Makro vs. other suppliers

[Takiap]

I don't know if I'm missing something, but yesterday I was strolling around in Big C trying to kill some time, and I was quite shocked at many of the prices when compared to Makro.


A few examples........

1. A French loaf - 25 baht at Makro 30 baht at Big C
2. Pork loin fillet - 137 baht per kg at Makro, 200 baht at Big C
3. Chicken legs - 49 baht per kg at Makro, nearly 100 baht at Big C
4. Potatoes - 28 baht at Makro, 55 baht at Big C

Not really a big concern if you only buy groceries every once in a while, but if you and your family eats home cooked meals 99% of the time, monthly shopping would cost a few thousand baht more if you shopped at Big C rather than at Makro.


I've also seen something similar when comparing Makro prices to market prices. For example, I save around 1,500 per month buying my potatoes and onions at Makro rather than from local markets. The same thing applies to chicken and pork. Not only is it far cleaner at Makro, but also always cheaper.

Sure, I know it's good to support local traders, but I also cannot afford to throw money away.


BTW, in case anyone is interested, I noticed Makro has started selling frozen mutton, I think for around 230 baht per kilo. Excellent for curries and/or stews.

[dtaai-maai]

BTW, in case anyone is interested, I noticed Makro has started selling frozen mutton, I think for around 230 baht per kilo. Excellent for curries and/or stews.

I saw some frozen goat meat in Makro this morning. Didn't explore price or origin.

[Big Boy]

Generally, I do agree with your comments regarding Makro pricing. Most things we be are as cheap or cheaper than elsewhere. Having said that, we mainly shop at Tesco, Market Village because of its close proximity.

Mrs BB's main request to go to Makro is when we either need cheese (she buys the 2Kg block, which lasts us quite a while), or potatoes (she has proved to me a few times how much better Makro potatoes are compared to Tesco or the market).

Regarding supporting local providers, some of them are getting very greedy e.g.:

- In the UK we often used to be able to buy a pineapple for £1 or less. I was always impressed at how cheap you could buy pineapples for here. A few days ago, driving to Cha-Am (using the by-pass), the roadside stalls were showing pineapple prices at 50 Baht each.

- My son's girlfriend asked Mrs BB to buy her a small bunch of bananas. In the UK we were buying bananas at 25p/lb. Mrs BB paid 60 Baht for what was no more than 2lb bananas.

OK, whoever buys at those prices is not very clever (sorry Mrs BB ), and encouraging greed.

[Vital Spark]

We do all our weekly shopping at Makro. When it comes to veggies and meat, it's infinitely better than our local Tesco (which is utter s***e). One of the good things is that you can pick your own tatties, onions, chicken breasts, etc., which means you can fudge around and get exactly the size you want, the staff are a million times more pleasant, people are there to buy stuff (not to just wander around aimlessly), it's cheaper, there's more variety, I could go on... It's a no-brainer.

VS

[joelle]

with the above
we used to shop at Tesco but too expensive and often the shelves are empty and they only sell the high priced products
we go to GSupermarket, just over the railway on the left, for crisps, fruit juices 39/45 bahts (can't beat it), washing machine liquid, antimoskito cream at 39 bahts when else where it is 69 (+) bahts for the same one, also they often have very good promotions around 20 to 50 bahts discount,
not being a scrooge but as takiap said when you live here permanently, on a monthly basis it soon mounts up
otherwise we shop at Makro and if you are not satisfied with their products i.e. meat piece too tough just send them a mail and they contact you

[Takiap]

Yes, G supermarket is a good place for certain items and reasonable prices as well, and I thing the old Hua-Hin supermarket is also very reasonable, but can be very difficult moving about inside.

Tesco is the last place on my list - inconvenient and expensive. Also very limited choice of meats.


BB, you're lucky your 2 kg block of cheese lasts quite a while. We seem to have a rat in the house that knows how to open a fridge and even slice cheese. We think that the rat in question might even have some martial arts experience, probably WADO.

[Big Boy]

antimoskito cream at 39 bahts when else where it is 69 (+) bahts for the same one

I'm not disagreeing with most of what you are saying, and yes, we use G for a few things. However, Tesco have had the most popular anti mosquito cream on sale for just 16 Baht for many months now. Such good value that I bought a stack of it.

[Big Boy]

^^ Typical Just got back from Tesco, and the price is now 51 Baht

[richie22]

BTW, in case anyone is interested, I noticed Makro has started selling frozen mutton, I think for around 230 baht per kilo. Excellent for curries and/or stews.

I saw some frozen goat meat in Makro this morning. Didn't explore price or origin.

Can you please tell me me what cut of mutton it was?
On or off the bone or diced ?
Cheers

[gandalfinthai]

And to make matters worse, Big C's fruits and meats are often old. I bought chicken in there that had gone bad and apples that were soft and rotten inside.

[barrys]

Can you please tell me me what cut of mutton it was?
On or off the bone or diced ?
Cheers

Leg bone-in, and very tender

[richie22]

Can you please tell me me what cut of mutton it was?
On or off the bone or diced ?
Cheers

Leg bone-in, and very tender

Cheers mate.
Looks like Roghan Josh is on the menu soon

[Takiap]

Thanks Barry


It was frozen so I wasn't 100% sure. Will pick up some when there the next time because mutton is far better than lamb for some dishes. Wish I could get mutton chops rather than lamb chops as well. A lot bigger and far more flavor.

[hhinner]

And if you need mint sauce with it, I saw that Tesco had some jars of their English own brand yesterday. Of course, making your own is easy enough.

[kendo]

Takiap if you can find tinned anchovy fillets put them over lamb with a little red wine and shallots incredible flavors.

Now back to topic we perchased some eggs from the new Big C in Prasat on cracking them open into boiling they immediately disolved into a cloudy liquid is this because they were far to old and way past being edible.