Grocery stores around the world often try to persuade their customers to buy more by having "exotic" displays of foreign products. However, they aren't necessarily accurate. Take the American sections, for example. You can find them in pretty much any country. Wild flavors of Dr. Pepper, chocolate-covered pretzels, hamburger cookies, and of course, Snapple—the cornerstones of every American diet. Continue scrolling, take a look at these shelves, and let us know in the comments if you think this is actually what Uncle Sam eats or the stores have stocked up on too much sugar and are trying to get rid of it!
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I think this one is mostly ok. Substitute Virgil's for Budweiser, ad some mac & cheese and that's about it.
You can buy Budweiser pretty much anywhere in the UK, and it's brewed here so it would have to be imported to count as American.
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I grew up partially in the UK but I am an American citizen with very American tastes. That said, there are food items from my childhood in the UK that I occasionally miss, e.g. Smarties, Digestives, bangers and mash, etc. I'm guessing that my local market stocks these items because I, an American citizen, routinely purchase these items from them (there aren't many folks from the UK in my area). My point being, maybe the items in the American section of these non-American supermarkets aren't there to satisfy the cravings of Americans but are there because those are the American food items that the locals have a hankering for.
Chocolate in the US is almost unrecognizable to Europeans. This is probably popular for ex-pats to get their candy-fix without having to learn new tastes. It's 'comfort' food so to speak. Restaurants in the UK, for example, serve all sorts of 'american' food. Best burger I've had in years was in a pub in Glasgow.
Hershey's is absolutely comfort food for me. I love European chocolates, absolutely, but Hershey's tastes like being a kid.
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American here. Reese's is my favorite American candy, so I suppose if I were in Europe for a long time, I'd miss it. However, I love, love, LOVE UK Cadbury, so I wouldn't feel too deprived.
Reese's are popular in the UK so you would be able to find it in most shops. If you like Cadbury, they do some amazing different ones. My favourite is oreo crunch!
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Swede here, who has seen their own section of "American food" and would like to remind all Americans that just because we say it is American food does not mean that it is a representation of the stores, it means American imported brands.we know how to google guys, if we want American food we cook it ourselves from recipes or eat out in American restaurants. If you seriously want a food fight, I can think of several European things you guys do that we Europeans roll our eyes for ;)
American here - Would NOT want a food fight with you Nina - I know we're fk'ed up over here but folks just go along with it for some reason.
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Mostly candies and chocobars. They don't have candies or chocobars in UK?
This is a typical Tesco "American snacks and drinks" section, they already have their own brands of "mac n cheese" in the aisle with the pot noodles, pasta and rice.
Well, of the Hershey's in the white box is white chocolate, that's about the only thing I'd eat that on there. And this looks like just a snack area. We do eat more than snacks.
Its ok it has alot of popular deserts and no stuff that isnt from the us so thumbs up
to be honest....most of this is imported stuff because it's made with High Fructose Corn Syrup which is illegal in the EU. You can get Reeces in Asda now and pretzels and red licorice. What is hard to find is Root Beer, Lifesavers, jelly beans/gum drops. They don't eat those.
Ug, it's all candy/sweet s**t/snack food. Many of us never touch this crap.
I've tried Reese's and Hershey's, neither very nice, nowhere near as nice as our chocolate.
Only Candy, but yeah. America doesn't have a lot of main foods in the cuisine we've made up. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, and so forth. Do other countries have BLTs? I've never gone anywhere else, so i'm just curious
An American candy shop maybe! Y’all know we do have real food right? 😂
I have lived in the UK most of my life and I have never seen an American section, they must be in a select few and not usually in grocery stores
Glad that Britain has Virgil’s. That stuff is everywhere where I live, I love it.
American supermarkets have a European section- it is called fruit and vegetables
The price of American cereal over here is ridiculous. I’ve never tried any, only because I refuse to pay that much for a 330g box of cereal that wouldn’t share between 5 people for the week .
As an American, most of this looks right to me as quintessential American food. But canned black beans? I had no idea those were unique to the USA. I assumed canned black beans were a universal staple.
20 years in Colorado and I was completely oblivious to our state’s official marshmallows XD
this is the most accurate to actual American supermarkets. Some healthy cereal, some junky, crackers, oil, dressing, cookies, jello, vinegar, pudding. I live in the US and this seems right.
I an truthfully say, as an american, that we have none of this, and I have NEVER heard of this brand. My guess is that it is in Europe and makes "American" food to appeal to the market.
This is the first photo that has Ranch dressing in it. I do think that's a "must" for an American grocery section.
All the stores feature representations of sugar galore in the 'American' section. What I find curious is no protein bars.
Cholula hot sauce and Stubbs BBQ sauce are about the best there is, really. And what’s with the baking soda??
Come on now. Baking soda? Surely this store also sells baking soda. I don't believe that's uniquely American. 😂
I am amused at the choice of "French's" for mustard at a French supermarket. I think it's one of the better yellow mustards.
What's with all the Nerds? And I thought Jelly Belly's were British?
I wonder who chose these particular items. The others have largely been a product of what people eat on American television, but this is a decidedly southern regional palate.
Whether anyone wishes to understand or "believe" ALL FOOD IS GENETICALLY MODIFIED. If it is fruits and veggies, they are all hybrids aka genetically modified, all protein are derived from hybrid animals aka genetically modified. What it should say, if correct, is screwed with the genes.
FLUFF again! Most Americans outside of New England have never seen FLUFF!
Awwww yiss: Newman's Own salad dressings! (First time I've seen Campbell's soup in one of these pictures, I think?)
You can get them a pound cheaper and also not in an "american food" section in B&M in my experience. Thankfully, I got over my addiction to these, but my love of the Penn State sour cream and chive pretzels however, will never go away. ever.
The only truly American foods I see there are Kraft mac & Cheese, Chips Ahoy, and Snickers. Oh, Cracker Jack!
That’s actually bang on. They even got Yorkshire tea which is the best lol. Not to sure bout the curry. Very surprised hinez rival Branson isn’t there though lol
Has anyone ever seen bottled hotdogs for sale in the US? I lived there for 20+ years and have never seen anything like those.
I think it’s interesting how many stores had multiple kinds of Nerds. I’ve never seen them like that in the US. The only time we got Nerds was in tiny packages at Halloween.
can't relate to this post as I'm european and visiting the US is only a plan. Could someone explain what is wrong here?
Americans don't just eat junk food and sugary cereal
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A lot of these are what I would call “ comfort foods “ you don’t eat it every day but have a craving for your own taste of home occasionally.
Which I think is the point. Everyday 'normal' food that we all eat will be available in the rest of the shop. This is just a taste of home that is specific to the US but in the way that all countries have. UK will have unhealthy nostalgic treats too.
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Be interesting to see how the international sections in American supermarkets compare. Think those sections in any supermarket always tend towards the stereotype - German bratwurst, Spanish chorizo, British baked beans, etc.
In my neck of the woods there is a chain of stores called 'World Market' and they stock food and booze from all over the world. Obviously not an entire grocery stores worth for each country, but a good showing. It's all packaged food though, nothing fresh.
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I just realised that I have never seen an "American" section in a supermarket before. We have an Asian food section, a Mexican food section and an international food section which mainly consists of food from the UK and Europe. The American foods we do have are scattered in the relevant aisles ie gobstoppers and nerds are in the lolly/ chocolate aisle, pop tarts in breakfast food section, oreos in biscuit section etc.
I've been on this planet a long time, neither I or anyone I have ever known has bought marshmallow "fluff". Nice find = sweet baby rays, wtf = jar of hot dogs, missing=ketchup
you guys should try pop tarts, not the kinds like "smores" or "cookies and cream" those arnt any good. but the fruit ones like strawberry and cherry are the best.
I thought pop tarts have been around in Europe since the 90s? I remember having some around then...
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This is what the rest of the world thinks of us? From the looks of things, the rest of the world didn't do enough research.
Is it just me, or was Tabasco missing entirely? I never cared for Tabasco, I like other got sauce way more, but it is a staple in most households in America.
The Foreign Food section in Chinese supermarkets isn't labeled American Food but should be. Typically it contains at least 25 types of chewing/bubble gum, Red Bull and other energy drinks, potato crisps and other rubbish. If you are very lucky there may be pasta sauce.
I want to know where all those countries found "Twinkies" cuz you sure don't see them for sale anywhere near my part of the USA!
They all basically look like a rest stop/truck stop convenience store shelf. Not actual food.
Ok anyone not from America, please tell me why you think we have such an infatuation for marshmallows? Don't get me wrong. Yea they're tasty and they make great s'mores (graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow) but we don't sit around eating this stuff. The candy is accurate, but again, not many of us just walk around downing fist fulls of nerds and other candy daily. Pizza is good. But it definitely doesn't have hot dogs on it. I'm just confused.
Marshmallows can be thought of as American because of the films with people melting them around a campfire. Similar with hotdogs - films with newyorkers eating them on the street. As for pizza - beats me, pizza is Italian.
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1. A lot of Americans actually eat real f*****g food 2. It's actually gotten a little old, how much Americans are stereotyped. 3. Yes American food has a lot of sugar but that's not all we eat. 4. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are revolutionary
1. I guess that's the point of the article, but you're right, that is a common belief among many. 2. I'm not sure America is stereotyped any worse than any other country, although the proliferation of American culture means it is more visible. 3. I think that's the same point as 1. 4. They haven't really taken off anywhere else, though, have they? I've never seen them outside of the US myself. And, controversial opinion, I found them a little underwhelming after they'd been built up so much by Americans. A hotpot in beijing or yakiniku in Osaka blew my mind far more, but it's always personal I guess.
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In The Hague there is/was the 'Expat Store' in the harbour of Vlissingen. It was ran and visited by US expats, and was basically a supermarket but with overseas products (as if dishwashing detergent shipped across the pond would make a difference --- but it was mainly that kind of simple stuff). And yeah it was similar to most of these photos above: Junkfood, regular household products, terrible 'chocolates'... but given owners and clientele, it's what americans think what american products are.
OK, tiny to nothing hot sauce sections, no barbecue sauces/seasonings, this is literally nothing but contempt shelves.
Honestly, there are whole sections in supermarkets with other brand sauces, hot or otherwise. These are just familiar brands that people from the US may prefer. We all get brands we like better after all. I think these are just items that wouldn't normally be sold in whichever country the shop is in, but that most people's needs are easily met with the normal offerings in the shop. People don't need US veggies but might be pleased to see US sweets for example. I think those people taking photos and assuming that this is all American's eat are being daft, of course it's not. That's how I see it anyway. If I was in a different country and saw my preferred brand of something I'd probably just be pleased the shop was bothering.
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Who said it was? Have you ever actually been grocery shopping, and looked how food is sorted?
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Has anyone ever seen bottled hotdogs for sale in the US? I lived there for 20+ years and have never seen anything like those.
I think it’s interesting how many stores had multiple kinds of Nerds. I’ve never seen them like that in the US. The only time we got Nerds was in tiny packages at Halloween.
can't relate to this post as I'm european and visiting the US is only a plan. Could someone explain what is wrong here?
Americans don't just eat junk food and sugary cereal
Load More Replies... A lot of these are what I would call “ comfort foods “ you don’t eat it every day but have a craving for your own taste of home occasionally.
Which I think is the point. Everyday 'normal' food that we all eat will be available in the rest of the shop. This is just a taste of home that is specific to the US but in the way that all countries have. UK will have unhealthy nostalgic treats too.
Load More Replies... Be interesting to see how the international sections in American supermarkets compare. Think those sections in any supermarket always tend towards the stereotype - German bratwurst, Spanish chorizo, British baked beans, etc.
In my neck of the woods there is a chain of stores called 'World Market' and they stock food and booze from all over the world. Obviously not an entire grocery stores worth for each country, but a good showing. It's all packaged food though, nothing fresh.
Load More Replies... I just realised that I have never seen an "American" section in a supermarket before. We have an Asian food section, a Mexican food section and an international food section which mainly consists of food from the UK and Europe. The American foods we do have are scattered in the relevant aisles ie gobstoppers and nerds are in the lolly/ chocolate aisle, pop tarts in breakfast food section, oreos in biscuit section etc.
I've been on this planet a long time, neither I or anyone I have ever known has bought marshmallow "fluff". Nice find = sweet baby rays, wtf = jar of hot dogs, missing=ketchup
you guys should try pop tarts, not the kinds like "smores" or "cookies and cream" those arnt any good. but the fruit ones like strawberry and cherry are the best.
I thought pop tarts have been around in Europe since the 90s? I remember having some around then...
Load More Replies... This is what the rest of the world thinks of us? From the looks of things, the rest of the world didn't do enough research.
Is it just me, or was Tabasco missing entirely? I never cared for Tabasco, I like other got sauce way more, but it is a staple in most households in America.
The Foreign Food section in Chinese supermarkets isn't labeled American Food but should be. Typically it contains at least 25 types of chewing/bubble gum, Red Bull and other energy drinks, potato crisps and other rubbish. If you are very lucky there may be pasta sauce.
I want to know where all those countries found "Twinkies" cuz you sure don't see them for sale anywhere near my part of the USA!
They all basically look like a rest stop/truck stop convenience store shelf. Not actual food.
Ok anyone not from America, please tell me why you think we have such an infatuation for marshmallows? Don't get me wrong. Yea they're tasty and they make great s'mores (graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow) but we don't sit around eating this stuff. The candy is accurate, but again, not many of us just walk around downing fist fulls of nerds and other candy daily. Pizza is good. But it definitely doesn't have hot dogs on it. I'm just confused.
Marshmallows can be thought of as American because of the films with people melting them around a campfire. Similar with hotdogs - films with newyorkers eating them on the street. As for pizza - beats me, pizza is Italian.
Load More Replies... 1. A lot of Americans actually eat real f*****g food 2. It's actually gotten a little old, how much Americans are stereotyped. 3. Yes American food has a lot of sugar but that's not all we eat. 4. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are revolutionary
1. I guess that's the point of the article, but you're right, that is a common belief among many. 2. I'm not sure America is stereotyped any worse than any other country, although the proliferation of American culture means it is more visible. 3. I think that's the same point as 1. 4. They haven't really taken off anywhere else, though, have they? I've never seen them outside of the US myself. And, controversial opinion, I found them a little underwhelming after they'd been built up so much by Americans. A hotpot in beijing or yakiniku in Osaka blew my mind far more, but it's always personal I guess.
Load More Replies... In The Hague there is/was the 'Expat Store' in the harbour of Vlissingen. It was ran and visited by US expats, and was basically a supermarket but with overseas products (as if dishwashing detergent shipped across the pond would make a difference --- but it was mainly that kind of simple stuff). And yeah it was similar to most of these photos above: Junkfood, regular household products, terrible 'chocolates'... but given owners and clientele, it's what americans think what american products are.
OK, tiny to nothing hot sauce sections, no barbecue sauces/seasonings, this is literally nothing but contempt shelves.
Honestly, there are whole sections in supermarkets with other brand sauces, hot or otherwise. These are just familiar brands that people from the US may prefer. We all get brands we like better after all. I think these are just items that wouldn't normally be sold in whichever country the shop is in, but that most people's needs are easily met with the normal offerings in the shop. People don't need US veggies but might be pleased to see US sweets for example. I think those people taking photos and assuming that this is all American's eat are being daft, of course it's not. That's how I see it anyway. If I was in a different country and saw my preferred brand of something I'd probably just be pleased the shop was bothering.
Load More Replies... Who said it was? Have you ever actually been grocery shopping, and looked how food is sorted?
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