Introduction

You may find that shopping in the Netherlands is quite a different experience than what you are used to. Use the following as your guide:

Grocery Shopping hints
* Take your own bags to the supermarket, you can purchase them there also for up to Euro0,20c/bag.
* There are no "one-stop-shops".
* Don't forget to take a number, if no number is apparent keep an eye on who comes in after you.
* Always remember to put a non-priced (or broken) item in your trolley that you don't really want and save it to the end. By the time they have found (or not) the item price, you will have bought yourself some time to have packed your trolley. Ignore the stares of shoppers behind you.
* Accept the fact that there are 25 people waiting and only two checkouts open. Or that other checkouts may be open with one or none queuing and 10 in your queue, waiting for you to get moving.
* Accept the fact that you will need to go to at least eight stores to get your grocery shopping done.
* Always keep lots of cash on hand.
* Trolleys (winkelwagons) are all coin operated, remember to take €0,50cent and €1,00 coins with you. You can also get key rings that have a disk which is the size of a €0,50cent coin.
* There are no double trolleys or trolleys for two children.


Opening hours

Strange as this may seem, this is quite an important topic because the opening hours are limited and a little frustrating when you are used to being able to 'pop out' and get stuff.

Officially stores are permitted to open from 8am to 10pm during the week, you will find however that this is largely ignored. Outside of central Rotterdam stores do not open on a Sunday. Larger stores and shopping centres open 12 times during the year - generally the first Sunday of each month. The generally accepted opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday (suburbs are open until 9pm Thursdays) and Friday 9am to 9pm in Rotterdam centre. Rotterdam centre is open on Sundays from 12 noon to 5pm every weekend.

The above is a guide only as stores generally choose their own opening times quite separate from consumer need and sales opportunity.

The actual opening hours are as follows:
Monday (if at all): 12-1pm to 5-6pm.
Tuesday to Thursday: 9-10am to 5-6pm
Friday: 9-10am to 9pm
Saturday:9.30am to 5-6pm (this may differ outside of city centre)
Sunday: 12-1pm to 5-6pm (Rotterdam centre only)

Supermarkets seem to be the only stores to open out of "normal" hours, ie. Albert Hein are 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday.

Where are the corner stores?

When the supermarkets are closed, you can go to something called an "Avondwinkel", essentially meaning night shop. It is generally more expensive as you are paying for the convenience of it being open until late. They open when the other stores close and are also open on Sundays. Opening hours are from around 5pm until 1am and from noon to 1am on Sunday. They are not very frequent but below is a selection.

EFE Avondwinkel Niewe Binnenweg, 180a, 3015BJ Rotterdam ctr	Avondwinkel Goudsesingel, 227a-229a, 3031EK Rotterdam ctr
Lamaari Avondwinkel Niewe Binnenweg, 273, 3021GE, Rotterdam ctr	De Avondmarket Beijerlandsein 43, 3074EB Rotterdam
Sjako Night Shops Pleinweg, 6a, 3083EB, Rotterdam	Fa Hazi & Meir Avondmarkt Benthuizerstr 86b, 3036CL Rotterdam
Sjako Night Shops Kruisplein, 155, 3014DD, Rotterdam	Baqqoe Avondwinkel Mathenesserweg 1, 3027HC Rotterdam
Tarifit Avondwinkel Schiedamseweg, 53, 3026AC,	De Schieweg Avondwinkel Shieweg 105-107, 3038AK,
De Goudse Rijweg Avondwinkel Goudse rijweg 13, 3061DA, Kralingen

Who and where are the supermarkets?

Below is a list of the main supermarkets found in Rotterdam. They are not ranked in any particular order although Albert Hein is the largest and most popular, if not the most prolific and expensive.

Albert Heijn (XL) - The largest chain in Netherlands, have internet shopping, where you can also access Etos, Gall&Gall and Deli XL.
Jumbo
C1000
Spar - budget
Super de Boer - budget
Edah
Bas van der Heijden - budget
Plus - have a delivery service but you must first purchase in the shop and arrange a time there.
Toko – Indian, Indonesian – spices and eastern delicacies. Found all over Rotterdam
Groene Passage – excellent organic supermarket, meat deli in central Rotterdam

Look in your yellow pages type ‘Supermarkts’ in Wat zoetk u? and ‘Rotterdam’ in Waar? You will get a comprehensive listing of the various supermarkets and food stores in your area.

What are the alternatives to the supermarket?

You will generally find in your local suburb, a good shopping centre with all the specialist stores; including butcher, baker, tea & coffee shop, cheese shop, fish, meat, deli and grocer. This is the real Dutch way of shopping.

The freshness and selection of produce is often better at your local shops or at weekly markets held around Rotterdam.

Fish is best bought fresh from the market or specialist fish stores also. If you buy at any of the markets, they will scale the fish, fillet it and cut off the head. You will pay for the whole fish however, it is weighed before the filleting process.

Below is a listing of Dutch names for all the specialty stores:

Butcher - Slagerij
Poultry and Game - Poelier
Fish and Seafood - Vishandel
Bakery - Bakkerij
Pastry and confectionary - Banketbakkerij
Greengrocer - Groenteman/Groenteboer
Cheese shop - Kaashandel
Deli - Delicatessenwinkel
Dairy produce - Zuivelhandel
Alcohol - Sliterij
Healthfood - Reformhuis (they sell Maple Syrup here)

Where do I find my favourite items from home?

If you miss your favourite foods from home, there are a number of different sources to purchase from.

Online
Baking
Asia, Africa, Europe
Out of Rotterdam


Online

Expat Shopping website - http://www.expatshopping.com Expat Essentials website - http://www.expatessentials.co.uk Provides over 2,600 of Britain's best loved food and non food products from marmite, tea, chocolate to magazines and baby care goods. Thomas Greens website - http://www.thomasgreen.nl A British online store that also stocks American, South African and Australian products. Great Aussie Food website - http://www.greataussiefood.com.au Great Aussie Foods deliver world wide, and are happy to source specific requests. Includes items such as vitamins, pantry items, drinks, sauces and spreads etc. Forage website - http://www.forage.nl Provider of over 650 different products from the UK, America, and South Africa. A Quarter of website - http://www.aquarterof.co.uk Old fashioned British sweet shop selling traditional sweets. Best of British website - http://www.bestofbritish.nl If they don’t have what you want, they will try to get it for you. Expat Boxes website - http://www.expatboxes.com An Expatbox is full of the things you miss from home. Either a themed box, or a box that you make up and request it. Also available is a range of Union Jack souvenirs. British Export Grocer website - http://www.britishexportgrocer.com British food & groceries. Expat Direct website - http://www.expatdirect.co.uk Wide range of traditional and luxury British food and drink products including books and magazines for delivery worldwide.

Baking

Dutch Windmill Shop Terbregse Rechter Rottekade 91, Hillegersberg, Rotterdam English and American baking products. Opening hours: 10-4pm Tuesday to Saturday.

Asia, Africa and Europe

Euro Africa Nieuwe Binnenweg 306b, 3021GT, Rotterdam Stocks dried codfish plus a variety of specialities from Portugal, Africa and Brazil. Asian Foods Nieuwe Binnenweg and Kruiskade, Rotterdam West Kruiskade, Rotterdam. You can find many different cultures and shops offering all kinds of Asian products in the West Kruiskade area. Chinese Supermarkets Wah Nam Hong West Kruiskade 4-6, Rotterdam Ocean Paradise Opposite Euromast in the floating hotel. Rice & Spice Food Store website - http://www.rice-spice.com Schiedamseweg 153A, Rotterdam Multicultural products; food and non food. Also Afro hair products and cosmetics. Pasta di-Mamma website - http://www.pastadimamma.nl Vastelaand 42, 3011BM, Rotterdam Pasta Genova Italian Deli Zwaanshals 558-570, 3035KT, Rotterdam Wildhandel Treuren Jonker Fransstraat 61, Rotterdam Wild meats, pate, fois-gras and lamb. Closed Monday. La Salute website - http://www.lasalute.nl Kerkstraat 8a, 3054NC, Hillegersberg Delicatessen, Italian wines, catering, home cooking, workshops, restaurant.

Out of Rotterdam
There are a number of stores offering various products that are based in Amsterdam, Delft and The Hague.

The Hague / Den Haag

Van Dijk Ursulaland 80, Den Haag Offering a large variety of imported foods including Hamburger Helper, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Crisco vegetable shortening, Oreos and much, much more. Forasté Van Hoytemastraat 74, Den Haag French Traiteur Maison Rigal website - http://www.maisonrigal.com Van Hoytemastraat 113, Den Haag French Epicerie Russian Supermarket Piet Heinstraat 66, Den Haag Specialises in genuine Russian food and drinks, books and videos, Babushkas and several other things. Italy Wines & Deli Piet Heinstraat 20, Den Haag

Delft

Il Tartufo - Italian Minderbroerstraat 2, Delft Freshly-made pasta plus a range of other Italian delights

Amsterdam

Tijn's Eerste van der Helstraat 64, Amsterdam Tijn's is an Asian grocery store that stocks US food. You’ll find products including Cheez Its, Duncan Hines frostings, Hershey’s chocolate syrup, Cheltenhouse salad dressings, Marshmallow Fluff, Karo corn syrup and best of all, ZipLoc bags. The store also carries ingredients for Japanese, Indian, Indonesian and Filipino cooking, and has cooked dishes (Indonesian and Surinam food) for takeaway. Mediterranee Haarlemmerdijk 184, The Jordaan, Amsterdam French, Moroccan and Dutch baking traditions are all practiced under the one roof. The finest croissants in town, too.