Are you going on a trip to Iceland and do you think about where to buy cheap food, souvenirs or alcohol on your trip around Iceland?
Then you can find out what stores are in Iceland and where you can buy cheap groceries or even cheap clothes.
Because Iceland is a small country, there is a very small selection of shops – once you leave the capital Reykjavik, you will notice.
Shopping malls in Reykjavik
While in Reykjavik you will find two shopping centers (Kringlan and Smáralind), out of the capital, shops are shrinking and shops from several of the same chains (like Bonus, Kronan or Netto) appear everywhere. Let’s take a look at what Iceland has to offer and where to buy whatever you need.
Grocery stores
- In larger cities (as we perceive here in Iceland) you will usually find three major retail chains, namely Bonus, Kronan and Netto.
- When you visit smaller villages, the offer and size of shops is reduced and you can often buy only one local shop, for example under the brand Samkaup, Kjarvál etc.
- In the worst case, it only offers food at a gas station such as Olís or N1.
Bónus supermarket
Food and grocery store Bonus is one of the retail chains, which ranks among the cheaper ones. Whether you are looking for pastries, vegetables, meats or chilled products, you will find all the food you need in Iceland.
In addition, it also offers a small drugstore department where people who set out to Iceland can choose something.
Bonus has several branches directly in Reykjavik and the surrounding areas, and 10 branches can be found outside the city.
You can find a list of branches of this store directly at their website https://bonus.is/en/find-stores/
Kronan
Kronan is another grocery store in Iceland and one of my favorites, as it is very widespread like Bonus, especially in the south and around Reykjavik.
Unlike Bonus, Kronan stores offer more meat and milk and fresh products. If you are going to buy fresh vegetables, Kronan is a good choice, but we still recommend stopping at Bonus first.
Kronan is one of my favorite stores also because of the wide range of health food products like gluten free stuff, vegan products, vitamins and health supplements.
Nettó
Nettó is a budget shop that started operating in Akureyri and eventually opened quite a few shops across the country.
It is one of the cheaper retail chains and similar to Bonus or Kronan and sells all kinds of food.
Netto is one of the real supermarkets in Iceland, selling more than just food.
Prices in Grocery store Netto in Akureyri
It is also larger than many Bonus stores and has many branches in the East Fjords, WestFjords and North Iceland. If you are looking for a supermarket during your Ring Road tour, be sure to try Netto.
10-11
From what they say, 10-11 is the most expensive store in Iceland, but I have nothing but my feeling to confirm it.
Shop 10-11 has three branches in Reykjavik and one at Keflavik Airport.
So when you travel around Iceland, you probably won’t hit it many times, but I mention it because it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Kjarvál
Kjarval’s network of shops is not very well known, but I mention it because I visited him regularly in the village Hella, where I lived.
It is slightly more expensive than large chains like Bonus and Kronan, and because the shops are smaller, the offer is limited, but you will still find all the necessary groceries, a small drugstore section and some camping equipment.
Samkaup, Krambúð, Kjörbúðin, Seljakjör, Iceland
These store names are part of the Netto chain and are mostly smaller stores that can be found all over Iceland.
They may not always be on the main road, often you have to look for them, but they can be your salvation, for example, when there is a holiday in Iceland and other big stores are closed.
Hagkaup
Hagkaup is one of the stores offering food, clothing, home furnishings and a large drugstore section.
Map of grocery stores throughout Iceland >>
Food is more expensive here, so I buy it at Hagkaup minimally, but if you are looking for a cheap clothing store (often with a F&F department), you need to buy a new mat or sleeping bag, or looking for a larger drugstore department, then Hagkaup is the right choice.
In addition, I have often seen that these shops are right next to Bonus, so you can combine the purchase of groceries and drugstores without having to move from shop to shop.
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