How much of your shopping do you get from the UK or outside of France?
I have spent quite some time researching the cost of weekly food shopping items, building materials, car parts & other items available on the internet(practically everything really) & comparing them with the same or very similar in the UK & other E.U. countries.
Many items here are extremely expensive in comparison to the UK; Royal Canin dog food is 50% more expensive here, it's a French made product! Thus I buy mine from the UK.
I order my tyres for both cars from the UK as they are so much cheaper, even with delivery costs, same with car parts for my Landrover & Peugeot.
I have made comparisons with online companies, comparing ebay.fr against the UK & Germany, always cheaper elsewhere. Compare books on Amazon, there's no competition, we buy elsewhere all of the time.
After all, isn't that what the E.U. is all about, breaking down the barriers between member countries in order to benefit from the economic market, making it easier to trade between member countries?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Glen Allsopp on -
They have a French website too but they are cheaper on the UK one, even with delivery!
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Permalink Reply by Brian Milne on -
One thought occurs to me that eSpares offers a lot of replacement parts for electricals and so on that you can hunt yourself silly looking for here in France - even for French things. Have a look people and note how relatively cheap they are, postage not bad either. I am on their mailing list and just as if telepathy a message popped up five minutes ago and prompted me to add this.
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Permalink Reply by Steve YATES on -
I have used eSpares for replacement parts for my UK sourced double oven (Creda), excellent service.
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Green on -
Yes, I agree that things here are often more expensive but we have also found that prices for some items, especially in the Brico's have over the last year become more reasonable. Furniture and beds are very expensive, luckily we came with far too much furniture so that was not a problem. On the whole I find that meat appears to be cheaper. I do quite a bit of internet shopping through Amazon, both fr and uk, The Stencil Library uk, sometimes M&S but their quality seems to be deteriorated over time. A very good website for all manner of tools is www.otelo.com a french site with extremely good delivery and prices on most items. Their catalogue is enourmous. Also agree Cdiscount is good for electrical stuff. We have recently bought a woodburner from Bricomarche and costed the identical item in the UK and it would have cost between twice and three times as much there, so you have to shop around. Another item that is extortionate here are central heating oil, probably because you pay full VAT here but wood for burning very much cheaper here in Burgundy.
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Permalink Reply by richard robinson on -
General shopping here in France can be a lot more expensive but it does depend on where you shop. The low cost super markets can be great for doing the weekly shop. Of course you may not be able to get all of what you want and that trip to one of the bigger places maybe needed. Even the larger places are so different in there prices. Just like in the UK we have to shop around.
Car's and car parts we know are expensive but I've started to shop round, recently bought 2 tyre's for my Fiat fitted and balanced 35 euro each. Which is a great price. Haggle if they want the business a better price will be given. I personally run a RHD car as I cannot bring myself to pay such ridiculous high prices for second hand cars. Ebay.fr seems better on price but still nowhere near the prices in the Uk. I have been told recently by a French friend that buying in Germany works out a lot cheaper and of course LHD. Its all down to what you can afford and want to pay. If you are going to spend a fair amount on a car it probably would work out better to buy a low market budget range car. At least get a good warranty and a new car. Plenty of bargains to be had on new cars.
On a note I have some English friends who buy through one of the many company's who transport shopping over to France from the UK. They buy things like wine and bread which I personally find crazy. Each to there own.
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Permalink Reply by sharon allen on -
Hi All,
well I hit the sales at Carrefore with a vengence 80% off everthing in the clothes section I bought all my grandkids inthe UK, christmas and birthday presents, It was so exiting, knowing how outrageously expensive kids clothes are, I got brand disney outfit shouldve been 20 quid I got for 4 euros, shoes, heavy coats 3.60, I was like a rat up a drainpipe, so I cant wait for, the July ones.I agree when we go back visiting I do load up, as it cost up to 400 on brittany ferries, our car is usually groaning. and I miss the £1 shops for bits and bobs although here in Normandy, carrefore has started doing shelves of bits and bobs for 1 euro and 2 euros, sorry to advertise but its where we shop!And ive just ordered a washing machine part from a shop near where we used to live in England so yes I also agree phone and tinternet godsend.. thats if you can get on .. but thats another frustrating story..... hope you are all keeping warm outthere,
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Prior on -
I agree shopping online is a necessary in France and if your French is below average often a must . So much less stressful to buy in your mother tongue and at competitive prices . Amazon .co .uk deliveries are a god send as are all the shops which offer delivery to France . I love the fact that I can order my Wittard's tea and Thorton's chocs , it just makes being France more enjoyable . One thing that I have noticed is the attitude of several of my older French neighbors to ordering goods from the UK. It is clearly frowned upon and seen as being a little disloyal ! Not that I let that bother me!
A great online web site for those of us who love american foods is - my american store .fr
There will always be some items that are more sensible to purchase locally but I am very grateful for the options and savings that internet shopping brings.
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Permalink Reply by barrie wildsmith on -
It seems everyone has the same idea, after living here nearly 7 years i always buy the basic foodstuffs here . but can't belive how much cheaper it is at asda and morrisons, but When i drive over i always buy diy products , clothes not from the 70's like here and shoes,
I liked the comment from the person who enoyed going into italy so that he could get a good meal and customer service when in a restaurant and cheaper,
i totally feel the same,even in the uk they rush around to take your order and serve you (most are polish lol) and for a sunday lunch bar meal for under 10£ compaired to here with bad service and bad manners,i assumed it was only in the limousin here,
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