Which Supermarket Chain?
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18213
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Topic: Which Supermarket Chain?
Posted By: ellen
Subject: Which Supermarket Chain?
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:03pm
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The housebrands thread got me thinking:-
Which supermarket chain do you shop at and why? Do you cherry pick shops for specials? I shop at New World because they have a better range of choice, flybuys and my bags get packed, but most of all because I know where everything is. |
Replies:
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:04pm
pac and save here because well its cheaper and just down the hill from our house ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: almostthere
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:06pm
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We shop at pak'n'save for most things. Aussie butcher for meat and a local fruit and vege shop for fruit etc :) ------------- http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2128f6"> 
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2128f6 - chart |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:10pm
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We have a countdown and a new world in my town and I generally shop at countdown as it is cheaper and about twice as big as the new world so has a lot more stuff, but occasionally I go to new world to get bits and pieces for Spencer that countdown don't stock, like organic bread and biscuits etc. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:10pm
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I do my fortnightly shop at woolworths online because it's convenient. I go to either woolworths near home or New World Metro near work if I want something during the week. -------------  
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Posted By: surfergirl
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:14pm
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Pac n Save when I'm on a budget (now)
Fruit and Veges at a stall in the semi-country Woolworths if I'm feeling rich (or if dumb P n S don't have a 'brand' I need) ------------- http://www.alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:28pm
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PnS and a fruit shop in Mt Wellington for fruit and vege and Mad Butcher for meat. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:30pm
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Mainly New world, but if I have to go to the other side of town for DP for work then I go to Countdown - no point in going in 2 seperate places with fuel the price it is! -------------  
 
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Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:37pm
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Big monthly shopping with all the cleaning stuff, nappies ect is at PacnSave.
My weekly top up stuff for milk and bread use to be Countdown but with their renovations I just walk up to foodtown. Fruit and veg is mainly at our fruit store. meat mostly at Mad Butchers. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 6:47pm
| Pak n save. It's really noticably cheaper than new world etc and they give the best petrol coupon discounts too. |
Posted By: MummyFreckle
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:01pm
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New World in Auckland is really expensive IMO...we shop at Foodtown, but mainly because its the closest to us (we have 3 foodtowns within 5-10mins from us). I would shop at Pac N Save, but the one closest to us - I find it too stressful to shop there as its always really busy and the people who shop there seem to be quite aggressive!
------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: LJsmum
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:02pm
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Pak n save it's so much cheaper. But a new New World has just opened up so sometimes there. We go to the local fish and Butcher and vegie shops though. Stuff is fresher. -------------  
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:04pm
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lol New World cos DF works in the store Room there
But I think I will start going to Pack n Save SOOOO much cheaper. ------------- |
Posted By: shaz
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:15pm
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I shop for my main groceries at Pak n Save
But then I will also go to countdown or foodtown depending on the specials but I try only to buy the special items otherwise I spend far too much 
Oh yeah and for the few things that pak n save don't stock. Then I get my Meat from the Mad or Aussie Butcher and my veges from the vege shop. ------------- Mum to Natasha Aroha 9/12/1995, Alexandra Makareta Waimarie 22/4/1998 and....Alyssa Frances Hopaea 18/03/2007 
[/url] |
Posted By: MonicaMouse
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:39pm
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We do our main shop at Countdown. We use to shop at Pak'n'Save, but I found their meat to be really fatty and not worth it. We changed over and didn't notice a difference in the amount that we spent.
If I need to pick up anything during the week I head down to the tiny New World down the road - or one of 3 fruit and vege outlets within a 20 minute walk. ------------- 
Blair 15/10/2007 Daniel 30/07/2009 |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:44pm
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Countdown coz they're our local, they're cheap and they pack my groceries. I despise Pak n Save coz it is dark and you have to pack your own groceries. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: NeoshasMummy
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 7:45pm
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We only have pak n save and woolworths and I hate pak n save because of the way its laid out and I hate packing the stuff so we go to Woolies
When we were in Auckland I went to Foodtown  ------------- https://secure.fertilityfriend.com/home/30c4ec/" rel="nofollow">  Mrs Te Kani ❤️ Neosha 26/5/2007 |
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:16pm
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Countdown for our big shop and every now and then Foodtown, because they are both 2 mins walk from our place. However if we ever get a Pak n Save in Glenfield I would definitely do my shopping there. ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:17pm
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I shop at Countdown, don't even know why, well I guess its cause they are close to home and they do pack my groceries and I am happy to pay a little bit more for that service!
Fruit and vege at the local Green Grocers or side road stalls around our Village. Meat is from the Mad Butchers We shop once a month for meat and at Countdown, weekly at the Green Grocers. Reason being I HATE food shopping with a passion!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: AngieBabe
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:31pm
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Don't have a lot of choice in Paraparaumu - we've only got Pak n Save or Woolworths and the budget dictates it PnS where we do our shop! I do our local one a bit crap at stocking a good variety of product tho' so if we're in Lower Hutt or Porirua during the weekend we'll go to the PnS there... each usually have their own range of specials too. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:32pm
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Mad Butcher (meat is great + price is great)
Bin Inn (takes a bit more organising but they are friendly and helpful and we save so much $) Pak n Save (for anything we miss from Bin Inn, we used to shop all the time at PNS because they are the cheapest supermarket around here. The layout is a pain but you get used to it.) Saturday markets for groceries (fresher AND cheaper!) ------------- |
Posted By: RBsMama
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:35pm
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We shop at New World as we find it cheaper with the coupon book and the flybuys are great. Also clean and bright as well. We sometimes shop at Countdown for the petrol vouchers, but it always ends up costing us more some how. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:36pm
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WE only have a Woolworths in town but I travel 20km to New World & find it better value ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 8:57pm
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At the moment it is at Pak'n'Save adn if I know something is on sale else where I will go to it as NW and Woollies are just down the road from me. Where we are moving to there is no supermarket for 30kms. So we will be coming back down to Palmy to do the shopping. I will be probably going to all the supermarkets here to get everything. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: marielb
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 9:02pm
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We do a monthly/2 monthly shop at Pak N Save, and if we only need to do a small monthly shop to stock up on a few things we go to our local Foodtown. Purely because its local!
We have to drive 40 minutes to Pak N Save but we usually spend about $500 so its worth the drive! ------------- Isaac is 6, Ethan is 4, Rico is 2 and Hunter is almost 1! |
Posted By: linda
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 9:05pm
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We go to Moore Wilsons when required to get out bulk food - rice, tomato paste, onions. Everything else from New World Thorndon but we have been discussing that every fortnight we might go to PnS Petone for the bulk of our stuff and top up and NW ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Alex 6 and Harry 8 |
Posted By: Shorty
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 9:46pm
| We would always shop at Countdown but we have found lately it is ha sincreased in price a bit much, we are going to try and shop at PNS |
Posted By: catcase
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 9:54pm
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We (meaning me as hubby hates grocery shopping and drives me nutty when he comes along!!!) go to NW mostly as like others i find it bright, easy to find things, they pack your bags and stock what I need. Sorry have to say when I have gone to PnS it has driven me mental (dark, towering isles, too many people etc...) and I don't think we save $$ as you have to buy in bulk more to save and we do not have the cupboard or freezer space to do this. Another reason I use NW is because of the baby club - have been getting some really great extra vouchers to get products even cheaper again than teh coupon book. Really loving getting Persil Sentive 1kg for $2.99 of late ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 13 June 2008 at 11:44pm
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I only shop at pak n save. Its def the cheapest supermarket by far here and it has everything I need. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 11:25am
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Pak and save winds me up as well, but also I don't have one close enough by to make it worth my while going, the extra petrol would cancel out any savings on groceries.
What really really annoys me about pak and save is the stupid pack your own bags thing. Don't get me wrong I am all for packing my own bags, in actual fact when I first moved here it used to really wind me up that I couldn't pack my own cos the checkout people are so slow at doing it, but the system they have is just dumb, they spend as much time packing it back into the trolley as they would if they packed them into the bags  and then I have to faff around trying to transfer it all into the carry bags which is just a huge fricken wind up. In the uk they have a second converyor belt that extends past the till, the checkout operator swipes the item and puts it on the conveyor and you stand at the end and pack your bags, why not do that here?
I actually call pak and save, pak and enrage, its just not worth the rise in blood pressure to go there. -------------
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Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 12:04pm
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Im a Woollies girl. I hate shopping anywhere else. I dont think it help that I used to work there many years ago. I know exactly where everything is and exactly what I need to buy each week. We buy lots of cheap brands like HB and SR and definately prefer them to cheaper brands from other supermarkets. I like their meat and vegies too.
The only other supermarketaround here is PaknSave and I have found myself latley going in to pick up a few things like nappies cos I know they are slightly cheaper. The few times I have shopped a Pak'n Save I find I get carried away with all the bulk buying and a lot of the cheap stuff that I end up spending nearly twice as much. I also really dont like the shop as its so dark, they hardly ever have the stuff I want and I like my bags to be packed. I always seem to come out pretty grumpy. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: ellen
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 12:35pm
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That's exactly how I feel cuppatea and Daizy!!!!!!!!
Every so often I think I should give Pak n Save another go and as soon as I drive in the carpark my blood pressure goes up. Can't get a park close to the shop, then have to fight my way through the other shoppers and end up going backwards against the traffic as I've missed something - getting dirty looks as I do, go round and round the shop cause I can't find what I want. Then I remember as I get to the checkout that I've got to try and find a decent box to put my groceries into or figure out how many bags I'll need. Then I always get home and realise I've forgotten something due to the stress I feel under in the shop. I usually love grocery shopping but after every Pak n Save experience I swear I'll never do it again. I have heard the shop n go is good but can't be bothered joining. |
Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 1:23pm
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Pak n Save for the monthly shop, and Countdown or Woolies for the weekly bread, milk, veges etc.
Pak n Save is a hassle and I have to time it when I go in (NEVER on a weekend!!) but it is that much cheaper for us. ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 3:36pm
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LOL - re PNS and blood pressure. Am exactly the same - I've decided the supposed savings (I never spend any less when I go there, usually spend more) are outweighed by the risks to my health. I shop at Foodtown, but get meet at butchers and produce at local Chinese grocer. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: Roksana
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 6:03pm
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Pak n Save...Just find them cheeper. Never buy nappies there tho as I always keep an eye on special and buy 4 packs or so...and these are mostly at NW and Countdown. MY MIL works at Countdown and like shopping there...I think they are not too bad either.
Mad Butcher and local Indian Butchers for meat, local fish place for fish and local Fruit world for fruit and Veg. We buy bread from Bakers Delight. I dont mind packing my own shopping as I dont like to collect the plastic bags....my little bit for the environment. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 6:43pm
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It's funny reading some of the responses here.
What is so annoying/hard about packing your own bags? DH use to hate this and now he doesn't care. I told him he was just being lazy. It takes all of 5 mins max to pack bags. I hate how wasteful supermarkets are that pack groceries for you. For example DH ran to the shop the other day to grab a couple of things needed for Daniels bday party and he went to New World (it being closest) and he came back with 5 items packed in 3 bags because of what the items were. They easily would have fitted into 1 bag, it was rediculous. That is so much wasted plastic! And with pak n save I'll do the shopping in the early morn (8:30am) and its pretty dead or if DH does it he will do it at 9pm and its also pretty dead quiet. |
Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 6:58pm
I agree, cant wait for that place to eventually open up!!!! At the moment we buy our meat at Mad Butcher and fruit and veg next door at the grocer. Tend to shop at whoevers has the most specials of my needs that fortnight. -------------   
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Mum2Ella wrote:Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 6:59pm
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Yeah, if we shop at pns its at 8.30 on a tues or wed night. Its dead and there is no fights for the boxes!!!!! I do like that we come home with not very much plastic and can recycle the boxes. -------------
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 7:03pm
I use the eco bags at countdown so no waste of plastic from me
Its not the actual packing of the bags as in UK everyone does pack their own its the stupid system they have, where they carefully pack it back into the trolley which takes just as long as packing it into bags. So what are you saving? certainly not time, and down here they give you the plastic bags for free, so you don't save anything there either. -------------
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 7:14pm
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They don't take time packing it into the trolley here, its swiped through the beeper thing and then put into the trolley without too much thought.
It would take a fair bit longer for them to pack it into bags rather than dump it into a trolley. If it takes me say 5 mins to pack my groceries at my car, thats 5 mins it would have taken them to pack the groceries per person. It adds up really fast.. slows things down at the checkout so they would need more checkout operators going to make sure people aren't waiting extra time then they would need to find a way of paying for the extra people which puts the price of groceries up. |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 7:34pm
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I hate packing my own bags coz I spent 6 years working at New World packing other people's groceries lol, i've packed enough to last a lifetime. Plus it's a pain in the butt with the kids. I do always tell the checkout girls to pack as much into the bags as they can tho coz I agree, they can get a bit ludicrous putting 2-3 things in each bag.
That's not the main reason I hate Pak n Save tho, it just always seems gloomy and cheap and nasty and grubby in our local one. The big one at Lincoln Rd is much nicer, but a good 30 mins drive away so not worth it. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 June 2008 at 8:20pm
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I don't usually mind packing my own bags but at times (when I have an under 6mo who is impatient by the end of a 45min shop) it can be frustrating/time consuming. But I do sometimes start packing into bags while at the checkout, if there's room in the trolley (ie not getting into the assistant's way). ------------- |
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 10:48am
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Pak n Save - I love Shop n Go, helps keep track of your spending, I take the resuable bags and its all packed by the time I leave the shop. grr when we get a rescan though
also shop at Write Price where you pack yourself but they give you the bags for free, its closest to home and cheapest in Feilding. I find Woolies and New World a lot more expensive than PnS or Write Price. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 7:43pm
Well I worked at PNS and I must say as far as pacing it back into the trolly we were told to take a little time cause at the end of the day you don't want squished bread or soap powder near raw meat etc, but c/o staff get this pretty down in a few shifts so it should not really take long. As far as packing my own i am a fuss bum so I like doing it my self cause that way I can take each bag where it needs to go when I get home. After saying all that I use shop'n go so none of this is an issue now. DH work's at PNS here so we really feel to be loyal to the people who pay the wages etc. However I am totally in love with woolworth's homebrand nappies and loving touch pull up's (actually cheaper then the pam's ones at PNS). Emma and what you said about your local PNS that is what our countdown is like I actually think it is so filthy I would never buy deli stuff etc there ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: Neeks
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 8:01pm
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We shop at Foodtown or New World.. they are both cheaper than or local Countdown
What's this shop n go at Pak n Save?? Sounds intriguing -------------  
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Posted By: Thirdtime
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 8:42pm
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We shop at P & S. Just reading this to DF and he says he remembers the days (waaayy before my time) when it was called Mark n Pak....when you had to write the price from the shelf onto your items as you put it into your trolly...and he says he was bloody hard to write on the frozen items! lol |
This was well before the days of bar code scanners, so it saved people having to individually stamp the items with the price, hence more savings.Posted By: ellen
Date Posted: 15 June 2008 at 8:51pm
| I think shop n go is where you scan your own groceries as you go around the shop so they don't have to be scanned at the checkout. Every now and then you get re-scanned at checkout to make sure you're not fiddling the books? Haven't used it though so not really sure how that works. |