3 ms·

Convenience stores, corner shops, sandwich shops that also sell groceries, etc are not uniquely Japanese though. I don't understand why there's more articles ab

Convenience stores, corner shops, sandwich shops that also sell groceries, etc are not uniquely Japanese though. I don't understand why there's more articles about convenience store, Japan, but not convenience store, the Netherlands for example, or corner shop, UK. Coffee, sandwiches, underwear, beer, bike parts, cleaning products, office supplies, toys, birthday gubbins, cake, bed linen: a day in the life of the Netherlands' HEMA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l2Q91Z5nU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l2Q91Z5nU

walthamstow 2y ago
Most products in a UK corner shop are of poor quality. I wouldn't touch their sandwiches with a bargepole. Contrast to Japan where you can get a fresh, good quality, tasty meal from the fridges and the hot cabinet. The 7/11 fruit smoothies are great. The appropriate comparison to the UK is probably Greggs, and Greggs is still losing that battle.
- ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
  > Most products in a UK corner shop are of poor quality. I wouldn't touch their sandwiches with a bargepole. Most of the stuff that UK corner shops sell are pre-packaged, so they'd be the same product that you'd buy elsewhere. Also, we've got several corner shops that sell "home-made" Indian foods such as samosas and bhajis that are often higher quality than the packaged ones you buy in supermarkets. > The appropriate comparison to the UK is probably Greggs, and Greggs is still losing that battle. Are they losing? I was under the impression that Greggs are still opening up new stores and doing quite well. (Not a customer myself as they don't cater for gluten free)
  - defrost 2y ago
    Notably UK Cornershop offer a Brimful of Asha plain or with added Fatboy Slim.
    - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
      Asha Bhosie for the win!
  - walthamstow 2y ago
    > Most of the stuff that UK corner shops sell are pre-packaged, so they'd be the same product that you'd buy elsewhere. Elsewhere where? I have never seen these products anywhere else. The sad-looking chicken tikka sandwiches and bacon that's 90% nitrite-water are corner shop exclusives. > Are they losing? Greggs is indeed doing well in the UK but the comparison I'm making is Greggs vs Japanese conbini. Conbini wipe the floor with Greggs.
    - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
      > Elsewhere where? I have never seen these products anywhere else. The sad-looking chicken tikka sandwiches and bacon that's 90% nitrite-water are corner shop exclusives. Probably petrol stations and bargain shops such as B&M. They probably have the same product in slightly different packaging, much like how ordinary supermarkets will share suppliers, but market the same products differently.
      - walthamstow 2y ago
        So they're also stocked in other places that sell terrible food? I think we're agreeing that corner shop food is poor quality. To your initial point, that's why people talk about conbini more than corner shops. Unless, as you say and I agree, you're lucky to have one that sells nice homemade stuff like samosas (or in my area more likely to be baklava, gozleme etc), but they're rare.
        ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
        Yes, pre-packaged food is often poor quality when the shops are looking for the cheapest providers. That also applies to supermarkets, but they usually have better marketing and so customers think they're getting a much better product than they actually receive.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
piva00 2y ago
On top of that the convenience stores in Sweden (and many other countries) also work as pick-up spots for packages, the concept of porch pirates is absolutely alien to me because of that. I don't have to care that my package is sitting outside my door, or a delivery courier in a rush threw it haphazardly in the general direction of my house to move quicker to their next drop-off. I just pass by a convenience store nearby and pick it up, they will hold it for me for about 7-10 days so there's not even a rush to do it.
Yeul 2y ago
I would compare them with AH to go or the smaller city supermarket chain Spar. One of the nice things of living in a hyper densely populated country is that it becomes economically viable to have supermarkets every few miles. Japan still is vastly superior in the 24 hour economy though. In the Netherlands most supermarkets close at 9 or 10pm.
philistine 2y ago
Here's a great example of that: Couche-Tard, the biggest québécois dépanneur chain, is in the process of a hostile takeover of 7-11. That's how much money they have, they can afford to buy the worldwide flagship corner store. This has turned into a nightmare for the Japanese, who don't want to see their beloved 7-11 fall in the hands of grubby westerners. https://globalnews.ca/news/10867357/7-eleven-couche-tard-bid/ https://globalnews.ca/news/10867357/7-eleven-couche-tard-bid...

walthamstow 2y ago

Most products in a UK corner shop are of poor quality. I wouldn't touch their sandwiches with a bargepole. Contrast to Japan where you can get a fresh, good quality, tasty meal from the fridges and the hot cabinet. The 7/11 fruit smoothies are great. The appropriate comparison to the UK is probably Greggs, and Greggs is still losing that battle.

ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
> Most products in a UK corner shop are of poor quality. I wouldn't touch their sandwiches with a bargepole. Most of the stuff that UK corner shops sell are pre-packaged, so they'd be the same product that you'd buy elsewhere. Also, we've got several corner shops that sell "home-made" Indian foods such as samosas and bhajis that are often higher quality than the packaged ones you buy in supermarkets. > The appropriate comparison to the UK is probably Greggs, and Greggs is still losing that battle. Are they losing? I was under the impression that Greggs are still opening up new stores and doing quite well. (Not a customer myself as they don't cater for gluten free)
- defrost 2y ago
  Notably UK Cornershop offer a Brimful of Asha plain or with added Fatboy Slim.
  - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
    Asha Bhosie for the win!
- walthamstow 2y ago
  > Most of the stuff that UK corner shops sell are pre-packaged, so they'd be the same product that you'd buy elsewhere. Elsewhere where? I have never seen these products anywhere else. The sad-looking chicken tikka sandwiches and bacon that's 90% nitrite-water are corner shop exclusives. > Are they losing? Greggs is indeed doing well in the UK but the comparison I'm making is Greggs vs Japanese conbini. Conbini wipe the floor with Greggs.
  - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
    > Elsewhere where? I have never seen these products anywhere else. The sad-looking chicken tikka sandwiches and bacon that's 90% nitrite-water are corner shop exclusives. Probably petrol stations and bargain shops such as B&M. They probably have the same product in slightly different packaging, much like how ordinary supermarkets will share suppliers, but market the same products differently.
    - walthamstow 2y ago
      So they're also stocked in other places that sell terrible food? I think we're agreeing that corner shop food is poor quality. To your initial point, that's why people talk about conbini more than corner shops. Unless, as you say and I agree, you're lucky to have one that sells nice homemade stuff like samosas (or in my area more likely to be baklava, gozleme etc), but they're rare.
      - ndsipa_pomu 2y ago
        Yes, pre-packaged food is often poor quality when the shops are looking for the cheapest providers. That also applies to supermarkets, but they usually have better marketing and so customers think they're getting a much better product than they actually receive.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]

piva00 2y ago

On top of that the convenience stores in Sweden (and many other countries) also work as pick-up spots for packages, the concept of porch pirates is absolutely alien to me because of that. I don't have to care that my package is sitting outside my door, or a delivery courier in a rush threw it haphazardly in the general direction of my house to move quicker to their next drop-off. I just pass by a convenience store nearby and pick it up, they will hold it for me for about 7-10 days so there's not even a rush to do it.

Yeul 2y ago

I would compare them with AH to go or the smaller city supermarket chain Spar. One of the nice things of living in a hyper densely populated country is that it becomes economically viable to have supermarkets every few miles. Japan still is vastly superior in the 24 hour economy though. In the Netherlands most supermarkets close at 9 or 10pm.

philistine 2y ago

Here's a great example of that: Couche-Tard, the biggest québécois dépanneur chain, is in the process of a hostile takeover of 7-11. That's how much money they have, they can afford to buy the worldwide flagship corner store. This has turned into a nightmare for the Japanese, who don't want to see their beloved 7-11 fall in the hands of grubby westerners. https://globalnews.ca/news/10867357/7-eleven-couche-tard-bid/ https://globalnews.ca/news/10867357/7-eleven-couche-tard-bid...