Top Shopping Tips in Manchester

Updated: Jul 31, 2019

Physical Shops

The major shopping area in Manchester is Arndale in the city centre. MCR Student Social Night is a major sale day held in Arndale termly a few weeks after the semester begins, so if you can hold back your purchases till then, we would strongly recommend heading down to take a look
Primark is a student favourite due to their low prices for bedding and clothes
Uniqlo has opened a new outlet in Manchester Arndale but prices are slightly higher than in Singapore due to the exchange rates
It is generally easier and cheaper to find winter coats and accessories in the UK than in Singapore!

Black Friday is not as prominent in the UK compared to the US for physical stores but you can usually find some pretty good sales online for anything ranging from plane tickets to clothes

As a student, you are eligible for 6-months free trial on Amazon Prime
Argos is good for appliances and household products in general. The Click and Collect option is especially helpful if you do not stay near an Argos as they will send the product to any Sainsbury/Argos of your choice for you to pick up free of charge. Most other stores like Superdrug and Boots offer similar services if the outlet near you is out of stock as well!

Common grocery stores would be easily found, but prices and quality varies as the different brands cater to different audiences. Lidl, Asda and Aldi offer the best prices, followed by Morrisons, Sainbury’s and Tesco. Grocery store provider Iceland is not available in Manchester.

Feel free to explore the Chinese supermarkets (esp W. H. Lung situated right behind the school compound), or Worldwide, an Indian supermarket that has a butcher in store (situated right at the start of Curry Mile)!

Alternative places to shop (a bit further out) would be intu Trafford Centre, which also hosts student sale nights on occasion, but requires an approximately 30-45 minute bus ride out of the city centre; or if your parents are visiting you can bring them to Cheshire Oaks, a designer outlet village an hour away by car or train.