lweegp
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As titled, this is just to serve as a reference to those who are going to supermarket in bkk. Pleaes note whatever stated here is the author's view and not mine 
u can share your experience here too. enjoy your read
There are four main supermarket chains in Bangkok, Thailand, that most Thais and foreigners shop at. These four supermarket chains are Carrefour, Tesco Lotus, Big C, and Tops. They all have advantages and disadvantages to shopping at them. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages to each supermarket, along with recommendations as to which supermarket chain to shop at for specific items and which supermarket chain, I think, is the best in Bangkok.
Carrefour - I put French supermarket chain Carrefour, Bangkok, as the first supermarket chain because I think it is easily the best. The Carrefour supermarkets in Bangkok are huge and sell pretty much everything. From food to alcohol, to freshly squeezed fruit juices, Thai desserts, furniture, towels, sports equipment, DVDs, CDs, electronics, computers, clothing - Carrefour has everything. Carrefour is also usually located in a large strip mall, so you can also eat at some great restaurants near the supermarket, buy home improvement items at the large Home Pro stores nearby, and also shop at many little local Thai shops in the strip mall. This makes shopping at Carrefour very convenient. Carrefour also offers things other supermarkets in Bangkok don't and, often with much cheaper prices.
Good Produce at Carrefour - The produce at Carrefour, Bangkok, is always cheap and always fresh. I shop every week for vegetables and fruit, and most things I buy are 10-25 cents cheaper per item than at most other supermarkets. Compared to Tops, Carrefour vegetables are usually 30-50 cents cheaper (Tops is very expensive for vegetables) and the quality is much better.
Great Western Items - Because Carrefour is French-owned, they have many European and American food items that are not available at other supermarkets in Bangkok. I often buy things like Goldfish (the American cheese crackers), French cookies and chocolate mousse, European cheeses, and exotic imported fruit and vegetable items not available elsewhere.
Excellent Prices at Carrefour - For most items I buy, Carrefour is around 2-10 baht (6 cents to 30 cents) cheaper than other supermarkets. Carrefour also has some great sales where items are drastically cheaper, 2-for-1 specials, and 50% off soon-to-expire food items. When you want expensive French pate, and it's suddenly dropped from $7 to $3.50, that's an enormous difference in what you can afford to buy.
Great Selection of Items - Carrefour has a huge selection of items, they also seem to keep up with adding stock very well. At other supermarkets, sometimes they have what I want in stock, sometimes they don't. At Carrefour, it is very rare not to see the items I need in stock.
Tesco Lotus - British chain, Tesco Lotus, was primarily the supermarket chain I always shopped at in Bangkok for the first four years I lived here. Then I discovered Carrefour and I haven't been back to Tesco Lotus since. Add onto that, Tesco Lotus' massive libel lawsuit against two Thai men for only speaking the truth (they said, Tesco aggressively tries to shut down Mom and Pop stores) and it's not likely I'll ever shop in Tesco again.
Very Poor Produce at Tesco Lotus- Thailand is known for phenomenal fruit and vegetables. It has always amazed me therefore to see what I think is the worst fruit and vegetables I've ever seen in Thailand at Tesco Lotus. Often the vegetables are on their last legs (freshness was something that had occurred a week ago), the fruit looks either squishy or over ripe or is as hard as a rock because it's been harvested too soon. Prices for produce are cheap, but you get what you pay for and I wouldn't pay for any of it.
Poor Selection of Items - Even when I used to shop there, I was always amazed at how they could have non-fat milk in stock one day and not the day after, how popular bread would be available two days of the week but then not for the next three. Tesco seems to do a very poor job of stocking shelves and I got tired of having to go to a second supermarket after shopping at Tesco Lotus, because they didn't have several items I needed.
Lack of European and Western Items - Tesco has a lot of Thai food items, but if you want any European or American items, you won't find many here.
Poor Bakery Products - Compared to bakeries at the other three supermarket chains in Bangkok, Tesco Lotus' is the poorest. They always have the same items, never seem to change much, and the taste is mediocre. Compared to Carrefour and Big C, Tesco bakery items are very low down on the 'must eat' list.
Overall, I think Tesco Lotus is one of the worst supermarket chains in Bangkok. Their produce is poor, availability of items in stock is sporadic, hardly any of their staff speak any English, and the locations are not as convenient to other stores compared to Big C or Carrefour.
Tops - I still can't figure why anybody shops at Tops in Bangkok. Incredibly expensive, but very grubby, Tops supermarket in my opinion is poor. It's the largest supermarket chain in Thailand, so maybe that's why? But, most of the Tops stores look like they've seen better days.
Poor Produce - The cost of produce at Tops is astronomically expensive. For kale or cilantro, that would cost me 5-10 baht (20-30 cents) at the other supermarkets, at Tops it's 30-40 baht (85 cents to $1.15) more expensive. Selection is also low compared to Big C and Carrefour.
Good Imported Items - Tops does have a good selection of imported items, especially British and American. It's a great place to buy items at Christmas as they often get imported British chocolate, cookies, cakes, Christmas puddings etc.
Good Locations - Tops tend to be in Central or Robinsons department store shopping malls or close by one, so it's very easy to buy other things while you're there. Central Ladprao in Bangkok has a decent Tops supermarket, as does the IT mall at Rama 9 underground train station.
Big C - Big C supermarkets in Bangkok are usually very large and sell everything. They have good prices, but selection of certain items is not as good as Carrefour, so it's usually second on my list of supermarkets in Bangkok to visit.
Very Few Imported Items - Unlike the other supermarkets, Big C sells primarily Thai items. If you want basic imported cheeses, meats or things like salsa sauce, Big C is not the place to find them. Other than basic things like Kit Kats and peanut butter, they carry very few imported items.
Good Thai Products - If you like Thai foodstuffs, Big C pretty much has everything. They have a great area for already prepared Thai food, Thai snacks and Thai sausages, as well as a good bakery for Thai desserts and baked goods.
Excellent Seafood and Meat Areas - Big C has good fresh seafood, chicken and meat and prices are excellent. Big C is an especially good place to buy shrimp, fish, and crab.
Good Location - Big C tend to be in hyper strip malls, so you can get a great lunch at Pizza Company or Chester's, ice cream at Swensen's, buy DVDs at a cheap DVD shop, or do your banking at Bangkok Bank or Siam Commercial Bank. They are also usually in great areas of town for other shopping. I visit the Big C at Saphan Kwai sky train station often, and love that I can go to the post office, my local hospital, a nice little local market and then finish up the day grocery shopping at Big C.
Overall, I would have to say, in my opinion, the best supermarket chains in Bangkok are in this order - Carrefour, Big C, Tops and, in last place, Tesco Lotus. You can get what you need at most of them but the consistent availability of items, good prices, imported products, and good location awards have to go to Carrefour. It's easily the best of the four.
u can share your experience here too. enjoy your read There are four main supermarket chains in Bangkok, Thailand, that most Thais and foreigners shop at. These four supermarket chains are Carrefour, Tesco Lotus, Big C, and Tops. They all have advantages and disadvantages to shopping at them. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages to each supermarket, along with recommendations as to which supermarket chain to shop at for specific items and which supermarket chain, I think, is the best in Bangkok.
Carrefour - I put French supermarket chain Carrefour, Bangkok, as the first supermarket chain because I think it is easily the best. The Carrefour supermarkets in Bangkok are huge and sell pretty much everything. From food to alcohol, to freshly squeezed fruit juices, Thai desserts, furniture, towels, sports equipment, DVDs, CDs, electronics, computers, clothing - Carrefour has everything. Carrefour is also usually located in a large strip mall, so you can also eat at some great restaurants near the supermarket, buy home improvement items at the large Home Pro stores nearby, and also shop at many little local Thai shops in the strip mall. This makes shopping at Carrefour very convenient. Carrefour also offers things other supermarkets in Bangkok don't and, often with much cheaper prices.
Good Produce at Carrefour - The produce at Carrefour, Bangkok, is always cheap and always fresh. I shop every week for vegetables and fruit, and most things I buy are 10-25 cents cheaper per item than at most other supermarkets. Compared to Tops, Carrefour vegetables are usually 30-50 cents cheaper (Tops is very expensive for vegetables) and the quality is much better.
Great Western Items - Because Carrefour is French-owned, they have many European and American food items that are not available at other supermarkets in Bangkok. I often buy things like Goldfish (the American cheese crackers), French cookies and chocolate mousse, European cheeses, and exotic imported fruit and vegetable items not available elsewhere.
Excellent Prices at Carrefour - For most items I buy, Carrefour is around 2-10 baht (6 cents to 30 cents) cheaper than other supermarkets. Carrefour also has some great sales where items are drastically cheaper, 2-for-1 specials, and 50% off soon-to-expire food items. When you want expensive French pate, and it's suddenly dropped from $7 to $3.50, that's an enormous difference in what you can afford to buy.
Great Selection of Items - Carrefour has a huge selection of items, they also seem to keep up with adding stock very well. At other supermarkets, sometimes they have what I want in stock, sometimes they don't. At Carrefour, it is very rare not to see the items I need in stock.
Tesco Lotus - British chain, Tesco Lotus, was primarily the supermarket chain I always shopped at in Bangkok for the first four years I lived here. Then I discovered Carrefour and I haven't been back to Tesco Lotus since. Add onto that, Tesco Lotus' massive libel lawsuit against two Thai men for only speaking the truth (they said, Tesco aggressively tries to shut down Mom and Pop stores) and it's not likely I'll ever shop in Tesco again.
Very Poor Produce at Tesco Lotus- Thailand is known for phenomenal fruit and vegetables. It has always amazed me therefore to see what I think is the worst fruit and vegetables I've ever seen in Thailand at Tesco Lotus. Often the vegetables are on their last legs (freshness was something that had occurred a week ago), the fruit looks either squishy or over ripe or is as hard as a rock because it's been harvested too soon. Prices for produce are cheap, but you get what you pay for and I wouldn't pay for any of it.
Poor Selection of Items - Even when I used to shop there, I was always amazed at how they could have non-fat milk in stock one day and not the day after, how popular bread would be available two days of the week but then not for the next three. Tesco seems to do a very poor job of stocking shelves and I got tired of having to go to a second supermarket after shopping at Tesco Lotus, because they didn't have several items I needed.
Lack of European and Western Items - Tesco has a lot of Thai food items, but if you want any European or American items, you won't find many here.
Poor Bakery Products - Compared to bakeries at the other three supermarket chains in Bangkok, Tesco Lotus' is the poorest. They always have the same items, never seem to change much, and the taste is mediocre. Compared to Carrefour and Big C, Tesco bakery items are very low down on the 'must eat' list.
Overall, I think Tesco Lotus is one of the worst supermarket chains in Bangkok. Their produce is poor, availability of items in stock is sporadic, hardly any of their staff speak any English, and the locations are not as convenient to other stores compared to Big C or Carrefour.
Tops - I still can't figure why anybody shops at Tops in Bangkok. Incredibly expensive, but very grubby, Tops supermarket in my opinion is poor. It's the largest supermarket chain in Thailand, so maybe that's why? But, most of the Tops stores look like they've seen better days.
Poor Produce - The cost of produce at Tops is astronomically expensive. For kale or cilantro, that would cost me 5-10 baht (20-30 cents) at the other supermarkets, at Tops it's 30-40 baht (85 cents to $1.15) more expensive. Selection is also low compared to Big C and Carrefour.
Good Imported Items - Tops does have a good selection of imported items, especially British and American. It's a great place to buy items at Christmas as they often get imported British chocolate, cookies, cakes, Christmas puddings etc.
Good Locations - Tops tend to be in Central or Robinsons department store shopping malls or close by one, so it's very easy to buy other things while you're there. Central Ladprao in Bangkok has a decent Tops supermarket, as does the IT mall at Rama 9 underground train station.
Big C - Big C supermarkets in Bangkok are usually very large and sell everything. They have good prices, but selection of certain items is not as good as Carrefour, so it's usually second on my list of supermarkets in Bangkok to visit.
Very Few Imported Items - Unlike the other supermarkets, Big C sells primarily Thai items. If you want basic imported cheeses, meats or things like salsa sauce, Big C is not the place to find them. Other than basic things like Kit Kats and peanut butter, they carry very few imported items.
Good Thai Products - If you like Thai foodstuffs, Big C pretty much has everything. They have a great area for already prepared Thai food, Thai snacks and Thai sausages, as well as a good bakery for Thai desserts and baked goods.
Excellent Seafood and Meat Areas - Big C has good fresh seafood, chicken and meat and prices are excellent. Big C is an especially good place to buy shrimp, fish, and crab.
Good Location - Big C tend to be in hyper strip malls, so you can get a great lunch at Pizza Company or Chester's, ice cream at Swensen's, buy DVDs at a cheap DVD shop, or do your banking at Bangkok Bank or Siam Commercial Bank. They are also usually in great areas of town for other shopping. I visit the Big C at Saphan Kwai sky train station often, and love that I can go to the post office, my local hospital, a nice little local market and then finish up the day grocery shopping at Big C.
Overall, I would have to say, in my opinion, the best supermarket chains in Bangkok are in this order - Carrefour, Big C, Tops and, in last place, Tesco Lotus. You can get what you need at most of them but the consistent availability of items, good prices, imported products, and good location awards have to go to Carrefour. It's easily the best of the four.
