Shopping experiences can vary between countries due to cultural norms, habits, and availability. This page includes information to help you understand British shopping habits so that you can find the best places to make your budget go further and find what you need in the local area.
Food shopping
Most people in the UK do their food shopping in the big supermarkets because they stock everything and are often cheaper than smaller shops.聽Unlike smaller shops, most large supermarkets are open until late in the evening and some even聽stay open 24 hours a day.
The main supermarkets in the UK are:
- Aldi
- ASDA (Walmart)
- Lidl
- Sainsbury
- Tesco
- Waitrose.
In general, Aldi and Lidl are considered the cheapest and Asda, Sainsbury and Tesco are mid-price. Waitrose is usually more expensive so if you鈥檙e living in Okeford House, we鈥檇 recommend walking a couple of minutes down the road to Lidl for cheaper prices. Consumer website, , publishes a list of price comparisons for supermarkets each month which can help you decide where to shop.
ASDA, Sainsbury, Tesco and Waitrose also offer a delivery service, see their website for details.
Students' Union shop at BU (SUBU)
聽shop on Talbot Campus stocks a limited range of food and snacks. It is convenient (especially if you live in the Student Village), but as is the case with most small shops in the UK, it is more expensive than the major supermarkets.
Markets
Like many larger towns in the UK, Bournemouth does not have a big market. There is a pop-up market in Boscombe on Thursdays and Saturdays, which is open all year between 9am to 5pm selling fruit, vegetables, footwear, clothes, and other items.
Finding food from home
Food from home can be a great comfort and a good way to share some of your culture with new friends.
Charminster Road is one of the most multi-cultural areas of Bournemouth and has many international food shops as well as a wide range of cafes and restaurants which serve food from different parts of the world. (You can get here by getting off the U1 UNIBUS at Cemetery Junction and walking for five聽minutes).
The also has a useful map and information about other international food stores in the local area.
Clothes shopping
Clothes in the UK may be quite expensive compared to prices in your home country. There is a wide range of clothing shops to choose from, so talk to your English flatmates, course mates or SUBU for advice about which shops are cheapest or which brands they prefer.
Below are some average prices for new clothes items you may wish to buy when you are here:
- Waterproof boots/shoes: from 拢35
- Warm coat: from 拢40
- Warm jumper (sweatshirt/fleece): from 拢15
- Umbrella: from 拢5
Bournemouth has a selection of shops in the town centre and also a good out-of-town shopping centre called Castlepoint which you can get to easily by bus. Poole has a number of budget shops as well as major brands in the Dolphin Shopping Centre. Most of the large supermarkets sell affordable clothing too.
If you want a change of scene, it is easy to visit Southampton by National Express coach, or by train. Both the coach and train stations drop passengers within easy walking distance of Southampton鈥檚 large shopping centre, West Quay.
You鈥檒l also find a lot of charity shops (called 鈥済oodwill鈥� or 鈥渢hrift鈥� stores in the US) which sell second-hand (used) clothing and homeware. Winton and Westbourne both have quite a lot of charity shops with good quality items.
Online shopping
Shopping online can be very convenient and affordable in the UK. However, please consider the following things carefully to avoid problems:
- Make sure that you are聽ordering from a legitimate and trustworth website. You can check for reviews written by others that have used the website before if you're unsure.
- Always check that the payment webpage is secure.
- Check the returns policy. Can you return the items for free if you are not happy with them when they arrive? Or will you have to pay expensive postage?
- Remember, if a deal seems 鈥渢oo good to be true鈥�, then it probably is! Follow your instincts and be cautious.
- If buying from Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, please be cautious and consider:
- Arranging聽to meet in a public space (e.g. caf茅/shopping centre) if possible
- Taking a friend with you if聽you need to collect an item from someone鈥檚 home address or make sure a friend knows聽where you are going and when you will be back.
- Avoid handing money over聽until you鈥檝e seen and checked what you鈥檙e buying matches the description.
- Be suspicious of anyone insisting on cash payment for a large amount of money. By agreeing to carry large amounts of cash in this way you are putting yourself at risk of theft or robbery.
For further tips and advice for shopping online securely, please visit .