Cross-border grocery shopping
I mentioned back in April that one of the Hong Kong newspapers reported that many Hong Kong residents, particularly from the New Territories, were coming into China to buy their groceries because it was cheaper for them than shopping in the Hong Kong SAR. The prices for Chinese groceries is that much less expensive at our groceries and open markets than in Hong Kong.
At the time, I was surprised and didn't see much evidence of it. However, these days I am having to go to Hong Kong just about every week, and I do see them. I see them crossing into China with their empty shopping bags, grocery carts and even rolling suitcases. I see them pile into the one of the local buses, so much cheaper than a similar ride in Hong Kong at only 1 or 2 RMB. I see them unload off the bus, laden with staples of the South Chinese diet, like rice, green vegetables, garlic, and so on. In short, it is impossible to miss them when I get to the border crossing nearest our apartment.
Of course, when I go to Hong Kong, we are doing the same thing, but from a different perspective. I also frequently bring my shopping bags and grocery cart, but these are empty when I cross over into Hong Kong. I shop for foreign products, like avocados, haloumi cheese, yogurt starter, bag lettuce, and all kinds of baking and cereal products. Lately I've been stocking up on frozen vegetables and American convenience foods to prepare for the weeks when it is going to be hard for me to get to the local grocery store to buy fresh vegetables. Sometimes what we buy in Hong Kong isn't available at all at our usual grocery stores (I haven't tried membership-only stores like Sam's Club or Metro, so maybe I'm being ridiculous). If the product is available, it is much, much less expensive in Hong Kong than at my local Carrefour.
Myles and I were talking about this last week when we walking towards the border. We were just behind a group of Xianggangren who just got off the bus with all their groceries. In response to some of his questions, I explained to him how all these people came over from Hong Kong to get better prices on the Chinese products, just like we go to Hong Kong to get better prices on the foreign products. One of the women in the group must have understood, and said to me in English, "That is funny, isn't it?"
At the time, I was surprised and didn't see much evidence of it. However, these days I am having to go to Hong Kong just about every week, and I do see them. I see them crossing into China with their empty shopping bags, grocery carts and even rolling suitcases. I see them pile into the one of the local buses, so much cheaper than a similar ride in Hong Kong at only 1 or 2 RMB. I see them unload off the bus, laden with staples of the South Chinese diet, like rice, green vegetables, garlic, and so on. In short, it is impossible to miss them when I get to the border crossing nearest our apartment.
Of course, when I go to Hong Kong, we are doing the same thing, but from a different perspective. I also frequently bring my shopping bags and grocery cart, but these are empty when I cross over into Hong Kong. I shop for foreign products, like avocados, haloumi cheese, yogurt starter, bag lettuce, and all kinds of baking and cereal products. Lately I've been stocking up on frozen vegetables and American convenience foods to prepare for the weeks when it is going to be hard for me to get to the local grocery store to buy fresh vegetables. Sometimes what we buy in Hong Kong isn't available at all at our usual grocery stores (I haven't tried membership-only stores like Sam's Club or Metro, so maybe I'm being ridiculous). If the product is available, it is much, much less expensive in Hong Kong than at my local Carrefour.
Myles and I were talking about this last week when we walking towards the border. We were just behind a group of Xianggangren who just got off the bus with all their groceries. In response to some of his questions, I explained to him how all these people came over from Hong Kong to get better prices on the Chinese products, just like we go to Hong Kong to get better prices on the foreign products. One of the women in the group must have understood, and said to me in English, "That is funny, isn't it?"
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