Things You Might Want to Know about Grocery Shopping here in Panama
Cause everybody's gotta eat
Yes, of course you can shop the fresh local market.
Yes, you can go to PriceSmart and buy in bulk (Panama’s equivalent of Sam’s Club or Costco).
Yes, you can have things delivered to your door without ever breaking a sweat.
But honestly? Nothing says “I’m not on vacation, I actually live here now” faster than having to buy your own groceries and schlep them home.
Which might explain why grocery stores have always been a bit of a love language in our household. Our third date was to a Whole Foods Market.
Romantic? Debatable.
Informative? Absolutely.
Clearly, Mr. Real Talk Panama | Expat Life passed the test.
If you can calmly wander aisles together discussing snacks, produce, and dinner plans, there’s real potential there.
And the good news is that grocery shopping in Panama is genuinely enjoyable. Sometimes confusing. Occasionally maddening. But overall? A pleasure.
The options alone are impressive. From the super-sized chains like Rey, Super 99, and Machetazo, to higher-end favorites like Riba Smith, to smaller specialty purveyors like Foodie and Organica, you’ll find your rhythm pretty quickly.
Don’t miss the store website links I’ve included at the end.
Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:
Eggs Are… Just There
Eggs are rarely refrigerated. They sit out on shelves, neatly stacked, living their best unrefrigerated lives next to the chips. This will feel wrong at first. You’ll side-eye them. You’ll google it — they’re unprocessed and “it was scientifically proven” that they don’t require refrigeration. Fingers crossed.
Yes, You Can Buy Liquor With Your Groceries
Not just wine and beer. Vodka, rum, gin — it’s all right there. Panamanian grocery stores sell hard liquor alongside your produce and paper towels, which makes stocking up for at-home cocktails wildly convenient and very “you’re not in Texas anymore.”
The Shopping Carts Are Shockingly Clean
The carts are almost always sparkling clean. No mystery gunk. No ancient crumbs. No lurking ick from places that shall not be named. You’ll also find adaptive carts for varying mobility needs and the cute little ones for the kids to push (directly into your toes). They don’t always have many of the adaptive ones, but if you ask, someone will usually try to track one down.
Let’s pause here to admire the variety of carts available in one store
Tip Your Bagger
That friendly young person bagging your groceries and offering to walk you to your car is likely not a store employee. Many are students working as “volunteers” and earn tips only. There’s endless debate about how much to give, but my personal rule of thumb is about one balboa (roughly one U.S. dollar) per hundred spent. Adjust as needed — but please don’t skip it.
Bring Your Reusable Bags
Reusable bags aren’t required yet, but they’re strongly encouraged. Otherwise, you’ll get standard paper sacks. After a few trips or deliveries, you’ll probably have more than enough anyway.
Labels From Everywhere
You’ll find local products alongside imports from North America, Europe, and Asia. Because of that, labels often appear in multiple languages — not just Spanish. Google Translate’s camera function is your friend. Use it.
Sales Are… Aspirational
If something is marked on sale, there’s a decent chance it won’t ring up that way. Take a photo of the shelf tag and be prepared to politely walk a manager back to the product and make your case. Unlike many American grocery stores, the customer is not automatically right. Sometimes they’ll simply peel off the sale tag and say nope.
Specialty Diets Are Covered
Panama passes my self-designed “Bob’s Red Mill Test”. If you have a food intolerance, allergy, specialty diet — kosher, gluten-free, keto, alternative milks, allergen-friendly brands — you’ll almost-always find what you need. It may not always be in the same store every time, but it exists.
Stock Comes and Goes Like a Mystery
You may need to shop multiple stores regularly. If something is mission-critical for your household, keep a back stock at home. Don’t be surprised when every variation of a product exists except the one you need for weeks on end, and then suddenly reappears. When it does, grab it like it’s Taylor Swift concert tickets.
The Ice Cream Situation
Frozen desserts are rarely frozen solid, which gives me great pause. Things melt. Things refreeze. Hmnnnnn…. We buy our freshly scooped ice cream from a local shop instead and call it supporting small business.
No Need to Shop Hangry Hungry
Most grocery stores have cafés where you can grab coffee, pastries, dessert… even hot breakfast or lunches in the warming case. Grocery run plus snack stop is excellent life design.
Maybe you’ll see some of your old favorites on the shelves
Order, Pick Up, Deliver — Anytime
Many stores offer order-and-pickup options, and remember — this is a big city. You can order groceries almost 24-7 using apps like PedidosYa because there are 24-hour stores and all-night mini-marts. Midnight snacks are never out of reach.
Checkout Is Kind-Of Efficient
If you’re used to cheerful small talk at places like Publix, H-E-B, or Wegmans, this will feel different. Cashiers are polite and focused. Even when you speak Spanish, checkout isn’t a chit-chat experience. It’s a transaction.
Every Mistake Requires a Supervisor
If an item scans twice or incorrectly, say as a six-pack instead of a single, the light goes on and a supervisor must be summoned. Removing that seventy-five-cent error will pause the already slow checkout process.
Tap to Pay Is Widely Accepted
Digital payments are widely accepted, so bring your phone and tap-tap-tap to pay!
Cash is always welcome but don’t bring too many large bills.
Any paper currency over $20 will require the light to go on for a supervisor to come and inspect your $50 or $100 note, interview you in some fashion, and then complete a form requiring your ID card or passport - as part of their fraud prevention process.
The people waiting behind you in line will not be amused.
Loyalty Programs Are Worth It
If you frequent a store, create a loyalty account. Sometimes it’s tied to your phone number, sometimes your cedula (Panamanian national ID number), and sometimes it’s randomly assigned. I keep screenshots of all mine in my phone for quick reference.
They Love Rearranging the Store
Store management loves changing store layouts for what feels like absolute fun. Not seasonally. Just because. As a busy mom trying to prepare some reasonably familiar and healthy fare, this invokes pure terror when I’m in a hurry for that one ingredient.
Returns Aren’t Really a Thing
Returns aren’t really a thing here, so only buy what you intend to use. This is true even for electronics or small appliances.
Big stores sell everything, and if you buy something that plugs in, they’ll often spirit it off to Customer Service to unbox it and plug it in right in front of you to make sure it works.
Because again — returns aren’t really a thing.
Produce Is Beautiful — But Costs More than Buying From The Local Vendor
The produce selection in Panamanian grocery stores is impressive, but it will always cost more than buying from your corner fruit vendor or local market. And imported, super-perishable fruit will cost significantly more.
The Butcher Section Is a Show
Every cut imaginable is on display. We routinely stop to gawk at pig heads lounging in the case for a few balboas, wondering which home chef needs an entire pig face. If that’s you, please invite me over. I bet it’s succulent and delicious.
You Can Browse the Supermarkets Online
One convenient thing about supermarkets here is that they show their inventory online, so if you need very specific products and want to check for availability or even price, you can always go to their websites and browse away!
Have questions about grocery shopping in Panama? Send them my way.
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xo Ven Sí Puedes | Come If You Can and Real Talk Panama | Expat Life
I see a lot of parallels with Mexico here! Thanks for the information. ❤️