The surprising differences between supermarkets in China and those in Peru: you can catch your food

In Peru or China, supermarkets are essential spaces to purchase basic household products, such as milk, bread, meat, fruits, vegetables and more. But each country has its own culture, which means that these spaces are not the same in all corners of the world. On the contrary, they have particularities that differentiate them and make them unique.

The Republic visited three famous supply centers in Beijing, the capital of the Asian giant: Wumart, Xiushui and Freshippo. He knows what singularities can be found in these places and how they differ from Peruvian supermarkets.

What are the surprising differences between supermarkets in China and those in Peru?

Payment Methods

The technological advancement of China It can be seen in its supply centers. In these, payment by application has been generally implemented. Thus, apps like Alipay are key to paying for products. However, even in some places, it is possible to use cash.

Of the three supermarkets we visited, only one had to pay through a virtual platform. This was Freshippo, in which you can only confirm the purchase of food or other products after paying through an app.

Unlike Peruthe use of a credit or debit card is unusual in supermarkets, since these are replaced by applications in which people keep their money to purchase any item without the need to have physical bills or coins.

You can fish the marine animals you want to consume

A particular aspect of Chinese supermarkets is the seafood area. In these spaces, a considerable number of sea animals are kept alive within differentiated fish tanks.

They have the appearance of being an aquarium, but the truth is that the animals are placed that way so that people can choose which species and specimen they want to take home. Once they select it, they are free to use a fishing net to capture the animal.

Then, these are weighed on a scale and slaughtered according to the buyer’s instructions. This happens, above all, with freshwater fish, although saltwater specimens, such as mollusks and crustaceans, can also be found.

Wide variety of processed food presentations

The food sold in China is one of the aspects that generates a lot of interest among users. Videos and social media posts about the variety of sweet presentations, fried foods and other products usually have millions of views. This, in part, is due to the wide variety of flavors and colors of processed foods.

An example of this is the famous bagged potatoes. Classic presentations are usually found in Peruvian supermarkets; However, in the Asian giant, there is a wide range of options, such as ‘fried chicken’ or ‘grilled chicken wings’.

These also respond to local preferences. Thus, you can find ice cream filled with beans or other similar products that are widely consumed among the Chinese population.

But not everything is different, since, as in the supply centers of Peru, in China There are world-famous products, such as carbonated drinks or beers from famous foreign brands.