Just like in the UK, there are different supermarkets dotted around Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society is probably the most prolific, though I’ve not been here long enough or travelled far enough afield to know for sure
What is interesting is that the different ‘brands’ of supermarket offer slightly different products. The ADCS, from what I can tell, is mostly local with a lot of products having only Arabic writing on them (or more prominently displayed Arabic writing anyway). There is Carrefour which has a lot of French products, there is another that has a lot of American products (though the name of it escapes me) and then there is Spinneys.
When O and I first met he used to tell me about Spinneys and so it has been in AD for a good long while, though now there are two of them rather than just the one. Spinneys is the English supermarket, and sure enough, when O and I went for a little wonder around after errands nearby, I did spot rather a lot of recognisable brands. Like Waitrose biscuits, for example! Having been told previously, by someone other than O, that it is the Waitrose equivalent in AD I was a bit surprised by the general averageness of the goods sold (excepting the Waitrose biscuits of course) and I was bitterly disappointed to find no hint of Marmite anywhere, only Vegemite.
What is interesting about Spinneys is that it is the only place in AD that you can buy pork and pork products. Knowing this there was no way I could resist having a look around when we were in the vicinity. Sure enough, as I had been told, there was a separate section at the back of the supermarket, behind an automatic door with a large sign in English proclaiming “Pork products. For non-Muslims only!” I can only assume the accompanying Arabic sign said much the same. I went through the doors and was confronted by a small-ish room stuffed with pork and pork products of all kinds – a lot of which were frozen and that you won’t find in the UK. Pig trotters being one that immediately springs to mind. One product concerned me greatly. On the shelves, nestled between packs of Pepperami and instant noodles, were strawberry flavour Poptarts – the sweet American breakfast food that you pop in the toaster and has frosting on top.
Hmmmmmmmm.
A.
What is interesting is that the different ‘brands’ of supermarket offer slightly different products. The ADCS, from what I can tell, is mostly local with a lot of products having only Arabic writing on them (or more prominently displayed Arabic writing anyway). There is Carrefour which has a lot of French products, there is another that has a lot of American products (though the name of it escapes me) and then there is Spinneys.
When O and I first met he used to tell me about Spinneys and so it has been in AD for a good long while, though now there are two of them rather than just the one. Spinneys is the English supermarket, and sure enough, when O and I went for a little wonder around after errands nearby, I did spot rather a lot of recognisable brands. Like Waitrose biscuits, for example! Having been told previously, by someone other than O, that it is the Waitrose equivalent in AD I was a bit surprised by the general averageness of the goods sold (excepting the Waitrose biscuits of course) and I was bitterly disappointed to find no hint of Marmite anywhere, only Vegemite.
What is interesting about Spinneys is that it is the only place in AD that you can buy pork and pork products. Knowing this there was no way I could resist having a look around when we were in the vicinity. Sure enough, as I had been told, there was a separate section at the back of the supermarket, behind an automatic door with a large sign in English proclaiming “Pork products. For non-Muslims only!” I can only assume the accompanying Arabic sign said much the same. I went through the doors and was confronted by a small-ish room stuffed with pork and pork products of all kinds – a lot of which were frozen and that you won’t find in the UK. Pig trotters being one that immediately springs to mind. One product concerned me greatly. On the shelves, nestled between packs of Pepperami and instant noodles, were strawberry flavour Poptarts – the sweet American breakfast food that you pop in the toaster and has frosting on top.
Hmmmmmmmm.
A.
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