When shopping centres first opened in Thailand, most people were still buying their groceries in open-air markets. And although you can still purchase most of your groceries on the street today, supermarkets are becoming more popular.
Today Thailand is a shopping paradise for travellers from around the world. Unique Thai items of excellent craftsmanship and quality can be found at every turn with local markets filling the streets, selling intricate artifacts, exquisitely designed silk garments, and many other special treats all offered up at reasonable prices.
Summary
Our top grocery store picks in Thailand:
- 7-Eleven
- Family Mart
- Rimping
- Big C
- Lotus
- Tops
- Makro
And when it comes to groceries, there are many big chains in Thailand where you can go for your weekly shop. They differ slightly in terms of what they offer, such as whether they cater to foreigners with imported goods or the local market with affordable prices.
Open-air markets are still a good place to purchase fresh produce. Almost every Thai town has a central market where they sell fresh fruit and vegetables and mouth-watering street food.
What you need to know before shopping in Thailand
Most street stores are open from 9am-8pm and most department stalls and malls are open from 10am-9pm.
Paying for groceries in Thailand
It’s a good idea to withdraw currency in Thai Baht when you go shopping. Most stores take credit cards (especially those inside malls), but many market stores deal only in cash.
Watch out for fake products
Fake rip-offs are common, like Ray Ban sunglasses and Louis Vuitton and Gucci products. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are the real thing, especially if you get them for a cheap price.
Bargaining
Most grocery stores have fixed prices, but if you are shopping in a market then you can bargain for a better price. To get a better idea for what an item should cost, you can ask a few different vendors for the price. In general, you can ask for between a 10%-40% discount. If the vendor doesn’t budge, sometimes they will reduce the price as you walk away.
What are the most popular supermarkets in Thailand?
7-eleven
7-Eleven is not strictly a supermarket, it is more of a convenience store. But it is popular with locals with almost 8,000 in the country (half of those are in Bangkok). They are open 24/7 and sell cheap Thai food. You can also pay your utility bills there or top up your mobile.
You can download the 7-Eleven delivery app for nation-wide delivery right to your front door. Delivery is free if you spend over 100 Baht.
Family Mart
Family Mart is similar to 7-Eleven in many ways. It is a slightly larger convenience store where you can buy essentials and pay your bills too. It also sells hot food and is open 24/7. There are around 1000 stores in the country, though not nearly as popular as 7-Eleven.
Rimping
Rimping supermarkets started in Chiang Mai as a family business and have now spread across Thailand. The quality of their fresh produce is really good and the organic options are surprisingly cheap. They have special sales after 7pm every evening when they get rid of old stock. Like many supermarkets, they have attached eateries where you can get a snack while you shop.
They offer free delivery if you spend over 1000 Baht. Once you have paid for your groceries at the checkout, all you have to do is take your trolley and the receipt to the customer service desk and they will arrange for it to be dropped off for you.
Big C
If you want electronics, pharmacy products and kitchen utensils alongside your groceries, then Big C is the place to go. They are some of Thailand’s largest supermarkets have 121 stores across the country.
Shopping at Big C is like going to a grocery store and mall all-in-one. From groceries to general merchandise, this destination gives you the convenience of fulfilling virtually any shopping need in one place, including grabbing a bit to eat at one of their attached eateries.
As with most Thai stores, Big C offers online shopping with food delivery. Big C Online Shopping offers the same discounts and promotions as in store. If you spend 1,500 Baht, then delivery is free. If you spend over 500 Baht, you can pick up your order from your nearest Big C store. They guarantee delivery within 24 hours,
Lotus’s (Previously called Tesco Lotus)
British expats in Thailand have the opportunity to experience a familiar shopping atmosphere with Lotus’s. This collaboration between Tesco and Lotus offers a mix of local Thai delicacies as well as all their favourite British staples, available at both express stores and full-sized outlets conveniently placed throughout Thailand – with over 200 stores.
The larger stores have a diverse range of products from fresh produce to clothing, hardware, and electrical appliances. Most of the stock is manufactured locally and is affordable. In fact, Lotus’s rival many large department stores in Thailand (even Big C) in price.
Lotus’s online shopping offer same day delivery, depending on your location.
Tops
Tops is the largest grocery chain in Thailand with over 147 stores across the country.
It is a one-stop-shop for all Thai groceries including meat, seafood, wine, fruit and vegetables, self-care, baby needs and even pet accessories.
Tops are known for quality produce at reasonable prices. You will see a range of Tops stores in Thailand, such as Tops Supermarket, Tops Superstore, Tops Market, Tops Market Food & Wine, Tops Daily and Central Food Hall. Some of the larger stores in the big cities like Bangkok sell a range of Western foods as well. Tops supermarkets generally have a wider selection of imported foods than Lotus’s, which makes it a popular choice for expats.
Tops online shopping offers a same day delivery service for orders placed before 1pm. Delivery is free on order over 1,500 Baht.
Makro
If you want to buy groceries in bulk, Makro is the place to go with 142 locations in Thailand. The selection may not be as diverse as some of the other supermarkets listed here, but you will save money buying in large quantities. It sells both food and non-food options, such as clothing, DIY, cleaning products, computers, gardening, furniture, and electronics.
Their online platform is called Makro Click.
What grocery stores are unique to Bangkok?
Bangkok is arguably the shopping mecca of Asia. There are some shopping centres that you will only find in Bangkok and no-where else.
Gourmet Market
As its name suggests, Gourmet Market sells gourmet food. The groceries are more expensive than other supermarkets, but if you have money and like experimenting with the best ingredients, then you’ll want to visit this store in one of its 4 locations in Bangkok. The quality of the food is exceptional and you’ll be able to get imported wines, meats and cheeses as well as seafood and gourmet Thai food.
Villa Mart
Villa Mart has one of the largest selections of imported goods in Thailand. It has a wider selection than Topps and is more expensive than Big C or Loutus’s. It’s similar to Gourmet Supermarket in its range of imported goods and prices. They have around 20 stores in Bangkok.
Villa Mart opened in 1973 as one of the first supermarkets to sell imported food. They have 34 stores in Thailand, with 27 of them in Bangkok.
Their same day delivery fee is between 90-180 Baht depending on where you live.
Foodland
Shopping at Foodland can be a great experience, providing you with quality imported and local produce. It is popular among Thais and expats who are in the middle to upper-income range so it may not fit every budget but if there’s one close enough then why not give them a try? Currently they have 10 stores located around Bangkok.
Best online food shopping in Thailand
Most of the big grocery chains have offer online shopping and food delivery. There are a few popular online shopping apps that don’t have a brick and mortar store though that you should know about.
GrabMart
Grab is a well know food delivery service, but many people don’t know they also deliver groceries. In Thailand, you can have a Grab driver pick up and deliver a wide variety of fresh produce as well as non-perishable items to your door.
CP FreshMart
CP FreshMart is known for selling and delivering the freshest fruit, vegetables, and meat to your home within 2 hours. Their delivery fee is 60 Baht.
Shopping at an open-air market in Thailand
If you choose to go to a market rather than a big grocery chain or online delivery, there are a few things you need to know.
Firstly, you may get a few stares. Don’t be put off, it’s just that it’s not common for see foreigners going from stall to stall carrying bags of produce and bargaining.
It is a good idea to learn Thai numbers so if the vendor gives the price in Thai, then you can give the right cash. If you don’t understand when told the price, you can always hand over a 100 Baht note and hold out your hand for the change.
You’ll want to bring a large bag or backpack to put your purchases in when shopping at a market as you won’t find any shopping baskets there.
If you want to be adventurous, you could try shopping for fresh produce at one of Thailand’s famous floating markets, like Bangkok’s Damnoen Saduak floating market. You can travel by traditional long-tail boat through the floating market to find rows upon rows of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure not to miss out on local goodies like sticky mango rice.
I’m an educator and writer living abroad. I love languages, experiencing different cultures and going on adventures with my family.
