My mom likes to see grocery stores in other countries, so first and foremost, this is for her. But if you happen to be interested, I traveled to Argentina so you don’t have to. There’s also a bonus McDonald’s tasting at the end.
It’s like stepping into a film that didn’t have the rights to explicitly name a brand or entering a parallel universe where Walmart never existed. Hiper Changomas is not a fake Walmart per se, but rather what happens when a big box store leaves a market behind, and a new buyer rushes to fill the gap. The result is a store that’s kept the essence of being a Walmart, from the design, branding, and execution of the retail space, but remains a totally separate retailer.
I went to Hiper Changomas on the edge of Buenos Aires to get an inside look at the Argentinian retail environment and compare products and prices with US-based Walmart (Supercenter)s. You’ll see some items, namely food, are much cheaper, and other items, such as durable home goods, cost much more.
I’ll also lightly dive into how exchange rates work in Argentina, as the economic situation is fairly unique, along with understanding how taxes work, and how import duties affect consumer prices.
In my experience, in contrast to American Walmart usually being the cheapest store around, the prices at Hiper Changomas can be anywhere from the same to even more than smaller neighborhood stores. That, coupled with the fact that you’d probably also need a car to benefit from shopping here, makes big box retailers like this one largely unsuccessful in Argentina. There’s only 29 stores in all of Argentina. Compare that to the 344 Walmart Supercenters in Canada; a country with 8 million fewer people than Argentina. I’d personally never met anyone who regularly did their shopping at Hiper Changomas.
It’s important to note that even though many goods seem cheaper, average wages in Argentina are far lower than in the US, meaning that proportionally Argentinian’s spend more of their income on the same product.
That said, it is a unique experience to come and visit, and if you’re interested in what an American staple looks like outside the US, I recommend you watch.
It's a long video, feel free to skip around:
0:00 Intro & History
1:00 What’s a chango?
2:00 How does the exchange rate work?
4:30 How does sales tax work?
5:08 How to understand prices
5:30 Produce
6:35 Bakery
7:37 Eggs
7:54 Meats
10:30 Fresh Pastas
11:27 Pizzas, Cheese, and Hot Dogs
12:13 Dairy
12:47 Frozen Foods
13:27 UHT Milks, Milk Substitutes, and Cereals
14:01 Cookies & Crackers
14:44 Yerba Mates
15:08 Coffee
15:33 Baking and Dulce de Leche
16:04 Condiments
16:26 Pastas
17:05 Oils
17:23 Balsamic Vinegars
17:48 Soft Drinks
19:10 Alcohol
21:02 Snacks
21:40 Home Goods
22:36 Clothing
23:05 Pet Food
23:21 Health & Beauty
24:10 Baby Products
24:24 Laundry Detergents
24:47 More Home Goods
25:09 Fitness Equipment
25:34 Toys
26:18 Home Appliances & Electronics
27:55 Back to School
28:30 Checkout
29:33 McDonald’s Tasting