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Although the Netherlands is an expensive country to live in and grocery prices tend to be relatively high, you needn’t worry — there are ways to cut down on those shopping bills.
As someone who lived on a freelance editor’s salary, learning to score cheap groceries at Dutch supermarkets was a necessary hurdle. Over the years, I’ve picked up a handful of tips for feeding myself on a budget, which I’m sharing with you today!
1. Switch to cheaper Dutch supermarkets
It goes without saying that choosing the most affordable supermarket isn’t an easy process if you’re new to the Netherlands.
When I first landed as an international student, I did all my grocery shopping at Albert Heijn. They were everywhere — and this convenience, coupled with their wide range of products and ready-made meals, were a big draw.
I then discovered Dirk thanks to a flatmate and, after watching my grocery bills basically halve themselves before my eyes, I’ve never really gone back to AH.
So it helps to stay informed on where the best deals lie — and, as this blog is all about making life easier for you, I’ve summarised the key information below.
A study by the Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) revealed that three Dutch supermarkets offer groceries at cheaper rates than average:
- Aldi (8% cheaper)
- Dirk (8% cheaper)
- Vomar (7% cheaper)
- Lidl (7% cheaper)
- DekaMarkt (3% cheaper)
- Hoogvliet (3% cheaper)
Meanwhile, those you’d typically want to avoid if you’re on a budget include:
2. Opt for house brands instead
The same study also discovered that buying supermarket-brand products (huismerken) instead of those by well-known brands (A-merken) will save you up to 54% on groceries. Quite the steal!
To give you a better overview, let’s compare the prices of some A-merken vs. huismerken:
| Product | A-merken price | Huismerken price |
|---|---|---|
| Granola | €4.39 (Quaker Cruesli; 450g) | €2.69 (Albert Heijn brand; 500g) |
| Spaghetti | €1.76 (Grand’Italia; 500g) | €0.93 (Jumbo brand; 500g) |
| Liquid laundry detergent | €10.25 (Ariel; 630ml) | €3.59 (Dirk’s 1 de best; 1.1 litres) |
With huismerken, you don’t just get a good deal on the overall price of a product — very often, you get more of the product, too.
3. Join your supermarket loyalty programme
Many Dutch supermarkets have a loyalty programme with a (virtual) bonus card that you can scan to activate discounts and save points. It’s arguably the best tool when it comes to cutting grocery costs — and you don’t have to pay a cent unless you’re opting for a premium plan!
With my free AH bonuskaart, I scored weekly ‘buy one get one free’ deals, started saving up Air Miles, and used supermarket points to buy myself a nice cutlery set (at a fraction of the original cost).
Here’s a list of the loyalty programmes at some popular Dutch supermarkets:
- Albert Heijn’s bonuskaart
- Jumbo’s Extras programme
- Coop’s klantenkaart
- Hoogvliet’s klantenkaart
- Vomar’s klant-is-koning kaart
However, not every supermarket has a loyalty programme, which brings me to my next tip.
4. Keep an eye out for supermarket deals
If you’ve got a favourite supermarket, it pays to know when they’ll be offering discounts on the products you use.
I find it easiest to just hop on a supermarket’s app or website before making my weekly shopping list, but you can also just head in and keep an eye out for yellow bonus stickers on the shelves.
Here’s a list of some popular terms you might see online (or on your supermarket’s app), with a brief explanation and translation:
| Term | Literal translation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 + 1 gratis | 1 + 1 free | If you buy two of the same products, you’ll get the second for free |
| 25% korting | 25% discount | You’ll get 25% off the price of this product |
| 2e halve prijs | 2nd half price | If you buy two of the same products, you’ll get 50% off the price of the second |
| T/m 12 January | Until 12 January | This particular discount only runs until the 12th of January |
| Nu voor €3.49 | Now for €3.49 | This product is temporarily on sale for €3.49 |
Do you have any tips for shopping on a budget at Dutch supermarkets? Be sure to drop them in the comments — or reach out with any questions you have!
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