Shopping for Essentials

Once you have started to adjust to your new life in the Netherlands, learning about where you can buy your daily essentials can be an important part of settling in and feeling at home - whether this means discovering your local supermarkets or markets, exploring vintage stores, or learning about the best online shops to use in the Netherlands.

If you haven't yet set up your Dutch bank account, then it's also necessary to keep in mind that not all stores in the Netherlands may accept your foreign bank card and that some stores will no longer accept cash. Make sure to do your research beforehand if you are planning on a big grocery haul, because even the popular supermarkets may reject your VISA card (although they will accept cash).

Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn

One of the most well-known supermarkets in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn (or Appie as the Dutch may sometimes refer to it), has more than 1000 stores across the Netherlands and Belgium. Although a little pricier than other competitors such as Lidl and Aldi, Albert Heijn has a wider range of available products in its stores - especially useful if you have any dietary preferences or intolerances.
Jumbo
Jumbo

Another popular supermarket, often viewed as the biggest competitor to Albert Heijn in the Netherlands, is Jumbo. With more than 700 stores across the Netherlands and Belgium, Jumbo offers a wide range of products that are priced competitively against Albert Heijn's products. Due to this, there are many products in Jumbo that may be marginally cheaper than in Albert Heijn, although this is not always the case.
Lidl
Lidl

Originating in Germany, Lidl has stores in more than 32 countries nowadays, and is known for being an affordable supermarket option. It also has an excellent selection of fresh and quality produce, and many Lidl stores have good bakeries.
Plus
Plus

Plus is another common supermarket chain in the Netherlands, and, with more than 500 stores, is one of the largest chains in the Netherlands after Albert Heijn and Jumbo. Plus is known for being affordable and has a good variety of products on offer.
Aldi
Aldi

Much like Lidl, Aldi is a supermarket chain that originates from Germany. It is an excellent choice for affordable products, and stocks a wide range of produce and items.
Hoogvliet
Hoogvliet

Another Dutch supermarket, Hoogvliet offers a range of products and is considered to be one of the more affordable supermarkets. Although there are not as many branches of Hoogvliet as there are of other supermarket chains, you can nevertheless find more than 70 Hoogvliet stores throughout the Netherlands.
Dirk
Dirk

Formerly known as 'Dirk van den Broek', this supermarket chains has more than 130 stores throughout the country. With its stores known for their affordability, the chain also distributes weekly brochures detailing its best current offers for its customers.

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Other Essential Shops

Although Albert Heijn, Jumbo, and Lidl are amongst the more common supermarkets found in the Netherlands, there are a number of other specialised supermarkets that offer products you might not be able to find otherwise. For instance, Ekoplaza is an organic store that stocks numerous health foods and beauty products. Ekoplaza is also a good option for those with dietary preferences and/or intolerances, providing a range of gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, and nut-free alternatives.

Amazing Oriental is another excellent option if you are looking for ingredients that may be hard to come by in the Netherlands. With stores throughout the Netherlands, Amazing Oriental offers a selection of foods frequently used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Vintage Stores & Charity Shops/Thrift Stores

Although they may not be as ubiquitous to the Netherlands as they are in some other countries, there are nevertheless a wide variety of different vintage stores and charity shops to be found throughout the Netherlands. Many of these stores focus on accessories, smaller household items, and clothing, but there are some that have sections devoted to furniture as well - so you may be able to finally get your hands on some unique items to make your new place feel like home. Some vintage stores will also do 'kilo sales', which allows you to browse their clothing items and buy based on the weight of the clothes as opposed to based on individual pieces, and these sales can be the perfect opportunity to spruce up your wardrobe and be environmentally friendly in the process.

Weekly Markets

In addition to the supermarkets, most cities and towns have their own regular weekly markets. In the Leiden region, there are weekly markets in Leiden, Oegstgeest, and Voorschoten, in which you can buy locally grown produce and many handmade or vintage items from the vendors. These markets are not only an excellent chance to get to know your new municipality, but they also offer you the opportunity to support local business owners and farmers.

Some Leiden region weekly markets include:

Leiden city centre (on Wednesdays and Saturdays)
Leiderdorp (on Thursdays)
Zoeterwoude (on Thursdays)
Voorschoten (on Fridays)

You can find more information about the weekly markets on Streek van Verrasingen's website.

Bol is an excellent website if you need to order something to your house that you may not be able to find elsewhere - or that you may not have time to pick up and search for in-person. You can find a range of products, from video games and plant pots to household items and clothing on their website, and they often have next day delivery available. For more information, you can visit their website.

With both in-person stores throughout the Netherlands and an online store, MediaMarkt is a popular choice for those searching for electronics and appliances. They stock a range of products, from computers and coffee machines to refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, and even offer a same day delivery service if you order before 12:30 pm. You can find more information on their website.

With stores in more than 60 countries, there's a good chance that you have heard of IKEA before. There are numerous IKEAs throughout the Netherlands, and although they are well-known for their large stores that you can visit in-person, it's also important to note that they offer delivery services so that the larger furniture items can be delivered straight to your doorstep. IKEA also offers, for an extra fee, an assembling service (meubelmontageservice in Dutch), which means that if you are unsure about how to build any of the chain's ubiquitous flat-pack furniture then you can choose to have it assembled at your own place after delivery. You can learn more on their website.

HEMA is one of the most beloved Dutch stores, and you can find one a HEMA store in almost every city in the Netherlands. Not quite a supermarket, not quite a clothing store, and not quite a cafe or sandwich shop, HEMA's stores offer its customers a wide range of options to suit your every need. You can find not only basic food items, but also clothing, household items, stationery, and even bike accessories in these stores. The larger HEMAs also have a restaurant section in which you can have a breakfast or lunch whilst you shop. You can find more information on their website.

Action is a Dutch international discount store chain. Currently, there are over 1,800 stores in 9 countries. Action sells random household items such as cutlery, phone chargers, photo frames, bed linen, toiletries, cleaning products, and general decorative items. You can find more information about the products and locations on their website.