What is Grocery Tourism? Why Visiting Supermarkets Is The New Travel Trend

Admit it: if you are like me, you love going to the grocery store when you travel abroad. Wherever I travel, I find a reason to rush over to the grocery store, using the excuse of getting some “necessary items”. Like many other travelers, I am a Grocery tourist.

Most people head for museums, famous landmarks, and popular restaurants. But there is a different attraction drawing curious tourists: the local grocery store.

For a visitor, your local supermarket is a fascinating window into your daily life. The products on the shelves and the foods in shopping carts, grocery stores reveal how people eat, celebrate, and live.

This growing trend has earned a name: “Grocery Tourism.”

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What’s with the Fascination?

A local restaurant showcases a country’s cultural and celebrated dishes, but a grocery store tells us something else. It reveals a window into everyday life. A glimpse of what local families actually eat on a typical Tuesday night.

A walk through a neighborhood supermarket can answer many meaningful questions, such as:

• What foods are considered everyday staples?
• Which ingredients are seasonal?
• How important is home cooking?
• What flavors are unique to the region?
• How much influence have immigration and trade had on local cuisine?

A grocery store is a living cultural museum showcasing local life

Travel the World in a Grocery Aisle

Every country’s supermarket tells its special story through food.

In Italy, entire aisles are completely devoted to pasta, with shapes that I have never seen before. I also spent time looking at local olive oils, meats, and cheeses that reflect centuries of culinary history. I had a hard time leaving. It was a fascinating experience.

In Japan, convenience stores and supermarkets offer seriously creative packaged meals. I loved every minute of my visits. Bento boxes and rice balls are works of art. How can I forget those candy boxes? I still have a couple of Moshi containers that I use for serving appetizers. Not to mention, shoppers are technologically advanced. Years ago, I actually saw a Japanese shopper use a QR code to scan a product. This was in 2006. I was blown away!

In Mexico, markets are my happy place. I always find an excuse in between museums and pyramids to enjoy the diversity of cultures that live there. The overflows of dried chiles, tortillas, candied tropical fruits, and exotic moles. I pack my bags full of these items to take home as gifts.

In France, it’s Monoprix time. Before I look for anything else, I visit the paté and the cheese shelves, and I leave the wine to my husband. Beauty and culinary elegance are matters of pride in France. The supermarkets reflect this culture.

Grocery Tourism’s Cultural Surprises

As Americans traveling to other countries, we find it surprising that eggs are displayed unrefrigerated. Our eggs are always in the refrigeration section, as are most other products like bread. But Europeans don’t have the fridge space we do, so these items aren’t refrigerated in stores. An Asian market will contain an untold variety of seafood and fermented ingredients. Lucky for us, many are now available here in the U.S.

My thing is the snack aisle that tells its own story. Japan and Korea have potato chips flavored with seaweed, shrimp, truffle, or roast chicken.

Let’s not get into bread! Something as simple as bread and how we break it can reveal many cultural differences. In many European countries, bakeries occupy an entire section of the store. But in the U.S., packaged bread dominates the shelves. Today, countries across Asia and South America are also filling their shelves with packaged options. Every market is unique, and every package tells its own story.

Grocery Tourism in the Harrods Food Halls

The Best Souvenirs Are Edible

I tend to skip the souvenir shops altogether. Instead, I bring home tote bags packed with local spice blends, chocolates, teas, jams, coffee, honey, or specialty condiments.

I am about to go to the UK, and I will be bringing Trader Joe’s care packages for my friends and family. There are markets around the world that tell a richer story than a refrigerator magnet. Although you can include one as well.

Of course, no visit to London is complete without a stop at the Harrods Food Halls. Or head to Borough Market to support its local traders and long-standing commitment to sustainability.

Grocery tourism allows travelers to re-experience a taste of their trip long after returning home.

Shopping Carts Tell Us About Society

Anthropologists study food as a reflection of culture. Grocery stores provide a unique glimpse into everyday life.

A shopping cart reveals traditions, economic realities, religious influences, and changing dietary trends.

In countries where daily cooking is part of everyday life, carts are filled with fresh ingredients. In others, convenience foods dominate. The differences often reflect work schedules, family structures, urbanization, and cultural values.

Watching how cultures buy gives us insights that guidebooks rarely offer.

The Grocery Tourism Trend

Social media greatly contributed to this fad. Grocery stores are now unexpected travel destinations. When I host guests from other countries, the first thing they ask is to go to Costco or Trader Joe’s. They have seen something on TikTok that they want to buy. I do exactly the same thing on my travels abroad. I walk into a supermarket and load up on local chocolates. I’ll soon be in London, and I’ll do my usual stop at Sainsbury’s to buy one of our most coveted breads, a Soreen malt loaf!

Specialty markets, historic food halls, and regional chains continue to draw visitors eager to experience local food culture. Some of these historical markets include Doud’s Market on Mackinac Island, Michigan, which has been open since 1884, and Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona.

The Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona dates back to 1217, when it was an informal open-air meat market. The market’s current iteration opened in 1840, making it over 185 years old, and carries a wide variety of specialty foods and confectionery. 

Cultural Destinations

Travel is often about discovering how other people live. Few places offer a more authentic glimpse into daily life than the local supermarket. So on your next trip abroad, anywhere in the world, stop by a supermarket. I’m sure you will not walk out empty-handed.

Check out what customers are buying, and you’ll leave with a deep understanding of the culture itself. Happy shopping! If you are coming to visit us here in the U.S., I’ll see you at Walmart or Trader Joe’s!

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Selected Sources and Further Reading

• TODAY.com — Grocery Store Tourism Takes Off as Supermarkets Become Travel Destinations.
• Travel and Tour World — Grocery Store Tourism Emerges as a Global Travel Trend in 2026
• Curation Edit — What Is Grocery Store Tourism? Inside the Travel Trend Everyone Is Talking About

Note to my readers:
My research draws on travel experiences, books, and, sometimes, AI tools. I love using my own photos whenever possible, but occasionally I include stock or AI-generated images to help illustrate the story.