One of the things I find interesting about living overseas is discovering what products one can buy in both America and China.
When discussing goods in China, there are two different categories.
1) American products and brands that are produced and sold in China (cheap).
2) American products that are specially imported to China that can only be purchased at the foreign import store (expensive).
To give you a better idea of which products fall into the two categories, here are a few detailed lists:
1. American products produced in China. These are things that can be found in most supermarkets and stores. You will notice that many of these items are produced by global giants – Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Pepsico, The Coca Cola Company, and Kraft.
Products Made in China | Size | Chinese Currency | USD |
Oreo Cookies – regular, strawberry, chocolate fillings | 1 package | 15 RMB | $2.19 |
Skippy Peanut Butter | Regular jar | 18 RMB | $2.64 |
Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta Orange, Pepsi | 20 oz bottle | 3.5 RMB | $0.51 |
Kleenex Brand Tissue/Toilet Paper | 10 rolls | 39 RMB | $5.71 |
Neutrogena Face Wash | Small bottle | 21 RMB | $3.07 |
Dove Body Wash | Large bottle | 45 RMB | $6.59 |
Colgate/Crest Toothpaste | 1 tube | 9 RMB | $1.32 |
Pantene Pro-V, Herbal Essence, Loreal, Dove, Head & Shoulder, Vidal Sassoon Shampoo & Conditioner | 1 bottle | 35 RMB | $5.12 |
Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash | 1 bottle | 18 RMB | $2.64 |
Tide Detergent | Medium bag | 13 RMB | $1.90 |
McCormick Strawberry Jelly | 1 jar | 6 RMB | $0.87 |
Dove Chocolate | 1 bar | 10 RMB | $1.46 |
M&M’s, Snickers | 1 package | 8 RMB | $1.17 |
Wrigley’s, Extra, & Doublemint Gum | 1 pkg (5 pieces) | 4 RMB | $0.59 |
Chips Ahoy Cookies (regular & coffee flavored) | 1 package | 10 RMB | $1.46 |
Tang Powder Drink | 1 container | 16 RMB | $2.34 |
Lays Stax Potato Chips (strange flavors, like cucumber) | 1 container | 8 RMB | $1.17 |
Pringles (strange wannabe BBQ flavors that fall WAY short!) | 1 container | 12 RMB | $1.76 |
Pampers Diapers | 1 package of 88 diapers | 150 RMB | $21.96 |
2. 2. Products that are periodically available at the foreign import store:
Imported Products | Size | Chinese Currency | USD |
Pudding | 1 box | 13 RMB | $1.90 |
Betty Crocker Cake Mix | 1 box | 32 RMB | $4.69 |
Betty Crocker Cake Icing | 1 jar | 29 RMB | $4.25 |
Brownie Mix | 1 box | 32 RMB | $4.69 |
Butter | 1 stick | 16 RMB | $2.34 |
Spaghetti Noodles | 1 package | 16 RMB | $2.34 |
Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce | 1 jar | 21 RMB | $3.07 |
Nature Valley Granola Bar | 1 box/6 bars | 29 RMB | $4.25 |
PopTarts | 1 box | 45 RMB | $6.59 |
Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate | 1 box | 30 RMB | $4.39 |
Hershey’s Chocolate Chips | 1 package | 39 RMB | $5.71 |
Campbell’s Tomato Soup | 1 can | 16 RMB | $2.34 |
Canned Tuna | 1 can | 11 RMB | $1.61 |
Pancake Syrup | 1 bottle | 32 RMB | $4.69 |
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup | 1 bottle | 25 RMB | $3.66 |
Pickles | 1 jar | 25 RMB | $3.66 |
Taco Seasoning | 1 packet | 16 RMB | $2.34 |
Cheetos/Sun Chips | 1 bag | 35 RMB | $5.12 |
Philadelphia Cream Cheese | 1 packet | 48 RMB | $7.03 |
Maxwell House Coffee | 1 big container | 120 RMB | $17.57 |
Cherry Pie Filling | 1 jar | 49 RMB | $7.17 |
As you can see, imported items are INCREDIBLY expensive. $4 for a cake mix! $17 for coffee! $6 for chocolate chips! No matter the price though, I am always SO tempted to buy things here. There just wonderful things from home that I miss so much. (Confession: last week I had a weak moment and bought a $7 box of cereal. GASP! I know you’re judging me… but you don’t understand, I missed this cereal so much and had to have it. I promise (scout’s honor), that it’s the only outrageously priced thing I’ve purchased here).
Because imported things are so expensive, my friend Denise and I have started making things from scratch. Last weekend I made my own granola, and Denise and I have made our own cake mixes since Betty Crocker is “tai gui le” ("TOO EXPENSIVE" in Chinese)!
