Supermarket price comparison

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:59 pm

Only 7 days to go yippee.

For the second year running I am staying up past QDP just around from Eschondino. Last year I used the little supermarket in QDP on a daily basis for water, bread, milk, eggs, beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks etc. Can anyone advise if I would be better going to a large supermarket and bulk buy the non-perishable goods or is the savings for a 2 week supply really not worth it. I would need to take a taxi there and back so that would be an added expense. ALthough I am a Scotsman I an not really that tight but if the savings are really worth it then I would do it. Further, it would save me the daily walk up the hill laiden down with shopping.

Cheers

Steve

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:20 pm

Hi Stevie-C,

Personally I prefer to use the little shops rather than the big ones like Intermarche as I find it more convenient. Also, I think it better to keep the money within the village ( mind you I am a tourist so I don't always look for value , just convenience ) .
Have a great time anyway,

Craig

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:45 pm

Craig wrote:Hi Stevie-C,

Personally I prefer to use the little shops rather than the big ones like Intermarche as I find it more convenient. Also, I think it better to keep the money within the village ( mind you I am a tourist so I don't always look for value , just convenience ) .
Have a great time anyway,

Craig

Im same as you Craig and only use the local shops in the village...mind you, Im usually alone so I can stock fridge and it lasts a long time

But if you've a family to cater for Stevie, I suspect it would be cheaper for you to shop at Intermarche?

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:52 pm

I agree with Ellie and Craig about keeping it local, but I think you will find that Modelo in Lagoa (if it is still a Modelo) is much cheaper than Intermarche which we find expensive. : )

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:44 am

Thanks folks

Gerry Cullen · Post by **Gerry Cullen** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:38 pm

The trouble with the big supermarkets is that ye tend to buy on sight, ye know what i mean.Theres so much and it tends to look so cheap that you end with fifty euro worth of stuff that you never dreamed of buying and trying bits and pieces for no good reason.
I know i find myself throwing out packets of porridge jars of branston pickle and ,of all things roll mops every time I come out.

jojo · Post by **jojo** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:48 pm

Interesting to know there's a Modelo in Lagoa. Where in Lagoa is it, and also anyone know where the market is too? (in Lagoa) I like the sound of "cheaper"!

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:12 am

Modelo is just off the N125 by the first roundabout in the direction of Portimao....the same exit as the waterpark.
It's certainly cheaper than Intermarche, probably slightly less choice than Intermarche.

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:36 pm

Used most of the little supermarkets in CVO this time out but what a price everything was. If you are on a budget and are catering for a family I would look at the larger cheaper supermarkets.

sanreen · Post by **sanreen** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:05 pm

We use lidl alot when we are out and find it really good value.

Gary/Gaynor · Post by **Gary/Gaynor** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:40 am

If Gary and I (and usually a family tag-along) are on a fairly long stay then we tend to do a big shop at Modelo to get the usual non perishables at the start of the hols and then stock up on the bread, milk, water, wine, meat (from the Blue Rock), fish, in the local shops. So each gets a bit of our money and I don't feel so bad about the local trade missing out

Gaynor

TerryC · Post by **TerryC** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:08 pm

We used to do a big shop on arriving and regular top-ups from the Intermarche. At the end of the holiday we threw so much away it was criminal. We now do a daily/bi-daily shop of just the things we need and have saved a lot of money and waste. Shop around the small supermarkets in town and you often get better prices than the big stores. We have found the super market up the hill, on the left hand side, past the Municipal market pretty good on most things.....and of course the Municipal is great for fresh produce. You need to get up early though.

GeeBe · Post by **GeeBe** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:39 pm

Having just got back, I have decided that Intermarche is over priced. Sure there are things you can only buy in there but I wont be doing a big shop there again.

Modelo will be my choice now on, I bought alot of Contenente stuff in there which was lovely. In fact when I went to the retail park in Portmao there was a big Contenente there. I may see how much stuff I can get there when I am back in October.

Misty · Post by **Misty** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:40 pm

If you want to buy the cheapest stuff you need to shop where the Portuguese shop. I tend to shop in Modelo as their food is excellent and very reasonable and also Aldi (although the closest is Alcantarilha), now that Plus has gone

Although I am told Pingo Doce is reasonable.

The Intermarche is always more than Modelo/Continente, but they do put up their prices in high season. Then the local smaller shops are even more than that.
You would think it costs as much, if not more to buy food here than the UK, but really its just the local shops' prices. We spend half as much as we used to in the UK here. I dread to think how much it would cost us in the UK these days.

Anyway, if you can afford to come on holiday and support the smaller businesses, then great. If not, shop where us locals shop!!

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:31 am

I agree about the Hypermarkets, especially Carvoeiro Intermarche in the summer.
The way we tend to operate is to do our big shops at the Modelos etc, but do the smaller corner shop stuff at the local supermarket at Centiannes.

They are more expensive, but you always pay for convienience, and you cant say "oops I havent got enough money with me!" at Intermarche, and pay the next time you are in there.

My only prob, besides the higher prices, with my local supermarket, is that the bread is that heavy stuff, and that the fruit and veg are never that fresh.
But you are always greeted as old friends....and I quite like that