tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1849717027843037100.post7976047086016698325..comments2024-03-23T13:02:01.598-04:00Comments on Schnitzel Republic: Shopping Observations in GermanySchnitzel_Republichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07661743281187855265noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1849717027843037100.post-36590407722178526752014-09-13T00:58:00.321-04:002014-09-13T00:58:00.321-04:00The open-hour thing has been a revolution of sorts...The open-hour thing has been a revolution of sorts in Germany. If you go back twenty years ago...Monday through Friday, stores were open from 8AM to 6PM (Thursdays were an extra hour open), and Saturdays were strictly open on mornings (closing by 1PM). Roughly 15 years ago.....they finally crossed the point of time, and you find the stores mostly open from 7AM to 7PM...six days a week. Some even open to 9PM. And Sundays are the forbidden territory (it'll never happen). Schnitzel_Republichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07661743281187855265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1849717027843037100.post-51646995891336140342014-09-12T14:21:38.934-04:002014-09-12T14:21:38.934-04:00Things I noticed when shopping in Belgium, Germany...Things I noticed when shopping in Belgium, Germany, and the Nederlands:<br /><br />1) Competition, for the most part, seems to have been mostly outlawed in the major stores. All are closed on Sundays and close by 7pm on weekdays. They only have major sales twice a year for about a two week period. Stores have to compete at the same times during these allotted or allowed "Sale" periods. <br /><br />The exceptions are the neighborhood tobacco, soda, and international phone calling shops run by the immigrants.<br /><br />2) You won't find any Family or King size bags of chips, snacks, cereals, etc. Nor will you find a whole shopping aisle devoted just to cereal or sodas. Stores are smaller and selection is limited.<br /><br />3) Forget about buying bags of ice. Ice hasn't been discovered there yet.<br /><br />4) On the big PLUS side, you can go to a bakery at 5 or 6 in the morning and get fresh made bread. Hard to beat the smell of a European Konditorei (you will never forget the aroma of butter cookies). USA has lost the art of bread making.<br /><br />5) The farmers' markets are fabulous. Better than most stores.<br /><br />6) European stores have more variety of potatoes than we have of apples. And eggnog is available all year long. <br /><br />7) Lot of stuff that we expect to be sold refrigerated is sold on the shelf, such as milk and eggs. <br /><br />8) You can actually be served free wine on occasion in some grocery stores. <br /><br />9) European grocery stores are more digitized than our stores where prices are still posted manually on the shelves. I've seen prices change electronically right before my eyes as I was reaching for the product on the shelf. <br /><br />10) Basic food items like cheese, vegetables, milk,bread,honey,flour, etc. were cheaper than their equivalent in the USA. All restaurants were much more expensive however even the Fast Food ones.<br /><br />11) Breakfast doesn't seem to be a big thing over there. I never found a McDonalds open before 8 or 9 AM.<br />Better to go to the bakeries anyway or go for a Belgian waffle. <br /><br />12) All purpose stores like a Walmart are far and few between. You can walk yourself ragged looking for simple things like clothespins, paper clips, etc.<br />On the other hand the little shops are quaint and inviting. Shopping in Europe is like an adventure.<br /> <br /><br /><br /> blurijhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16487491839385103434noreply@blogger.com