Out and About: US vs. UK Shopping Language
People in the US and the UK agree that shopping is getting more expensive.
But one thing they don't agree on is what they should call the places where they do their shopping!
This is just another example of the differences between American and British English.
When people in the US go shopping, they do it in a "store," for example. But people in the UK would usually call this a "shop."
A "grocery store" in the US is a place where you can buy food and some household products. In the UK, people would usually call this a "supermarket," although Americans use this word too.
Inside the supermarket, you'll find that the things Americans call "eggplants" are known as "aubergines" in the UK, while America's "zucchini" become Britain's "courgettes"!
Brits might use the word "superstore" for a large supermarket, or for a large shop of a different kind, such as a "furniture superstore." In the US, a "superstore" is usually a very large store that sells many different things.
Supermarkets often sell medicine, but if you need something specific, you might prefer to visit a "chemist" in the UK. Also called a "pharmacy," this is a place where you can get prescriptions as well as things like beauty products.
In the US, this might be called a "drugstore" — although "pharmacy" is also used for places where prescriptions are given out.
There are also differences outside. In the US, you'll park your car in a "parking lot," while in the UK the same place is known as a "car park."
