Where do you buy western (European/American) food in China?

[Pavel123]

Any tips for shops, especially in the south, where to buy good western food (cheese, sausage, bread, salami, olives etc.)?

[imron]

especially in the south,

You'll probably need to be a little bit more specific than "the south", which covers some several million square kilometers.

[anonymoose]

There are a fair number of supermarkets selling imported western foods along the east coast. CityShop in Shanghai comes to mind. Not sure if it exists in other cities.

[Pavel123]

south- I mean Shenzen, Guangzhout etc., especially Shenzen

[xuefang]

In Guangzhou they have many items in Par n Shops, then I heard there is a wholesale supermarket called Metro that many expats buy food from. There are also smalle shops selling only import foor, one of them is next to the Citic Plaza, underground but unfortunately forgot the name.

[HusbandOfWuhan]

At major supermarkets that are in the heart of a major city that has a Western feel to it. Like Guangzhou. Teenmall etc.

[mokoyo]

For Shenzhen, I can recommend Metro. However, the quantities at Metro are gigantic. You will need to bring a passport to prove that you are a foreign citizen so you can get a free membership. If you are Chinese citizen you will have to pay some kind of fee.

Generally, there are plenty of bread shops that sell Western-style breads, the one I see most often is called 可颂.

[MarioZach]

I order here: http://rtjtastes.com/shop/ or here: http://www.nogogo.cn/, both very good options for foreigners around Shenzen, first is my favourite- I think they deliver anywhere in China

[淨土極樂]

METRO/麦德龙 has the best selection of Western food, especially cheese.

Remember to bring your passport in order to enter, though.

[skylee]

Remember to bring your passport in order to enter, though.

Is it like a 華人與狗不得進入 place?

According to #7 this "Metro" place only charges Chinese more. But according to #9, only (foreign) passport holders can enter this "Metro" place. Does it mean that local Chinese people (who don't have a passport) are not allowed to enter this place? And the local people are fine with this? No protests?

[陳德聰]

Pretty sure Metro is like many giant supermarkets that requires membership card to enter, brings to mind Costco. Considering they have tonnes of branches all over the country, it's pretty much impossible that they bar entry to Chinese people.

[淨土極樂]

No, no, please don't misunderstand.

It's just their new policy. They now ask for IDs in other countries as well, not just China.

However, there does seem to be some discrimination against the natives in Chinese METRO's. While a foreigner can enter just by flashing their passport, a native Chinese would be required to apply for a membership card, and this process requires a heap of documents.

[Lu]

I read #9 as 'Remember to bring your passport in order to enter, though, so that you can use the discount for foreigners'. I don't think any place in China can get away with banning Chinese people, why would you even think that?

[skylee]

I suppose nobody, Chinese citizens or foreigners, can enjoy the discount without entering the premises of that place?

I do not live in Mainland China and know nothing about this "Metro" place. I read the information on this thread and ask questions about it. I think it is not unreasonable for shops to require customers to pay a membership fee in order to use the facilities. This is why I find the information in #7 OK. But the information at #9 is not. "Remember to bring your passport in order to enter" means that without a passport you can't enter. I can't see that it implies "so that you can use the discount for foreigners".

[陳德聰]

Skylee, I think (and 淨土極樂 correct me if I'm wrong) that the implication was not that one cannot enter without a passport, but that "you", being a foreigner, need to bring your passport as ID, since that is the only ID you would have on you, in order to enter.

Metro is like other "VIP" style supermarkets that sell everything in their store at a huge discount, but it is not open to the public. I figure any incidental discrimination against native Chinese (presumably by the Chinese person who works the door) is the general brand of lazy with foreigners, strict with Chinese.

[anonymoose]

I never understood this supermarket concept. Why would any shop, especially those selling at a discount (ie. not trying to court an exclusive class of customer) try to restrict who can shop at their shop?

Anyway, I've been to Metro in Shanghai and didn't have any problem shopping there without a passport, any other form of ID, or a membership card.

[Lu]

Perhaps it's a tax thing? There is a big wholesale supermarket chain in Holland that is only open to people who have their own company, who are supposed to be shopping for their company and can take it off their taxes. Perhaps a 'club' the offers discounts to its members works differently, accounancy-wise, than a store that sells to customers?

[anonymoose]

I can understand the wholesale thing. The UK has similar shops. But if you go to a Metro, it sells things individually just like any regular supermarket.