per mile even better :lol:


Yes, I did know that but that is not relevant to my original post ! What I am quoting is what those of us who visit France have to pay for food. This works out more in France than in UK.

You are no doubt paid better in France than I am paid in UK so the price differential does not matter so much to you. I was pointing out the widening gap to those about to go grocery shopping in France using a UK income source.

G


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Grizzly said:


> You are no doubt paid better in France than I am paid in UK G


No, most French salaries are directly compatible with those of the UK,

BUT many professions in the UK attract a markedly higher salary than in France e.g. a _Medecin traitante_ in France (equivalent to a GP in the UK) earns about €35,000 c/w a UK €110,000

there are many more Doctors in France than the UK per 10,000 of the population, hospital consultants are paid less than half what they earn in the UK......

French salaries

gives an example of the monthly salaries of different occupations.

Dave


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I guess as I don't buy the groceries I am not conversant with the comparative values. But just about everything I do buy seems to be generally cheaper here in France. Especially eating out.!!!

My wife often comments that things are generally cheaper in Tesco in UK and then picks up items in our local Casino supermarket or Lidl far cheaper than Tesco.
Duck legs, Smoked Salmon, yoghurts, Mayonnaise, Chicken breasts and sometimes bogof steaks.

We entertained friends this last week and ate out twice at €46 a 4 course meal for 4 inc wine. Often the coffee after a meal is €2.50 or even €3, so we choose a cuppa back home.

We have friends who regularly bring a car load of Waitrose food back from UK saying it's cheaper. Yes the same brand foods will be but my wife can find comparative French brands at similar prices.

Ray.


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

Grizzly

Can not see how you get such a big difference?

Can you publish your list?


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

I think perhaps we are missing the point somewhat after all it is a "holiday" and a few pounds here or there makes little difference as long as you are enjoying it. I know that for holiday makers coming to Cornwall there is a marked difference in prices compare to say the south east, but they still come in there droves, and seem quite happy to spend £10-£12 a day on car parking :roll: :roll: 

curlyboy


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## Scattycat (Mar 29, 2011)

Grizzly said:


> Scattycat said:
> 
> 
> > Ah, and what you may be don't realise is that those of us who live in France don't have to pay any Road Tax and the MoT is only every 2 years.
> ...


No, I'm retired so my income has been cut by nearly 30% thanks to the exchange rate. Also for the record, wages are less pro-rata in France than in the UK

But back on topic, I still reckon that the cost of 'our' weekly shopping basket, quality for quality and value for value, is probably similar or cheaper than it would be in the UK. :roll:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Penquin said:


> No, most French salaries are directly compatible with those of the UK,
> 
> BUT many professions in the UK attract a markedly higher salary than in France e.g. a _Medecin traitante_ in France (equivalent to a GP in the UK) earns about €35,000 c/w a UK €110,000


Interesting Dave, I didn't know that.

Ray and Scattycat: I've cleared my desk so haven't got the list including prices but there was semi-skimmed fresh milk, butter, shampoo ( Fructis in both cases), 6 oranges, bananas, tomatoes, carrots, a bag of Florette salad leaves ( same in both shops), 12 eggs, a camembert ( same one) and...I can't remember the others.

Selstrom: all the prices- per unit and per kg- are available from both Tesco and Auchan ( and all the other websites) online and current today so a comparison is easy enough and can be demonstrated rather than intuited ! I deliberately included only those items which are common to both countries and not "specialities".

Of course I could probably buy tinned cassoulet or confit cheaper in France. We have a French market in town about every two months and prices for that sort of thing seem high- but possibly reflect the additional transport cost. They are cheaper in Waitrose which is about 5 minutes walk from the market square but I've not compared UK and French prices.

UK supermarket meat tends to be cheaper but, as you say, has more fat with it so, if you prefer lean steaks etc, then you are probably better off buying the trimmed but pricier French ones.

Ray: I take your point about eating out. In UK we can get a good meal locally at gastropub prices- ie about £12-15 for main course- or a real cheapo for £9.95 for two main courses. What we do lack in UK are the family run places where Maman cooks well and does not overprice.

Curlyboy: You're right. We aren't getting retentive about this though it will add up over 2 months to more than a few pounds.

G


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Since moving here and starting to live on a greatly reduced income (teachers pension alone) we have had to cut our cloth accordingly. We eat local produce in season, grow as much fruit and veg as we can and eat far less meat than we did in the UK. But, what meat we do buy is always well-trimmed and there is never any waste. I also find that by buying the least popular cuts we can eat meat if we choose. We are also fortunate to have our own hens and so have free-range eggs. We rarely eat out, but when we do we find mid-day meals during the week are good value with evening and weekend meals being much more expensive. Mid week, mid day meals however are normally set meals but we get 4 or 5 courses plus wine for 11.50 €! Eat as the locals do and it's not too bad. Demand imported goods and pay through the nose is what we have found!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I forgot to mention that, on the days when we have the French markets, the local Poundshop is packed with stallholders doing their shopping. I can,t comment on the quality of the food they sell there but is is clearly worth taking home. 

G


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

well Grizzley

I find prices much more expensive in France and Europe

Unless you are careful what you buy

sausage and pork are not bad

chicken more expensive, remember I have to feed a 7 stone dog on chicken 8O 

We live in the North with a good local market so cannot compare prices in the South which are prob much higher

pubs round here do two meals for a tenner for the main course

Times are hard for every one

aldra


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Wrong all of you! France is cheaper if you eat like a French person! 

Our food bill in France is less than UK.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Give over Barry you only eat cheese and beer

And cheese on those markets is not cheap

Beer however is so it prob balances out :lol: 

sandra


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## alhod (Nov 1, 2010)

There are several businesses in France which will bring a shopping basket from UK supermarkets. Not sure how it works as we have never used it but they do seem to have regular users. So there are enough Brits here who either think it cheaper to shop from UK, even with the additional delivery charge or they just cannot live without their English food. 

Direct comparison is usually misleading unless, as Grizzly said, it is based on a short term basis. If in the country for a couple of weeks you will probably buy much the same as you would at home but when living here habits change and you adapt to local ways.

Alan


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

If I had replied to this without referring to the boss I would have said that France is cheaper on groceries but my view of life is, apparently, skewed by the distorting effects of wine and beer on our weekly shop which makes France look good overall to me.

However, my wife, who actually takes notice of what things cost (unlike me who just throws things into a trolley) is certain that France is more expensive on the basics once the alcohol distortion is removed. For some reason she doesn't see that part of the shopping as essential............

In a similar vein, we have a friend who went back to the UK recently for the first time in a long time and was aghast at the "wine bargain of the week" in a supermarket which was some sort of Jacob's Creek white at £9.99. However, she also commented about the lower prices and the much greater variety of things in the British supermarkets compared to France.

Brian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

barryd said:


> France is cheaper if you eat like a French person!
> 
> .


Examples Barry ??

I reckon we eat a fairly straightforward diet. There is nothing in it that I count as "typically English" - apart from Marmite that I take with me.

We eat little meat, lots of fresh, in season veg and fruit, we do buy fish but not "exotic " fish and cheese. I make bread from locally milled flour, we have never bought a take-away and eat very, very few pre-prepared meals and not much tinned stuff.

I do buy the odd meal from the traiteur counter when away and buy baguettes for breakfast rather than viennoiserie ( though we used to in the days when such things were less expensive !) I take our own jam, marmalade and chutney because we are swimming in the stuff and it is nicer than shop bought.

From observation - and true, it is only of the French that supermarket shop- the locals buy much more pre-prepared or frozen stuff then we do and markets seem to have a smaller number of people with bulging bags than they used to do. Much of the produce for sale in the supermarkets- if they are to be believed, is imported from Spain as is a lot of ours.

We used to go home laden with coffee, cheese and so on but don't do it at all now. The same brands are all available at home and costs less so is not worth the effort.

I only intended this as a light-hearted, highly un-scientific look at differing prices and I have not changed my views on the evidence I have before me. I do take our own basil plant but can't manage much more home-grown when away !

G


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Penquin said:


> No, most French salaries are directly compatible with those of the UK,
> 
> BUT many professions in the UK attract a markedly higher salary than in France e.g. a _Medecin traitante_ in France (equivalent to a GP in the UK) earns about €35,000 c/w a UK €110,000
> 
> ...


€10000 a month for an IT Manager! Where do I apply and if I give you my first months wages can you teach me French? 

Griz. I cant give examples but according to Mrs D our shopping costs less in France than the UK. Maybe Babyrhino is right though, perhaps booze is an important factor but just look at the price of a cooked chicken in the UK now. Its shot up recently and pretty much on a par with Super U or Intermarche.

Good French Cheese is definitely cheaper over there and doesn't involve a 40 mile round trip to the nearest deli that sells it like it does oop north!


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## salomon (Apr 20, 2011)

Aldra- the cheapest " dog chicken" is the frozen Eco bags. If you can get it. In our local Hypermarket they have it sometimes, we always check. I have no idea how it compares to UK prices but ts certainly the cheapest here.

We also have foires, when the supermarkets have mountains if certain stuff, usually meats for very good prices. Porc duck, beef etc. we make our own huge hams and confit de canard. 
Obviously this does not help if you are paaing through in a MH, but in general I reckon France is cheaper, notably when you include the wine. Spirits etc come from Andorra which is a different story


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I am sure it depends where you live

We often find that travelling around Britain food is more expensive than at home

We have a large market down the road and can buy fruit veg meat cheese you name it at excellent prices. So much so that there are now coach trips on market days!!! Whilst much of the veg is only slightly cheaper than the supermarkets, things like Aubrugenes, peppers courgette, garlic ginger etc are considerably cheaper and the variety of Asian veg huge,proper bunched spinach not baby leaf with no taste 

For me fish is even cheaper as I can "buy" a huge salmon or other fish for nothing from my ex son in law and he has the largest fish stall in the North, the variety of fish he sells is astonishing

our local Asda is an economy store, smaller than the bigger ones but the same goods are all priced cheaper

So I guess it's what is available to you locally and at what price that makes the comparison valid

aldra


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Afternoon all,


Three or four years ago I paid ten quid for half a cake at so called french market, thats twenty quid for a whole sponge cake and I don,nt even recall being drunk at the time, talk about ripping off the tourists. Now I have a new idea, buy like the french do, aha, so what I am going to do next time is follow a French woman ( preferably blond) round the supermarket and buy what she does that way I will not get ripped off again.



norm


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Last year we did a week in Swizzyland before going to France.
MH was stocked up well before we left home, and will be in a months time.

Barryd i did not realize you were a cheese eating surrender monkey :wink: 
Dave p


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Shopping*

We leave the UK absolutely loaded up with groceries, even milk, usually at least 2 x 4 pint cartons.

Until the euro gets to about 1.35 (LOL) we are stuck with it, but at least diesel is cheaper!

Russell


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

Faced with eating my dinner looking out of my window at the garden which reminds me that the lawn needs cutting, trees need lopping, bushes need trimming etc or possibly paying a little more and eating in the van overlooking a river or the coast...roll on the next fortnight as we are off through France again. 

P.S. The garden looks a lot better when we return with a shed load of cheap wine! :lol: :lol:


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## lesanne (May 1, 2008)

Hi,don,t usually get involved in finance stuff,but here goes ,,We lived in France for quite a few years through all exchange rates ,from 1.50.to 1.14.we never ever just calculated food into our everyday living ..tax de habitation,,,tax fonciere ,,electricity ,,oil ,, wood for winter fuel..etc ,,all cheaper than just the community charge we are paying now back in the uk ,not forgetting deisel for car and van. i think the main thing you are forgetting ,is that you are visiting as a tourist ..please tell me any country where you don,t pay more when you don,t live there ,only thing cheaper is Vino ,,then if you consume plenty of this..the expence is( errelevent..? ) had the experience, many regards n.....Les...


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

I look out for Aldi and Lidl when abroad (and UK). Off for 4 months soon so will have to live cheaply. Will be going East from Calais and will be interesting to see what the prices are in various countries as we travel. 
Benefit of France is the aires so it makes costings cheaper. Costs a lot more to camp/ stay in other countries probably. 
Chris


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: Shopping*



Rapide561 said:


> We leave the UK absolutely loaded up with groceries, even milk, usually at least 2 x 4 pint cartons.
> 
> Until the euro gets to about 1.35 (LOL) we are stuck with it, but at least diesel is cheaper!
> 
> Russell


So what is the cost of a litre of milk in UK now Russell.??

We can pay between €1.00 up to €1.19 but average is about €1.11.
On todays exchange rate thats £0.93.

Ooopss, just found it on the Tesco site at 57p a litre.

Ray.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

We've found that prices in Tesco's in the Czech republic, Poland and Slovakia appeared to a lot cheaper than Tesco's the UK. But the stores take a lot of getting used to, from fresh fish ( Bream ) swimming around in a tank, to row upon row of car tyres.

But we were really impressed when we managed to buy a loaf of Warburton's bread at Tesco's in Plzen. It had a longer sell by date than comparable loaves in the UK where it was made.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Just checked and found 'White Goods' slightly cheaper in UK compared to France. Although when the french do a 'promo' it usually beats any UK price.

My recent large TV bought online French was at least £450 cheaper here.

Ray.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We find food prices in France, at the present exchange rate, to be roughly comparable to the UK.

The quality differs, though, especially meat. French meat is way, way better than meat in the UK. Even premium free range meat in the UK seems to be full of water these days.

You can, however, get a bigger variety of foods in the UK, so it's easier to cook curries or asian dishes here.

The only thing we always take with us is plenty of cheddar cheese. Loads of cheese in France, fine to eat with fruit or a salad, but for cooking they mostly use Emmental, which just turns to rubber when you cook it, and it tastes like old tyres too.

If you want cheaper (but good quality) food, it's worth going further to Spain, and especially Portugal, where both supermarkets and markets have great food.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Easyriders said:


> The only thing we always take with us is plenty of cheddar cheese. Loads of cheese in France, fine to eat with fruit or a salad, but for cooking they mostly use Emmental, which just turns to rubber when you cook it, and it tastes like old tyres too.


   

Unforgivable!!!

Actually. I know what you mean. Strong chedder on toast with worcester sauce. Cant beat it.


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

I find the prices higher overall but the quality of everything in France is much better in my opinion. 
The only thing we take (if not flying) is clover light spread as I haven't found a margarine I like in France and strong cheddar, although I love French cheese I do also like an occasional piece of cheddar and it can be found but not good strong ones.
Wine can be found cheap now in the UK but not quality stuff, on our last trip down to our house we stopped overnight on the vineyard and paid £6-7 a bottle for Moulin-à-Vent, in the UK for a similar quality it would be £20+

James


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Yes, cheddar cheese is probably one of the things that people out here miss most - virtually every week I have a request to bring some out for someone or other - oh, and bacon and sausages!

There must also be some sort of nostalgia effect going on because I know someone who imports and sells British foodstuffs and he sells loads of Fray Bentos pies - I bet none of the people buying them used to have them in the UK except when they were kids.

Interestingly he also sells loads of Patak's curry sauces to the French as they love them and you can't get anything like that.

Brian


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## kaori (Nov 12, 2010)

*Price in France*

Everything goes up about the 1st of June down here in Beziers. Between 10 to 40 cents ,already for the tourists arriving!
A small wholemeal loaf 1euro 9cents last year went up to 1.29 cents until the 1st of September .

And it is pouring down here!!!


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Pouring down here too and only about 8 degrees - won't be many tourists to pay the extra at this rate!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*inexpensive*

Spain

5 Bottles of Heineken, on ice in a bucket with a snack = €5

On the beach front too!

Book Early

TM


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## stephenpug (Sep 18, 2008)

.

The quality differs, though, especially meat. French meat is way, way better than meat in the UK. Even premium free range meat in the UK seems to be full of water these days.

try buying your UK meat from a proper butcher a whole world of difference from supermarket crap 8O


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

stephenpug said:


> .
> 
> The quality differs, though, especially meat. French meat is way, way better than meat in the UK. Even premium free range meat in the UK seems to be full of water these days.
> 
> try buying your UK meat from a proper butcher a whole world of difference from supermarket crap 8O


The first sentence above was a quote from us, though it isn't shown as such - why?

As for the second sentence, we have tried proper butchers, farm outlets etc, but the meat is always watery, and this makes it tough. Especially bad with pork, perhaps it's whatever the pig is fed on?


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## stephenpug (Sep 18, 2008)

I can assure you the meat I sell in my shop is all properly hung so is not full of water but as the saying goes you pay your money you takes your choice but I would have thought you could get some nice lamb from a high street butcher in north Wales ??


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## bambi2 (Oct 19, 2007)

*frnch grocery charges shock*

I look for eco+ products in l'eclerc, and have fantasic 12euro 5 course meals at les routiers restaurant called le christal at Rodez that includes lots of wine and a coffee, I also shop at Aldi and Lidle. bambi2


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