WHY GROCERY STORES ARE THE NEW IT-SPOTS

The modern traveller's itinerary now includes grocery stores as a must-visit destination

- Navya Sharma

Some travellers plan trips around monuments, others chase Michelin stars or Instagram-famous cafes.

A growing number, however, are quietly building their itineraries around grocery stores. From spotless Japanese convenience chains to chaotic Middle Eastern hypermarkets, in the era of grocery tourism, supermarket aisles are fast becoming an unlikely window into local life.

Grocery tourism is all about wandering into local supermarkets, convenience stores and neighbourhood food shops to see what people actually eat, cook and snack on. For many travellers, this ritual has become as essential as sightseeing.

Chef and baker Shivesh Bhatia admits grocery runs are nonnegotiable when he travels. “Something about exploring grocery stores in new cities just makes me so happy. On my recent trip to Japan, I got obsessed with 7-Eleven. I kept picking up desserts and snacks I had never seen before. These stores help me understand what people actually enjoy eating,” he says. His core memory of the trip isn’t of sushi counters or temple visits but of chilled cheesecakes, seasonal Kit Kats and neatly packed rice balls eaten on the go.

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