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Whether you want to do some grocery shopping for your new flat in the UK, or you just want to know if you can get a bit of taste of home in London, you’ve probably come to this article because you’re wondering, “is there a Giant in London?” or “is there a Giant in the UK?” – and you mean the grocery store, not like, a Goliath.
Well, here we are, let’s go.
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The answer to…
“Is there a Giant in the UK or England or London?”
is no. There isn’t the grocery store called Giant in the UK or London, but fear not!
There are plenty of grocery stores here, and I’ll share more about that below.
But before we get too much into the UK’s grocery stores and where you can find Giant, I want to tell you about some awesome resources I’ve put together to help you either navigate expat life in the UK or plan your vacation to London as an American (or whichever country you’re from).
So, first things first.
No matter why you’re here, I want to share with you the best book I’ve ever read about England for foreigners visiting here – it’s called “Watching the English” and you should click here and check it out.
The book was written by a sociologist who is English, and she observed her English peers, friends, families, and strangers in a long term study.
Sounds boring, but her book is very fascinating, and talks about some of the main things that make the English tick!
She also has great sections on English humor and communication, which I think is a necessity for anyone traveling to or visiting the UK.
I also want to point you in the direction of some other articles I have, first for those visiting the UK.
If you’re a person who enjoys a tour (and I am), I want to make sure you know which London tours are quality and which ones you can skip, so I’ve put together the full list to the best London tours below.
I’ll talk about which ones you should take for kids, which ones are the best for mobility issues (ie the bus ones that you can just find a seat and stay on), and which niche ones are great (James Bond, anyone?)
You spend a lot of money when it comes to a trip to London, and this is my way of helping you figure out where to spend that cash!
I’ve also put together an awesome guide to getting around London for anyone new to the city, which includes information on taking the tube (not as hard as you might fear), Oyster cards (not an actual oyster), and how to use the river boats.
If you’re more hoping to live in the UK long term or become an expat in the UK, this site is also right up your alley.
I’ve got resources below on how to move from the US to the UK, as well as a guide to making friends in the UK.
- The Best London Tours Ever (Recommended by a Local)
- How to Get Around London with Ease: The Full Guide to London Transportation
- How to Move from the US to the UK without Going Crazy
- Making Friends as an Expat for Dummies
Right, now that you’ve settled in with those resources, let’s get on our favorite grocery store, Giant and what the deal is with Giant in the UK. (Okay, my favorite grocery store is actually the Florida-based Publix, and Publix is also not in the UK).
History of Giant in the UK
If you’re reading this article and wondering about Giant, the chances are that you you’re from a number of states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Giant was founded in 1923 as a meat market, and this individual store became prosperous under the leadership of David Javitch and his family.
In 1936, he purchased a store in Pennsylvania which was called the Giant Shopping Food Center.
This was the first foray he had into a full grocery store, and it was a novelty at the time to be able to buy everything you needed under one roof.
From there, the chain grew, with growth in suburban areas in the late 1960s where many Americans were moving.
In 1970, the family bought out Martin’s stores, which were also grocery store, and actually many stores opened by Giant retain the Martin’s name to this day, so perhaps you came to this article wondering if there are any Martin’s in the UK or Martin’s in London.
Between them, there are almost 2000 Giants and Martin’s Food Markets in the US, concentrated in the region I previously mentioned.
They are almost identical inside with just different names.
Giant has never expanded outside the US when it comes to its grocery stores.
Equivalent to Giant or Martin’s in the UK
You can’t go to Giant in the UK for your grocery shopping, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some down-to-earth grocery shopping in the UK.
Giant have an emphasis on savings and suburban shopping, so I’ve selected two of the UK’s grocery store that most closely resemble this.
Tesco
Tesco is one of the most notable grocery stores in all of the UK (called supermarkets here), and you’ll find Tesco in London and across the rest of the country.
There are smaller “Local” versions, as well as full-on massive grocery stores like we’re used to in the US.
The prices are some of the cheapest around, and they run a “meal deal” where you can get a sandwich, drink, and chips for just a few pounds which is popular among workers.
Sainbury’s
In terms of quality, Sainbury’s is a notch above Tesco, but still with prices that aren’t going to completely shock your wallet.
I would say that Sainbury’s are a more “loved” brand than Tesco in the sense that they have more brand loyalty and people who go out of their way to shop there.
You can also find Sainbury’s within London as well as in other parts of the UK and in suburban areas.
Read more in my full guide comparing UK and US stores and restaurants.
Want to know more about US stores in the UK? Check this list out!
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