Team Mandje·12 September 2026·9 min read·updated 16 September 2026Grocery shopping in the Netherlands: the expat guide to Dutch supermarkets (2026)
The Netherlands has 10 national and regional supermarket chains worth knowing. Albert Heijn is the largest with 1,204 stores, Lidl and Aldi are the discounters, Dirk has the lowest price most often (80.4% of comparable products on 16 September 2026), and Ekoplaza is the organic one. This guide covers which supermarket is which, how the weekly offers work, the things that surprise newcomers (the deposit, the bags, the loyalty apps, Sunday hours), and how to pay less from your first week.
The 10 chains at a glance
Stores, offers running this week and how often each chain has the lowest price, from Mandje's data of 16 September 2026. Own-brand chains cannot be compared product by product, so they show no share.
| Chain | Type | Stores | Offers this week | Cheapest share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Heijn | Full-service | 1,204 | 3,184 | 42.1% |
| Jumbo | Full-service | 748 | 1,516 | 40.9% |
| Lidl | Discounter | 439 | 97 | own brands |
| Dirk | Price fighter | 135 | 718 | 80.4% |
| Plus | Full-service | 433 | 1,878 | 35.1% |
| Aldi | Discounter | 477 | 210 | own brands |
| DekaMarkt | Full-service | 116 | 648 | 43.4% |
| Hoogvliet | Full-service | 81 | 993 | 59.2% |
| Poiesz | Full-service | 85 | 1,156 | 23.8% |
| Ekoplaza | Organic | 89 | 446 | own brands |
Who is who
Albert Heijn
The largest chain and the default for many households: the widest range, its own AH brand for the basics, and the weekly Bonus offers, some of which need the free Bonuskaart in the AH app. 1,204 stores, 3,184 offers this week, leaflet valid from 14 to 20 September. Albert Heijn offers and numbers
Jumbo
The number two, a full-service supermarket with wide aisles, a big fresh section and its own offers programme (Jumbo Extra's). 748 stores, 1,516 offers this week, leaflet valid from 16 to 22 September. Jumbo offers and numbers
Lidl
German discounter with mostly own brands, strong on fruit, vegetables and bakery, plus a rotating non-food aisle. The Lidl Plus app holds extra coupons. 439 stores, 97 offers this week, leaflet valid from 14 to 20 September. Lidl offers and numbers
Dirk
Officially Dirk van den Broek, a Dutch price fighter concentrated in the west of the country. In our data it has the lowest price more often than any other chain. 135 stores, 718 offers this week, with varying end dates. Dirk offers and numbers
Plus
A franchise chain of full-service supermarkets, often the local supermarket in smaller towns, with a growing organic and local range. 433 stores, 1,878 offers this week, leaflet valid from 16 to 22 September. Plus offers and numbers
Aldi
The other German discounter: compact stores, own brands, low shelf prices and few frills. 477 stores, 210 offers this week, with varying end dates. Aldi offers and numbers
DekaMarkt
Regional full-service chain, mostly in the province of North Holland. 116 stores, 648 offers this week, leaflet valid from 15 to 21 September. DekaMarkt offers and numbers
Hoogvliet
Regional full-service chain in the west of the country, known for its own weekly folder. 81 stores, 993 offers this week, leaflet valid from 16 to 22 September. Hoogvliet offers and numbers
Poiesz
The supermarket of Friesland and the north, with a strong regional identity. 85 stores, 1,156 offers this week, leaflet valid from 13 to 20 September. Poiesz offers and numbers
Ekoplaza
The organic supermarket: everything certified organic, prices to match, and a range you will not find at the discounters. 89 stores, 446 offers this week, leaflet valid from 16 to 22 September. Ekoplaza offers and numbers
How Dutch supermarket offers work
Every chain publishes a weekly leaflet, the folder, and most offers run for exactly that week; the table above shows each chain's current window. The formats repeat everywhere: 1+1 gratis (buy one, get one free), 2e halve prijs (second item half price), 3 halen 2 betalen (three for two) and a plain lower price. Albert Heijn calls its offers Bonus; some need the free Bonuskaart in the AH app. Jumbo has Extra's, Lidl has coupons in Lidl Plus. Multi-buy offers only pay off if you actually use the second item, and a "was" price is only meaningful if the product really cost that much recently, which is why Mandje shows the price history per product.
Shelf labels always show the price per kilo or litre in small print. Use it: pack sizes differ between chains and between brands, and the unit price is the only fair comparison. Own brands (AH, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi, Plus) are usually the cheapest for basics, the A-brands go on offer in rotation.
Things that surprise newcomers
- Statiegeld, the deposit. Plastic bottles and cans carry a deposit of 15 or 25 cents, refunded at the machine near the entrance. Keep the voucher for the checkout.
- Bring a bag. Free plastic bags are gone; buy a sturdy bag once or bring your own. Many people shop by bike, so a pannier or a crate is standard equipment.
- Loyalty is an app, not a card. The AH Bonuskaart, Jumbo Extra's and Lidl Plus all live in the chain's app. They only show that chain's prices; to compare across chains you need a separate app.
- Sundays and evenings. City supermarkets open on Sunday, often from noon; some small towns do not. Weekdays run to 20:00 or later in cities.
- Self-scan is everywhere. Handheld scanners and self-checkouts are the norm; random checks happen and are quick.
- Bread is sliced on the spot. Pick a loaf, put it in the slicing machine, choose the thickness. Fresh bread is a Dutch supermarket strength.
Pay less from your first week
No chain is cheapest for everything: Dirk wins 80.4% of the comparable products, which means another chain is cheaper for the rest, and the winner changes with the weekly offers. Mandje settles it per shopping list: put your groceries on one list and the app shows at which of the 10 supermarkets that whole list is cheapest this week, with the price per kilo, the price history and the running offers per product, plus an alert when a favourite goes on offer. It is free, needs no account and runs on iPhone and Android. The chain pages linked above carry each supermarket's offers and numbers in English; the full ranking with the method is on supermarkets compared.
Why savers in the Netherlands use Mandje
- 10
- supermarkets in one app
- 104,637
- products compared every night
- 1,280,000+
- price points of history
- 4.5 / 5
- from 59 reviews in the App Store and Google Play
Mandje is free, needs no account and works on iPhone and Android. Put your groceries on one list and see at which of 10 supermarkets the whole list is cheapest this week, with price per kilo, price history and an alert when a favourite goes on offer.
"Surprising"
"I've only been using the app for a day and already noticed several products I regularly buy on sale at another store. The discounts are clear, relevant, and really practical. No useless extras, just benefits you can use right away."
Louihrani10, App Store
"Handy tool"
"I usually check multiple supermarket apps for deals, but with Mandje that's a thing of the past. Fresh and clear."
Chris261272, App Store
Great concept
"Really great app! My girlfriend and I were looking for a shared grocery list, and it's so nice that this app also instantly compares different stores."
Maartentromp, App Store
Named App of the Month (May 2026) by iCulture, the Dutch Apple site.
Frequently asked questions
Which supermarket is the cheapest in the Netherlands?
On 16 September 2026, Dirk had the lowest price for 80.4% of the 4,490 products that are also sold at other chains, ahead of Hoogvliet (59.2%). Lidl, Aldi and Ekoplaza sell mostly own brands, so they cannot be compared product by product; for your own basket, Mandje compares the price per kilo instead. The ranking is recalculated every night.
What do 'bonus', 'aanbieding' and '1+1 gratis' mean?
'Aanbieding' is an offer; 'bonus' is what Albert Heijn calls its offers; '1+1 gratis' is buy one get one free, '2e halve prijs' is second item half price, and '3 halen 2 betalen' is three for the price of two. Most offers run for one week and are listed in the chain's 'folder', the weekly leaflet. Some Albert Heijn Bonus offers need the free Bonuskaart in the AH app.
How does statiegeld (the deposit) work?
Plastic bottles and cans carry a deposit: 15 cents on small bottles and cans, 25 cents on large bottles, and beer bottles and crates have their own deposit. Return them at the machine near the entrance of any supermarket, take the voucher to the checkout and it comes off your bill.
Are Dutch supermarkets open on Sunday?
In cities and most larger towns, yes, usually with shorter hours than on weekdays. In some smaller municipalities supermarkets stay closed on Sunday. Weekday hours typically run from around 8:00 to 20:00 or later; check the store page in the chain's app or in Mandje.
Which app compares prices across Dutch supermarkets?
Mandje. Put your groceries on one list and it shows at which of 10 supermarkets the whole list is cheapest this week, with the price per kilo or litre, the price history and the running offers per product. Free, no account needed, on iPhone and Android.
Sources: store counts, offers and the cheapest-chain shares come from Mandje's own data of 16 September 2026 and refresh every night; the descriptions of the chains and the practical notes are general knowledge about Dutch supermarkets as of September 2026. First published 12 September 2026.
