# Supermarkets & good meat choices



## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

I was just taking a look at online grocery shops in Dubai, many don't deliver to where I live (Silicon Oasis), but I have noticed something additional as well, there are big differences in prices, for instance a 6 KG Ariel pack is 77 Dhs somewhere and 82 Dhs in another. That's nearly a 6.5% difference.

So my question is which super/hyper market offers the best prices ? and which one of those offers the best meat selections ? I have been told Union Co-op prices are low, I have been there once and didn't like the displayed meat selection, so where do you guys get your meat (even if it was more expensive) ?


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## GloballyRelaxed (Nov 5, 2014)

Waitrose in Marina Mall ticks all the 'meat needs' for me.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

CBA to shop around as the difference is peanuts - yes it may be 6.5% but thats 5AED or £1. I am not going to drive half way across Dubai to save a £1 on an item.

All in all, we just go to the Spinneys we first went to in the early 2000's and always have.

If you're worrying about £1 on a packet of washing up powder, you should be asking if Dubai is the place for you as you're not going to get rich here.


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## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> CBA to shop around as the difference is peanuts - yes it may be 6.5% but thats 5AED or £1. I am not going to drive half way across Dubai to save a £1 on an item.
> 
> All in all, we just go to the Spinneys we first went to in the early 2000's and always have.
> 
> If you're worrying about £1 on a packet of washing up powder, you should be asking if Dubai is the place for you as you're not going to get rich here.


I would never go to a supermarket to buy 1 packet of anything. I buy our whole monthly needs in a maximum of 2 supermarket visits. So yes I would like to save a couple of hundred dirhams, and no I don't believe that would make me rich.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> CBA to shop around as the difference is peanuts - yes it may be 6.5% but thats 5AED or £1. I am not going to drive half way across Dubai to save a £1 on an item.
> 
> All in all, we just go to the Spinneys we first went to in the early 2000's and always have.
> 
> If you're worrying about £1 on a packet of washing up powder, you should be asking if Dubai is the place for you as you're not going to get rich here.


Wow MAMIL.

Even thought the veg is better tasting, the carbon cost of air-freighting those tasteless Dutch tomatoes, the fact that you're getting an inferior product for a superior price, the fact that you're contributing to huge conglomerate's profit as opposed to local farmers (who need the money a hell of a lot more). The fish especially is vastly inferior to Union to, at Spinneys it's frozen or days old (that's why it's sold in neat little pre packed fillets), as opposed to Union where, if you ask the guy behind the counter he'll tell you when and where it was landed.

But I guess you prefer the sanitised "Western" stores. Have you ever wondered why very, very few locals shop in Spinneys (It's not because they want to save a few fils)? It's because they know the fresh food is better quality and better priced across the road in Union Co-Op. 

And if all you worry about is how much money you have in the bank, what car you drive (or bike), and where you live then you and your ilk is exactly what's wrong with this Town.


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## ibkiss (Feb 1, 2012)

ahh .... that's a proper demo


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

The Rascal said:


> Have you ever wondered why very, very few locals shop in Spinneys (It's not because they want to save a few fils)? It's because they know the fresh food is better quality and better priced across the road in Union Co-Op.
> .


Hi,
I believe locals get a special card that allows them to shop at Union Co-Op for free (up to a certain monthy allowance).
That is probably a good incentive to go there rather than Spinneys!
But - as you rightly point out the meat, fish and fresh veg there is also cheap and top notch!
Cheers
Steve


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Stevesolar said:


> I believe locals get a special card that allows them to shop at Union Co-Op for free (up to a certain monthy allowance).


Really? I never knew that, you really do learn a new thing every day.


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## BigAndyD (Apr 19, 2013)

I couldn't agree that the meat at the Union is top notch. Says a lot for the standard of food in Dubai if that were the case. Spinneys unfortunately win the quality meat vote from me, but they are stupidly expensive and it's the only thing I buy there. Carrefour kick the Union to bits for fresh fish but the Union do have good fruit and veg, and the bakery is good to. It's a mixed bag in this town, so worth shopping around and see for yourself what ticks the right boxes.
The fruit and veg market in Ras Al Khor is worth a visit just for a different kind of experience if nothing else.


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## LesFroggitts (Dec 30, 2013)

BigAndyD said:


> I couldn't agree that the meat at the Union is top notch. Says a lot for the standard of food in Dubai if that were the case. Spinneys unfortunately win the quality meat vote from me, but they are stupidly expensive and it's the only thing I buy there. Carrefour kick the Union to bits for fresh fish but the Union do have good fruit and veg, and the bakery is good to. It's a mixed bag in this town, so worth shopping around and see for yourself what ticks the right boxes.
> The fruit and veg market in Ras Al Khor is worth a visit just for a different kind of experience if nothing else.


I've always found the fish sections at Carrefour and Geant to be inferior to that sold at the Lulu Hypermarket wet-fish sections. We use the one in Barsha, actually for most of our needs not just fish, and have always been happy enough with the quality. The vegetables are always good too.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Good to see that it wasn't just me that picked up on that muggy statement then.

To the OP - Non perishables - Union Co-Op is the cheapest and they have a lot of 2 for 1 deals too, especially on cleaning products, soap etc. The meat is fairly low grade stuff, farmed in India.

Spinneys is both over priced and over processed on both meat, fruit and veg. Nobody needs polished oranges and the Chicken breasts are pumped full of water.

Carre Four varies largely from store to store for some reason.

Overall, for quality stacked up against value from money, I find Choithrams the best. Especially the butchers at the Safa park one.

The last few months though I've been buying meat from Prime Gourmet in Gold & Diamond Park. It's not the cheapest (though only a few dirhams more than Spinneys) and the quality is excellent. Plus they deliver.


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## Grt1 (Nov 7, 2012)

We find Lulu to be cheapest all around... meat is not always great.. but too lazy to try too many places and then come up with the best... just go for bulk grocery once in a month and get most stuff... perishable items from the local grocery that delivers at home... easy does it...


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