Introduction to Supermarkets in the U.S. | UP-STUDY Educational Center

Today, let's take a look at the different types of supermarkets in the United States, their characteristics, and how to shop in a way that can save some costs during your study abroad life?

The cost of eating out in the United States is high, and tipping a certain percentage of the bill is required after meals, which makes many international students struggle with food expenses. With such high living costs, it’s important to save where possible! As a result, many international students in the U.S. choose to cook their own meals, making supermarkets a vital part of their daily life.

Supermarkets in the United States are quite large. Rather than calling them supermarkets, they could be considered big-box stores. They occupy vast spaces and offer a wide variety of goods. Every time I visit, I can fulfill all my living needs at once! For example, I always grab various American snacks like Lay's Original, Doritos, Häagen-Dazs, and Ben & Jerry's, which are much cheaper in the U.S. Students who love snacks should definitely not miss these! Some supermarkets also have their own store brands, which are usually cheaper, and you can participate in membership point systems to get discounts, which is a great way to save money!

There are many different types of supermarkets in the U.S., and it would be difficult to list them all. This article will introduce some of the most common supermarket brands across the U.S. for international students to consider.

1. Walmart

Walmart is the largest chain supermarket in the United States and the largest retail company in the world. Its store sizes range from Walmart Supercenters (large-scale shopping plazas) > Walmart Stores (similar to a Costco-size) > Walmart Neighborhood Markets (large convenience stores). Walmart offers a wide range of products at low prices, consistently following a "lowest price" strategy. You can find everything from clothing to electronics here, making it a widely known supermarket chain.

#Membership Card: No membership card required, all customers enjoy the same lowest price.

2. Target

Target's product structure is similar to Walmart, but whether it’s the store layout, product quality, or prices, you can sense that Target is slightly more upscale and trendy than Walmart, catering more to middle-class demands. Target also does well in fashion and beauty, collaborating with top designers for Target Fashion, and many of its drugstore beauty products rival major brands. What's special is that on Black Friday, Target opens early and offers a variety of discounts.

#Membership Card System: TargetREDcard of Target.

3. COSTCO

Costco should be very familiar to Taiwanese students. Costco is a warehouse-style bulk retail store that advocates a marketing strategy of large quantities, simple packaging, and low prices, which is highly favored by Americans. The prices in the U.S. are typically about one-third to half of those in Taiwan, which is a significant difference, although the food court prices are quite similar. In the U.S., Costco has both Costco Business Centers and Costco Wholesale. The former is for business use and sells items suited for businesses, while the latter offers a wider range of products with smaller package sizes, including more household goods, making it more suitable for general household shopping.

#Membership Card System: Like Taiwan, it operates on a membership system, and you can use the membership card issued in Taiwan in the U.S.

4. Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's is a chain supermarket that focuses on natural, eco-friendly products, featuring organic ingredients and a variety of rare and delicious snacks. The shelves are filled with snacks from various countries, making it especially appealing for students who enjoy a treasure hunt. Around 80% of Trader Joe's products are under its own private label, and its fresh produce is considered fresher than that of regular supermarkets, though it is slightly more expensive. Despite this, it has continuously been one of the most popular supermarkets in the U.S. It also offers free snacks for sampling every day, and the staff is very friendly, making for a very pleasant overall shopping experience.

#Membership Card System: No membership card or coupons

#Trader Joe's Recommendation: Private label chocolate bars, dairy products

5. Whole Foods

Whole Foods is the most popular organic food chain supermarket in the U.S., offering products from food to daily necessities, and even clothing, all organic. The organic products sold here must be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be sold, and if they are not certified, they cannot even be entered. It is also the first organic food retailer in the U.S. to receive government certification. The products sold include fresh fruits, vegetables, dry goods, seafood, natural everyday items, prepared foods, desserts, beverages, and vitamins, among others. Needless to say, the products are not particularly affordable.The prices are quite high.

#Membership Card System: No membership card, but occasionally they offer a $5 gift card with a $20 purchase

6. Kroger

Kroger is a chain supermarket with stores across the U.S., selling items such as fruits, vegetables, dry goods, fresh foods, seafood, household items, etc. It is the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., although its popularity is still not as high as that of Costco or Walmart. While it offers lower-priced basic household products, it also has its own store-brand products, and some of the prices are lower than those of national brands.

#Membership Card System: You can apply for a membership card and receive personalized promotions and coupons. However, it is not necessary to use the card to shop here, as most products can be found at regular stores, and the discounts are not too significant.

7. Amazon

Amazon is a massive e-commerce platform, and it sells everything from books, electronics, and groceries to home products, clothing, etc. While Amazon may not offer the freshest food, its grocery section is highly convenient. Amazon Fresh provides convenient services with fresh ingredients, making it the second largest food delivery service in the U.S. after Walmart. Many people in the U.S. choose Amazon for grocery shopping because of its vast selection, though the prices can be slightly higher for some items.

#Membership Card System: For Prime members, Amazon offers free shipping and discounts on various items.

Kroger is the second largest general retailer in the U.S., second only to Walmart, and is a century-old supermarket. Kroger is a grocery store that specializes in food and daily necessities, and sometimes the discounted items are even cheaper than Walmart. Also, almost every Kroger store looks very similar, which makes it easy to recognize and is quite cute.

#Membership Card System: Free membership cards can be applied for

# Kroger Recommendation: Fresh fruits

7.  Safeway

Safeway's prices are slightly higher, but the store interior is bright, and the shopping experience is better. It is usually located near residential areas, making it extremely convenient for local residents. Safeway operates under different brand names in various regions, such as: Carrs-Safeway (Alaska), Pak'n Save (California), Pavilions (Southern California), Randalls (Texas), Tom Thumb (Texas), Vons (Southern California and Nevada).

#Membership Card System: Free membership cards with member prices

8. ALDI

ALDI is the only German supermarket brand that has carved out a niche in the U.S. supermarket industry, and it also acquired Trader Joe's. Its biggest feature is the low prices on fresh products because the company saves a lot of costs and passes those savings onto consumers. As a result, their products are much cheaper than other supermarkets, but they tend to have more private-label brands and sometimes lack some of the big-name products. They have also created their own organic food brand. In terms of location, they are typically found near residential areas and college towns.

#Membership Card System: None

*Other supermarkets for daily goods and pharmaceuticals

1. CVS

CVS is the U.S. supermarket chain with the most stores and the second-highest sales in the pharmaceutical category. In addition to pharmaceuticals, it sells food and daily necessities. Its private-label products are also very useful. It is typically located in busy commercial areas and high-foot-traffic zones, and some branches are open 24 hours a day, making it convenient for emergency shopping.

#Membership Card System: Free membership card,

2. Walgreens

Walgreen is basically similar to CVS, with stores ranging from small to large, usually located in downtown areas of major cities. In addition to pharmacy products, it also sells general consumer goods, photo printing, and health and hygiene services, etc.

#Membership Card System: There is a free Rewards Card, which can accumulate points for cash rewards, which can be redeemed in future purchases.

3. Dollar Tree

Dollar Tree is the U.S. dollar store, where most items cost $1, but you get what you pay for, as the quality is generally lower. The store sells items including beauty products, food, party supplies, decorations, various household goods, as well as books, educational materials, electronics, and car products, etc.

#Membership Card System: None

The above is an introduction to some common supermarket brands in the U.S.

In general, if you frequently shop at U.S. supermarkets, you'll notice that the prices are quite affordable

and almost every supermarket has a membership card system, which can help save on living expenses while studying abroad.

For students who are particular about food quality, you can frequently visit Trader Joe's and Whole Foods

But overall, the experience still depends on personal preferences, consumption habits, and location~

If you're planning to study in the U.S., you can check which supermarket suits you best!