Carvoeiro 2009 Holiday review

[Bristle Si]

I post what i thought was a balanced review - supermarket feature was about 30% of message and most replies are in response to this part.

No apologies for the "bad point" from me. Blatant unwarranted profiteering! Near double prices of typical items is not fair and UK local convenience stores do not 'load' by those kind of margins; maybe 15%-20% at worst, compared to large UK supermarkets.

Plus, the supporting local businesses sentimental sob stories cut no ice either. We fully support the bars and restaurants in CVO, with our money and do not begrudge what we still consider to be fair prices in most of these establishments, despite the £/euro exchange rate issue. The fact that they are remaining competitive and still running profitable concerns (in the main), and at the same time not ripping us off is to be applauded.

And if these 'local' supermarkets are just being typical how come the expats in CVO do not use them? Answer: Because they do not want to be ripped off.
But, hey, the good old tourist is fair game!

Be back next year though!

[kteee]

We live here so we don't eat out every night, and do normal weekly shops at the supermarkets, the same as we would if we lived in the UK. How many people use their local Spar if they can go to Tesco? If you are on holiday and eating out most of the time, you don't need to do a lot of shopping so can get a few odds and ends locally

It comes down to personal choice, if you hire a car you have the choice, although you'll have to add the cost of the car into the equation!

[cereza]

[quote="loretta"]They wanted 9.50 euro for a 6x1litre pack of evian water in the local cvo supermarket.. I get it in London for £3.75.[/quote]

A 5 litre bottle of PT water in Continente costs 35 cents !!

If your movement is restricted you pay the price no matter where you are in the world. Tourists who leave themselves open will be ripped off no matter where they are. Ever bought an ice cream in central London ??
The answer is not to leave yourself vulnerable and if you don't like the prices then vote with your feet.

[Bristle Si]

"Tourists who leave themselves open will be ripped off no matter where they are"

Doesn't mean it's excusable!

As i said in my original post we were told on good (local) autority that the supermarkets in CVO centre area, increase their prices specifically for tourist season.

Granted, 5L of water is cheap.

Anyway, my last post on this subject:

Thank you to the following local convenience stores, located centrally in CVO:

- The various booze and ciggie shops - fair prices, good value
- The couple of pattiserie/cafes which offer good value
- The new Juice bar - wrap or baguette and drink for about 5 euros
- The number of pottery shops offering good quality products at fair prices
- The bars/restaurants/cafes still offering good products at fair prices
- The little gift shops selling beach stuff and much more, again at fair prices
- The pharmacies

See, 'local' supermarkets, you can offer your products at fairer prices in central CVO. The other retail/service outlets are!
So let's not use that excuse of some on here to explain the supermarket's pricing policies, that they're offering a convenient service, so are entitled to rip-off the visitors!

[cereza]

Bristle Si quote [ the supermarkets in CVO centre area, increase their prices specifically for tourist season } unquote

This also applies to airlines , travel companies, car rentals and a host of other areas.

Although I fully understand your point and have sympathy I think that as long as we live in a capatalist world there is always the desire to make as much as possible and to do this the laws of supply and demand will always rule.
It is either a low profit/high volume or high profit/low volume decision that traders have to take.
As nasty as it is , the rule seems to be that we just have to look after ourselves.

[mysecondhome]

For Info, if you are anywhere near Rocha Brava, avoid the little supermarket there like the plague (one next to the fountain). There prices are ridiculous and totally over priced, as that is the only shop in the area. Need a bit competition i think

[Ellie]

When on holiday in Carvoeiro I always patronise the local shops....got to know the lady in the one just past the alleyway to LSD, is it 'Bom Dia' supermercado?....and we have a little chat,
and also the one on the in road..as you come from the beach and before you get to the post office road, on the left. Got to know the young lady in there too.We usually have a laugh cos I only buy one custard tart.... I tell her if I have too many I get fat

But I like the Portuguese people and always make an effort to speak some of the language and I find them very friendly...
Still have quite a few friends in Lagoa from the old days.

Boa noite (just practising.... )

[dodger]

Ellie you won't get many folk argueing that they are wonderful people just that they are 'touching' people with ridiculous prices in certain places.

[snowytheboy]

One of my favourite places is the bakers at the top of the 'in' road - great cakes etc. and very reasonable prices.

[ceh]

We've always used the supermarkets for more major shoping trips but the local cvo supermarkets for convenience for a few items if only visiting for a few days ie milk, water etc much the same as at home.

However, the first time we visited cvo (in 2002) we went into one restaurant the first week (in late June) and enjoyed it so thought we'd go back the second week having tried other places. We were amazed to find that the prices had gone up on 1st July. Talking to my neighbour back home that year, he'd had the same experience in Spain.

[swanky delamore]

I have just come back from a fantastic 10 days in CVO. I must agree about the supermarket in Rocha Brava, I was stunned to be charged 6 euros for 6 brown rolls but the Delamore in me came out and I had to change the rolls for cheaper ones and only three!!
I like shopping in the small supermarkets in CVO as it brings business to local Portuguese, lovely man in supermarket at top left hand side of restaurant hill. Lovely loose olives either side of the in out road, even bought dried beans to bring home.

[Robbie]

Ok gang here is the deal. Bristle I appreciate that you started the thread for different reasons and if I were to list all the reasons I keep going back to heaven I would be here all night but I do have an answer to the local supermarket problem. If you don't have a car my advice is to take a taxi on day one of your stay to Intermarche or alternatively if you are very price conscious then the cheaper supermarket just after the roundabout "it used to be plus but it changed names and I keep forgetting it, must be getting old " and stock up on all the fundamentals including cheap beer and leave the smaller purchases to the local supermarkets. Even though there are only two of you it is surprising how much two people go through on hols. The taxi is only €5 each way and you would easily save that on your purchases. In relation to your meat I personally believe that the local butchers in the village is more competitive and more importantly better quality meat than you will get in the large supermarkets. Hopefully problem solved. And lastly given the times that are in it. At the liqor store below Metabixo you can buy a nice Portuguese brandy for €5 and a bottle of "I think its happy valley or green valley" Jesus I really must be getting old but it is the equivalent of Baileys but only costs €5 and mix the brandy and bailey's together with a heavy helping of ice and have two of them before you go out. They go down an absolute treat after a nice day in the sun and will put you in great form to handle them hills Not to heavy on the brandy Bristle or you might not make it back up those hills

[cereza]

[quote="mysecondhome"]For Info, if you are anywhere near Rocha Brava, avoid the little supermarket there like the plague (one next to the fountain). There prices are ridiculous and totally over priced, as that is the only shop in the area. Need a bit competition i think[/quote]

If you walk to the other end of Rocha Brava past The Fanatic Joker bar you will find another small supermarket with much lower prices than those at the entrance by the fountain - it's only a short walk.
There used to be a 3rd supermarket located next to The Fanatic Joker run by the same guy as the one at the entrance but the prices were much lower - when asked why such a difference he said it was due to the high rent charged by Rocha Brava. However because few holiday makers explore the area the shop by the entrance was still the busiest and thats why they shut the other one down.
For some reason people on holiday do not check what they are paying and do get ripped off - I remember buying a box of 3 magnum lollies in that supermarket but when calculating the individual price I realised that it was cheaper to buy 3 single magnums from the freezer by the door !- this is how small supermarkets make their profit. In this case it seems that it is Rocha Bravas rent that causes the exagerated levels.

[Ellie]

That is true Cereza..about Rocha Bravas charges..
We did some work at Rocha Brava when we had the business, carpentry, repair work and making window frames etc and I well remember the prices in that shop by the fountain!
But I can understand them charging that bit extra....to pay the rent.

You've brought back fond memories. Don't think its still there..but we made a display for the agent next door to shop....thats when Joao went a bit crazy with the hammer and caused a big leak! ..water everywhere

Oh how I wish we were still there...but hopefully not long now

I love the crazy life-style in Algarve as much as I love the weather

Bom dia todos (just practising.....)

[shanagarry]

When we are in Carvoeiro we always (purely out of interest) do a mystery shop for 10 items at certain times of the year. In May the 10 items (basic food and household items) cost 17% less in Pao de Acucar than Intermarche. In July the same items cost 23% more than they did in May in Intermarche. In August we added Pingo Doce to our list - they were 8% less expensive than Pao de Acucar and 21% less expensive than Intermarche. We did a shop in Continente at Algarve Shopping last Saturday (Pingo Doce is closed for refurb) - they (Continente) were 2.3% more expensive than Pingo Doce).

What I am struggling to understand in this post is the constant comparison with the UK - why? Making the comparison is futile - the currency issue takes care of that. Having spent the last 3 months in Carvoeiro - we found that our eating habits change, meaning we don't consume as much and what and what we do consume is different than we do in the UK. We travel inland to buy fruit and veg - buy household items (detergents etc) at the cheap chinese places that have shot up all over the place and find we can live cheaper than we can in the UK. We then blow all the savings on a night out - nice!

During the summer we drove to Gibraltar, spent a night in Cadiz on the way back and one in Jerez on the way there. Prices in these places, typical of Spain, are off the scale compared to Carvoeiro. Gibraltar is not cheap either. We didn't do the 10 item check - but looking at the prices for clothes and eating out - it was scary.

I realise why comparisons are made with home - it's what we know - but it's pointless. Europe is more expensive than the UK - period. The prices of cars and energy are a typical indicator - compare instead the quality of living - then there is definitely no comparison.