Supermarkets in Poland: differences and similarities to the UK.

Awww poor you. You do realise that they do this so that customer have to search their stores for the product they want and they do this in the hope that when the customer are searching for the desired product they pick up other stuff.

IT'S ALL LIES I TELL YOU!!!

No it isn't.

Chill out before YOU check out...

Thanks everyone!

Ogorki, there seems to alot of convergence in supermarkets and the way they do things so hence the reason why and yes I agree, things are done similarly!

However, there are alot of differences that stand out, such as product selection, store format etc which everyone has been kind at describing.

In a world where Tesco seems to dominate its interesting to see how much effort they really make to localise in a new country, aside from what they say in the 'Annual Reports'!

...Misty I watched a documentry on that a while back, its scary how they can control our minds! I always end up buying more than I think I need beacuse of 'bargains' that are displayed in just the right place!

Just don't go shopping when you're hungry, that's the worst thing to do. I can add that some time ago in polish supermarkets there was only 1 checkout in 5 opened for customers who were queuing in this one place. Understaffed and cutting costs by not hiring enough people, but I think that this problem is not existant anymore.

thanks frd.

I wonder, have people's buying habits changed since Tesco and Carrefour have arrived - do people by more in bulk perhaps or get more fresh stuff from supermarkets rather than small, traditional stores?

I think it's a bit of both, depending of course on their income levels. The Tesco here is a little bit out of the way for some so they want to make their trip worthwhile by stocking up more fully. I notice that Poles buy a lot of 24 packs or bigger items. It works out cheaper for them.

For the things which you cannot get to a high enough standard in Tesco, people go to market stalls which are popular here. You can pick up some excellent fish, fruit+veg but seasonal prices really vary here.

Habits have logically changed. You use the options you have around you. The preference before was to go to stores such as Lidl, Plus and Biedronka. Biedronka have really branched out, replacing the Plus stores. These are supermarkets for poorer people for the most part.

There are 2 Carrefour stores here, both located in large complexes. That's quite sensible as people may be going to Leroy Merlin, for example, and then see the big Carrefour sign. Then, when they go in, they might realise that they had more things to pick up than they (had) previously thought.

Tesco prefers its status as a stand-alone store.

Bloody snob :P

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned - Tesco is regarded by many people (at least in Poznań) as being a supermarket for poorer people. Certainly, the prices and the appearance of the shop look more like Lidl in the UK as opposed to Tesco.

I'd definitely argue that Tesco was a lower class of supermarket than in the UK.

Nah, it's just the truth ;) I often shopped there, believing that they represented value for money.

The pecking order has changed in the UK. I can remember ASDA, Bridge of Dee, way back in 1999 and even before. It was anything but a nice experience but they have really made inroads into sprucing it up. Of course, you had Sainsbury's right opposite, vying for custom. They have climbed the ranks.

Tesco, for me anyhow, is still a quality supermarket. I like their own range of products and they also have Tesco Value products which are intended for those on tighter budgets. I just use my discretion, the Value products can be as good as Tesco's standard brands.

well, I also heard the same thing, Tesco and Lidl are beeing thought of as supermarkets for thrifty people. For quality goods visit real, geant or kaufland...

i Love Polish tesco and Polish lidl and i personally never came accross someone regarding to those shops as 'for poor people'. more like for people who wanna save money, like it's always been with shopping in supermarkets. pardon me, Hipermarkets lol. it's not just the 'poorer' people that go there. also i don't see much of a difference between real and tesco or example. and in England there is quite a gap between prices in say Asda and Waitrose, although i live not far from a Waitrose and i find that it's not that bad, they just have more fancy stuff but Waitrose own brand produce is on about the same (price and quality) level as for example Tesco Finest stuff. Waitrose Jambalaya mmm lol. Polish supermarkets have a much bigger variety of products especially when it comes to fish and meat. i always remember being a kid it was such an exciting trip going to the hipermarkets ha ha. i've not been to Auchan or Leroy Merlin mind you.

Waitrose, I've never heard of them. I don't know if we have them in Scotland.

Yes, they are appearing here now. Not many so far but they're arriving. It's an off-shoot of the John Lewis group I think.

Waitrose is touted as a better supermarket than Tesco's, Asda etc but the one I sometimes go to doesn't look any different inside to Tesco, Sainsbury's or many others. Waitrose is pricier but it's fine for just grabbing a few items. (Same as M&S). Now if you're ever in Edinburgh go to Jenners Food Hall...that's pricey! ;)

JustysiaS is right, why are these supermarkets like Tesco or Lidl seen as for poorer people? Because the food is cheaper? Well, more fool the person who pays the higher price.

Actually I have a question going back to my picture yesterday. The individual cigarette dispensers at the check outs, are they the norm in Polish supermarkets? Is there no small kiosk for buying cigarettes and a newspaper? Also a lot of the bigger supermarkets here have things like cafes, dry cleaners in them, are they like this in Poland?

In Tesco, there is a small kiosk for buying ciggies. Not only in Tesco but in many places. There is a small cafe plus an ice-cream shop, amongst other things. There is a handful of other shops contained within the building.

I don't think Tesco is for poorer people at all. I agree with you both.

They do have ciggie dispensers at checkouts, quite normal.

Thanks for the info, PD.

I can't say all, because I don't know. But most, Yes.

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Very often with big supermarkets it's: distance from home, cost, size of car park and speed/time of round trip.

I have also seen them here in the UK at a branch of somerfields by the checkouts.

I've been thinking about this...I have a vague recollection of supermarkets here having something like that but it would be when I was a child (while ago ;)


That makes sense.


You're welcome.


Eek, it might not have been my childhood then...

Nothing like Japan where they had cigarette vending machines, very nice they were. Their fags were cheap too.

I find that when im in Poland and nip in to the local supermarket Savers (sells some tesco value brands) or Polo the trolleys are the size of a kids toy.

Marks & Spencer are slowly raising the stakes when it comes to supermarket food in Poland, frozen ready meals now available in their Złote Tarasy branch in Warsaw.

Hi Holly,

Store layouts depend on store sizes...both in carrefour + tesco's

I've taken my backpack into both stores with no problems.

Marks and Spencers is very rare in Poland only Warsaw i think.

If you need anymore info about Tesco's Poland...just send me an email.....I work in the HQ of Tesco's Poland..

Darenridgway: I can't e-mail you direct as you're a guest, but here's a question:

In the Bydgoszcz 24-hour Tesco, why is it that if you go in at 2100 or 2200, there are usually just 2 or 3 checkout lanes open and huge queues, and 4 or 5 manager-types standing around doing nothing? Have these people not had training on how to jump in an open up a register?

At my local Lidl, at least, as soon as the queues extend they right away open up additional registers.

Hi Daren,

I've sent you an email explaining what the questions are about, many thanks!

Please don't feel like you have to answer all the questions!

...its been great reading all the feedback, thanks v.much to everyone!

Best wishes,

Holly

yes that's right they've had no training in tills and it is a huge problem....

most aren't the sharpest tool in the box but it actually comes from Tesco's UK where they won't give the budget to train and also due to recession and budget cuts over the past 2 years....savings have to be made in certain areas and checkouts get hit the worst but in Poland it hasn't affected takings ...as Polish customers have been brought up waiting.

it's a slow process but steps are changing throughout the country.....some egions are far worse than others....

My advice shop in Lidl if u r happier there :)

Hi Holly,

Just saw this thread and thought I'd put in my two cents worth. Regarding trust in stores - it used to be much worse. I'm from the states and the first time I was in Poland was in 1994 and when I went shopping with my now husband, I was amazed that you HAD to take a cart when you went into a store. Didn't matter if you just wanted to buy matches - you had to have a cart. What if they were all taken I asked him - well then you just waited! This was in one of the first "supermarkets" that were in Poland, called Super Sams I think. So I not surprised that you can't take a "rucksack" (is this a backpack?).

Also, customer service has come a loooong way from back then. I'm not sure of the whys but customer service is definitely moving in a positive direction.

Good luck with your studies.

Well it's not that bad, I remember going to Slovakia when I was a kid. In one of their supermarkets (it was the smallest kind ) there was a guarding lady who would let in only 10 people at the same time. It was a 40-smth people sightseeing party, so we had to wait..

cheers Tamara, wow that unusual! Never heard that before! yeah thats a rucksack =-)

thanks for the info!

Carrefour seem to be on the same sort of level as real and geant (are geant still in Poland? Their properties were bought by real).

For real quality stuff (and frightening prices) go to Bomi or Piotr i Pawel. Bomi is the more upscale of those two.

Tesco in Olsztyn is a cr@p hole. The till staff are often largely temps and the service is often hellishly slow (especially at night... I thought 24 hour service meant they opened 24 hours, not that it took 24 hours to gt served). Attitude often unfriendly.

The "safety" aspct would cause heart failure to any Brit inspector. Pallets left in the middle of the floor, spilt liquids not cleaned up (and disinterested shrugs when the staff ar informed), dangerous overhead shelves. The check-out system is difficult for baskets retrieval. Oftn there are no baskets available for new customers because the queue and the sweet stands mean the staff can't get used baskets back for new customers. Customers often have to find their own.

In both Tesco and Carrefour (and other supermarkets) Alcohol is sold in a special inner area and the receipt shown on exit of the main shop, unlike UK stores where it is just on normal shelves.

Probably more promotion/demos of produce than in UK stores. Displays often messier after clothes etc have just been dumped back.

I notice the workers don't have knee cushions, as they do in UK after a few court cases, also less likely to have full uniform. Female workrs seem to have a desire to reveal their buttock cleavage when stacking lower shelves (hey, Tesco aint all bad, I suppose).

The shops also shut on major religious holidays and commemorative holidays (whereas we money grabbing Brits would probably open up)

That's common to all Polish supermarkets. No doubt as soon as 'no win, no fee' arrangements can be offered by Polish lawyers, all of that will finally change.