When I first visited Sabinillas, some 18 years ago, it was a tiny, undeveloped fishing village. There was only one very small supermarket in the village. When we finally moved here, 8 years ago, that number had increased to 3 but to say they sold the basics is an understatement! Coming from the UK, where you can get absolutely everything in your local Tescos / Sainsburys, I walked into Mercadona and thought “how on earth am I going to feed a family of four with this!!” Having “learnt” to cook again form basic ingredients, I realised it wasn’t actually that bad – although I did struggle in our very first apartment without an oven!!! Having said that we did do the occasional trip to Morrisons (or Safeway as it was then) in Gibraltar for a brit fix but found myself spending £200 and not actually having much to make a dinner with – just lots of treats!!
Now, 8 years on, there are 8 supermarkets within easy driving distance to Sabinillas centre. They are still way behind the UK supermarkets but that’s just my opinion – Mum sent me out for mushrooms when we were home at Christmas and I was faced with 10 different varieties – here its whole mushrooms or sliced mushrooms!! However, the range and diversity of food has improve ten-fold in the time I’ve lived here. Almost every day, one of my friends will tell me about something new they have found in Lidl / Mercadona / Eroski / Maxi Dia/ Aldi /Supersol – Yes I know that is only 6 but there are 2 x Mercadona and 2 x Supersol!!!