Grocery tourism: The rise of supermarket adventures abroad
There has been a lot of buzz online about a unique travel style expected to be popular in 2025. This trend is known as food tourism, which aims to attract tourists to supermarkets. What is this new trend all about?
Supermarkets or food tourism, which involves travelling abroad to shop at grocery stores, is anticipated to become a major travel trend. Expedia predicts that by 2025, travellers will embark on "grocery tours" to seek items they cannot purchase at home and are eager to acquire.
A new era of "souvenirs"
One of the first individuals to embrace this trend on social media is Jessica Jayne, whose TikTok posts include grocery shopping as part of the cultural experience. For instance, one post features her visit to the Greek island of Santorini.
The video shows her buying Oreo cookies in various flavours, Lays Pizza Hut crisps, and Lacta chocolate in lesser-known flavours like banoffee. "Going to a grocery store could technically be counted as sightseeing, right? Because not only is it a cultural experience, but you can also find lots of stuff to bring back as souvenirs," Jessica remarks.
"This may be controversial, but I think that the best thing to do while travelling is going to the grocery store," explains the TikTok user in a now-popular video about her experiences visiting Malaysian supermarkets.
Gathering goods as part of the cultural experience
Supermarket tourism can transform colourful grocery stores, quirky local shops, and speciality supermarkets worldwide into travel destinations.
Exploring the places where the locals shop allows holidaymakers to understand local cultures through food, ingredients, and shopping habits. Often, supermarkets and grocery stores offer insights into a region's culinary traditions, popular products, and everyday life. Do you think this new trend will catch on?
