Supermarket phrases and words in English
The everyday language of the weekly shop — the phrases people actually use pushing a trolley round, plus the surprising number of idioms that come straight from the aisles. Learn to talk about stocking up, impulse buys and things past their sell-by date.
10 phrases · meanings & example sentences
“Stock up”
To buy a large amount of something so you don't run out — building up your stock. Used for groceries before a holiday or storm, and figuratively for getting plenty of anything in reserve while you can.
- Stock up on coffee, we're nearly out
- Everyone stocked up before the long weekend
- Stock up on sleep now, the baby's due any day
“Impulse buy”
Something you grab on a sudden whim, with no plan to buy it — exactly why shops put sweets and gadgets right by the till. Used for any unplanned, spur-of-the-moment purchase you half-regret later.
- That chocolate was a total impulse buy at the checkout
- The whole shelf of stuff by the till is engineered for impulse buys
- I went in for milk and the new jacket was an impulse buy
“Past its sell-by date”
The sell-by date is the deadline printed on food for selling it — past it, the product's meant to be off the shelf. Used for actual old food, and as a sharp idiom for anything or anyone that's no longer fresh, current or useful.
- Check the milk, it might be past its sell-by date
- That joke was funny in 2010, now it's past its sell-by date
- Half my wardrobe is well past its sell-by date
“Rain check”
Originally a ticket letting you come back when a sold-out item was restocked (or a rained-off game replayed). Now mostly used to politely postpone an invitation — saving it for another time rather than turning it down.
- Can I take a rain check on dinner? I'm wiped tonight
- They were out of the offer so the shop gave me a rain check
- Rain check on the cinema — let's go next week instead
“Cherry-pick”
To pick out only the best items and leave the rest — like choosing the ripest cherries off the stand. Used everywhere for selecting only what suits you, often with a hint that it's a bit unfair or selective.
- She cherry-picked the best strawberries from every punnet
- He cherry-picks the stats that make his point and ignores the rest
- You can't just cherry-pick the fun jobs and skip the boring ones
“Spoiled for choice”
Having so many good options that choosing becomes hard — so much choice it almost spoils the moment. The supermarket cereal aisle is the perfect picture of it, and it works for restaurants, holidays, anything overflowing with options.
- Twenty kinds of hummus — you're spoiled for choice here
- With this many restaurants nearby we're spoiled for choice
- So many good candidates, we were spoiled for choice
“Bulk buy”
To buy in large quantities at once, usually to save money per item — buying in bulk. A staple of the big family shop and warehouse stores, used for any 'buy lots, save more' purchase.
- We bulk buy the loo roll, it's way cheaper
- Bulk-buying snacks before the road trip is essential
- She bulk buys at the start of term and never runs out
“Bag for life”
A sturdy reusable shopping bag the shop will replace free when it wears out — sold to cut down on single-use plastic. A very British everyday item, and a small window into how shops talk about reuse.
- Don't buy another one, I've got three bags for life in the car
- Forgot my bags for life again, that's the fourth one this month
- A good bag for life will outlast most of your relationships
“Pop to the shops”
To make a quick, casual trip to the shops — 'pop' signalling it's brief and no big deal. One of the most natural ways to talk about a short errand, and a giveaway that you sound like a native speaker.
- I'm just popping to the shops, need anything?
- She popped to the shops and came back with half the aisle
- Pop to the shops for me and grab some bread?
“The big shop”
The main weekly grocery run where you stock the whole house up, as opposed to nipping in for one or two things. A homely, very common phrase for the proper, fill-the-trolley shopping trip.
- Saturday morning is when we do the big shop
- I'll grab milk now and do the big shop at the weekend
- The big shop came to a fortune this week
