Shopping in the UK - Student Life - English Language Courses UK

SHOPPING IN THE UK

COMMODITY PRICE LIST

MARKETS IN THE UK


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Shopping in the UK

Shopping in the UK is quite different from the shops elsewhere. For a start, not many people shop at markets any more for their daily shopping. Often people will only shop once per week in a large supermarket such as Sainsbury's or Tesco.

All the shops have fixed pricing systems, so it is not possible to get a "special" reduction when it comes to paying the final bill, however, most of the supermarkets do have special deals on each week or month.

Student Rebates

Unlike some cities in other parts of the world, there is no special area dedicated for student shopping. Subsidised goods may be available from university campus shops on goods such as stationery etc. Some specialist shops will offer students a discount of around 10-20% upon showing their student ID card. Depending on the city you live in, there might be some student discount booklets or cards available which offer money off in shops, restaurants and bars.

VAT Reductions

If you make a large purchase of clothes or electronic items then you may be able to reclaim the VAT(17.5%) on the purchase. Make sure you get a receipt from the point of purchase and then hand this in at the airport when you leave the country. For more information on VAT rebates please check the Customs & Excise website

Types of Shops

There are no government shops in the UK, although some shops do need a license to operate.

Supermarket	Typically a very large shop that sells all sorts of items. Most students would get their weekly food shopping from a supermarket - also includes items such as toiletries, music, newspapers & magazines, flowers, electrical items etc. Almost every brand of item will be stocked and prices are usually lower than those of a corner shop. Might be further away from accommodation, but price reductions usually mean that the journey is worthwhile. Supermarkets also stock a large range of alcoholic goods. Often open 24 hours on most days.
Corner Shop	A smaller version of the supermarket, with a more limited range of goods. Prices are normally higher as the customer pays extra for the proximity of the store. Some supermarkets have opened smaller versions of their stores such as Tesco "Metro" and Sainsbury's "Local", especially in city centre locations. Increasingly they are open very late or even 24 hours.
Newsagent	As the name implies this shop sells a wide variety of newspapers and magazines. It will also stock some confectionary, soft drinks and other food items. Depending on the size of shop, it may also sell stationery, greeting cards, batteries and children's toys.
Specialist Shops	These are the usual range of specialist shops. This ranges from sports shops to beauty shops, from chemists to music shops and from furniture stores to clothing stores. You might also find more than you would expect in one shop - for example, Boots and Superdrug are meant to be chemists or pharmacies but they also sell food items and a range of toiletries.
Department Stores	They might stock only their own brand of goods (Marks & Spencers) or a variety of different brands (Debenhams, John Lewis etc.). Can be an expensive option as the customers pays for having many different types of product under one roof and also the city centre location.
Charity or 2nd-hand Shops	These shops take in unwanted goods from any source and sell them on to the public in order to raise funds for a good cause. Second-hand clothes might not be the latest fashion but for students on a tight budget it means they can keep warm in the winter months.
Off-license	An off-license is a shop selling alcohol. They often have special deals on to encourage bulk buying and provide party snacks such as crisps and nuts etc. There is no restriction on the amount one can buy, but students must have proof of being over 18 in order to buy alcoholic goods.
Duty free	This is a special type of shop only available at ports and airports where most or all goods are sold free of duty (VAT). Changes to European laws have restricted what is available on journeys to EU countries. Laptops and other electrical items might seem cheaper but make sure you do your research before splashing out.
Budget Shops	Budget shops provide all goods at cheap prices. They can do this by selling stock of closed-down stores or buying in high quantities. Usually these stores will offer every item for a fixed price like �1 or 99p. Whilst the prices might seem cheap ensure that the quality is good and if in any doubt buy from a mainline store.
"DIY" Shops	It is expensive in the UK to hire someone to do small maintenance tasks around the house like painting or hanging pictures on the wall. For this reason, there has been a craze for "Do It Yourself" shops such as B&Q. This is type of shop to go to if you need to buy any toolkits, paint to redecorate a flat, screws, nails etc.