I always
thought that there’s nothing more representative of the culture of a country
than its supermarkets. Well, maybe it’s not the most representative but it’s
still good enough. And among all the supermarkets in Denmark (which most of
them are under the same company), there is one on concrete. We could define it
by its appearance, by its prices or even by the quality but that would be easy.
Let’s name it: Fakta.
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| Faktas forsiden: www.fakta.dk |
What we
like: Atmosphere. Fast, kitsch and from the neighborhood. No time to talk, no compromise.
Just get your products and go back to the ghetto, or the kollegium in case you
live there. But that’s good because when one of the cashiers tried starting a
conversation with you all your life seems to be fulfilled.
What we
don’t like: Awkward range of products. If you suffer of alcoholism today is
your lucky day, unless you don’t drink wine. So, I must say you’d better be a
classy alcoholic because Fakta counts with a big corridor of this reddish gold.
From South Africa to Spain, including cherry wine (is that wine?). But Fakta
runs out of pasta, tuna or everything else.
What we
like: Varieté. Visiting once a week is an adventure. You never know what to
expect. Today may be protein whey powder, tomorrow a sewing-machine and the
next day a costume-set. There so kitsch small treasures that when you see them
you understand the Stendhal’s syndrome. Sometimes clothes. I don’t need them at
all but I need all of them at the same time.
What we
don’t like: Varieté II. Yes, it’s funny to have all these small things which
increase your frivolous shopping mind but it’s not that good when the product
you’re looking for, and you saw yesterday, today it’s not in Fakta anymore.
Mouthwash which comes and easy goes, rubber gloves seeming to vanish or no rice
when last week there were plenty. As Larra said once, “come back tomorrow”.
What we
like: Child-friendly. I’m not a child anymore but I still envy when I see those
infants pulling a small trolley with a Fakta flag on the top. Don’t
misunderstand me, I don’t like children, actually I hate them, but I think all
the supermarkets must have these kind of entertainment things. I would use them
if society wasn’t so conservative.
What we
don’t like: PAN system. I know, it’s
something common to most of the supermarkets in Denmark. But I still can’t pass
around without smell a mix of wine and beer. I want to do my grocery shopping
in a store, not in a highway bar taken from a cheap film. Now I understand
Denmark has a problem of alcoholism. Kids accompanying their parents to buy sniff
that since their childhood.
From a
sociological point of view, a research about population’s tastes, lifestyles
and consume can be taken in a supermarket. Read this before coming to Denmark.
PS. Be
careful with the expiring date. Sometimes out of date.
PS2. Pay
attention to two words that can save your life or at least your shopping: Bazar and tilbud.
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