# HELP - Shopping in Spain / Websites



## Kenwhite77 (Aug 30, 2012)

Hi everyone,

Your help is very much needed in planning my transition from UK to Spanish life in the Shopping department. Food shopping is my partners job so everything else apart from that. I basically want to know alternatives shops to the main shops in the UK.

I wil be moving Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga so within this geographic location.

Obviously I know the main department store in Spain but would like to know details of more item specific products.

IT Equipment - what is the alternative to PC World / Curry's / Argos?

Garden plants / Garden furniture / Tools - What is the alternative to Homebase?

Household items (bedding / towels / general everyday items) - Supermarkets/Department stores sell everything in the UK, what are alternatives in Spain?

Extension leads / general electrical items - Where to buy? 

Household furniture - ie. Beds, mattresses, sofa bed - Alternative to Ikea please

I do have a UK business so not sure if I can make use of say a Makro or other types of places in Spain. I assume they have places like Makro in Spain???

The above is my immediate thoughts and if you know of any websites that sell all this type of products please let me know.

If you can think of any other shops that are recommended for life in Spain again please let me know.

Thanks

Ken


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi I also live in Alhaurin de la Torre as for you question . here goes 
We have 2 Mercodona (supermarkets in the village one in the centre near the vegetable/fish market and one off one of the many roundabout that we have lol We also have an Aldi, Lidlis Super Sol near by .
For IT equipment we use the small shops in the village what they don't have they will get,for you same goes for small electoral items, DIY stuff etc. The small village shops are often cheaper than the big ones and certainly more helpful
Garden plants Guzmans 
The nearest to a Homebase would be Leroy Merlin, Aki and Bauarhouse ( dont think that the right spelling there all near the A7 (airport) road
Bedding etc if you have UK beds best shop in Dunnes or Yorkshire Linen as Spanish beds and pillows are different sizes
Hope this helps a bit


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

IT Equipment - what is the alternative to PC World / Curry's / Argos? MEDIAMARKT, PC CITY, WORTEN 

Garden plants / Garden furniture / Tools - What is the alternative to Homebase? LEROY MERLIN (BRANCHES IN MALAGA CITY AND MARBELLA)

Household items (bedding / towels / general everyday items) - Supermarkets/Department stores sell everything in the UK, what are alternatives in Spain? HYPERMARKETS - CARREFOUR, HIPERCOR, AL CAMPO ... OR EL CORTE INGLÉS IF YOU WANT TO SPEND MORE

Extension leads / general electrical items - Where to buy? LEROY MERLIN (AS ABOVE) OR ANY OF THE HYPERMARKETS, CARREFOUR ETC

Household furniture - ie. Beds, mattresses, sofa bed - Alternative to Ikea please YOU'LL STRUGGLE TO FIND A BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN IKEA, SORRY ...

I do have a UK business so not sure if I can make use of say a Makro or other types of places in Spain. I assume they have places like Makro in Spain??? YES THERE ARE MAKRO BRANCHES IN SPAIN Hipermercado Makro España | Supermercado Mayorista | Click aquí


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Amazon.es: libros, cine, electrónica, videojuegos y más.
amazon are in Spain now.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> Amazon.es: libros, cine, electrónica, videojuegos y más.
> amazon are in Spain now.


But if you want English versions, you are better using Amazon.uk with free courier delivery over £25.

For many small items don't forget the chinos.

Plants - go to a vivero (garden centre)


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> But if you want English versions, you are better using Amazon.uk with free courier delivery over £25.


Check the prices on both sites though, because often they are cheaper in euros!

I recently bought some headphones that were £35 on amazon.uk and €35 on amazon.es - and the delivery was free.

I often read the reviews on the UK site then buy on the Spanish site, which doesn't have many customer reviews yet.


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## donz (May 5, 2010)

you can also use your current Makro card here too - you just stop at the desk at the entrance and they'll print you an alternative piece of paper for the check out


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## olivefarmer (Oct 16, 2012)

I'll second Guzmans for plants. Wide selection though top end prices. You will find that some innocuous looking independent shops have a good selection of stuff often not displayed !

I believe that AKI and Leroy Merlin are owned by the same parent company (a bit like Kingfisher owning B+ Q and Homebase) Despite that their prices are often widely different. I was looking at buying a tool today. 37 euros in Leroy and 49 in AKI. It isn't always that way round either!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

There are a number of small independent viveros around and they will usually stock what grows best in their area and most of their plants they will have raised themselves unlike the multiples already mentioned who will not have raised the plants but bought them in in bulk from possibly hundreds (if not, thousands) of kms away and been stored prior to sale in specially conditioned environments to keep them looking good for sale.

The small viveros will also be able to give good advice on the proper care of the plants you are buying whereas the multiples probably will not be able to.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Kenwhite77 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Your help is very much needed in planning my transition from UK to Spanish life in the Shopping department. Food shopping is my partners job so everything else apart from that. I basically want to know alternatives shops to the main shops in the UK.
> 
> ...


Right, you need the industrial estate near Malaga airport. there is/was a big IT place on the estate behind Ikea - I cant remember its name..... Wortens??? Akee and Leeroy Merlin are names to look out for - B&Q type places

Garden stuff, you want Guzmans garden centre, which is at the El Grande side of AdlT (the turning opposite the garage) and does an amazing christmas display, but also garden stuff etc

Carrefour, Torremolinos is very much like the UK supermarkets and does "other stuff" - clothes, household, electrical...etc

But there are quite a few commercial centres around Malaga, I just cant remember where they all are. Theres a big Decathalon at one, which may interest a cyclist lol!!! Look out for "Centro commercial" signs and remember most dont open on Sundays as they do in the UK

And dont forget the chinese shops which are scattered around AdlT, the do cheap junk, but they serve a purpose for things like towels, rugs, kitchen equipment...!!!

Jo xxx


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