Same Same But Different

There’s something about being in a new city that means I end up spending a ridiculous amount of time in the supermarket. Everything in there is so new, so disorientating and so interesting; the supermarket becomes a museum of food and a way to see under the bonnet of a country’s culture. Plus I’m never organised enough to buy more than one days’ supplies at a time. All the little differences and local products are a source of endless fascination- not to mention the sometimes frustration of trying to navigate unknown aisles and track down the essentials. And Hong Kong was no different: the quirks of food shopping here have provided fascination and frustration in equal measure.

When we arrived in Hong Kong it was the sweaty, sticky height of summer. Durian season was in full swing and the smell permeated the local supermarket, so much so that a wave of unmistakable durian fragrance hit you the moment you entered the store.

“The supermarket becomes a museum of food and a way to see under the bonnet of a country’s culture”

With durian being the marmite of Asian fruits, this could either entice you in or put you off setting foot in the store entirely. Thankfully for me, a durian hater, now that Autumn is here the smell has gone, but there are still plenty of other quirks unique to food shopping in Hong Kong.

Things here seem to come in extremely small, or extremely large sizes. Shampoo, for example, is sold in huge, salon-sized bottles. Excellent news for the price-conscious shopper who loves bulk-buys. But not so easy to lug home with the rest of your shopping, or to fit in your spatially-challenged Hong Kong apartment.

“The shampoos and conditioners are sold in huge, salon-sized bottles”

Bread, however, is at the other end of the spectrum: you can buy a mere four slices if a loaf is too much for you. Hong Kong is, in many ways, a paradise for single-shoppers.

Thanks to the high population density and lack of space the supermarkets in Hong Kong, and on the island in particular, are much smaller than their counterparts in other countries. This has its downsides — goodbye large variety of products, hello brand-name-only shopping.

However, it also has an unexpected upside. The supermarkets here have their own jingles which they play on a loop, so after 5 minutes of hearing the same song you’ll be glad to be able to whiz round the small store and grab the rest of your shopping before the repetition becomes too much.

If all of that has put you off, head to one of Hong Kong’s many wet markets for your food shopping. They are jam-packed with fresh produce, cheaper than the supermarkets and best of all there’s not a jingle to be heard — but beware, you will see parts of fishes and animals you’ve likely never seen before!