“High-End Grocery Store”: Irish Woman Tries Shopping in Woolies for the First Time While Visiting SA

• An Irish woman visited Woolworths in South Africa for the first time and spent R700 on snacks
• She compared the store to Marks and Spencer back home and was genuinely surprised by both the quality and the variety of what she found
• South Africans flooded the comments with mixed feelings, some loving her excitement and others pointing out what Woolies actually costs locals

An Irish content creator's first Woolworths experience in South Africa had Mzansi smiling and cringing at the same time. Miriam Mullins, who goes by @miriammullins_ on TikTok, shared her experience on 10 March 2026 after countless followers told her she had to try Woolies. She walked in, comparing it to Marks and Spencer and immediately got distracted by the Easter display, cotton candy grapes, and rows of iced teas. She grabbed jalapeno crisps, butter chicken flavoured crisps, a South African feta and herb dip, sour cream and chilli dip, Woolworths chocolates, speckled eggs, coconut marshmallows, wine gums, and two flavours of rooibos iced tea. By the time she got to the till, 16 items had come to R700.

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In the taste-test video, the rooibos peach iced tea got a 9.5 out of 10, with Miriam saying she could actually taste the tea. The jalapeno crisps went down well, too, and the cotton candy grapes genuinely surprised her. The Woolworths chocolates got a 9 out of 10 for the regular ones and a 9.5 for the peanut ones. The speckled eggs were interesting to her, but she was not fully convinced. The coconut marshmallows she described as something you would eat when you are sick. She ended the video saying Woolworths was a 10 out of 10 and that the food quality was excellent, even if it sat on the pricier side.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi shares their thoughts on the Woolies haul

South Africans had plenty to say in TikToker @miriammullins_'s comments section:

@Decliner〽️ said:

"This is way more expensive than at home. Eish Woolworths 💔😭"

@lukhona_madala suggested:

"I have a suggestion, but it's kinda controversial. Try Tin Roof."

@BiancaDP laughed:

"Girl, we as South Africans are all obsessed with Woolies. We also just wish we could shop as lekker as you and say it's cheap 😂 We walk in for the pasta and oil specials 😂😂"

@Lynne PS advised:

"You will get better biltong at a biltong bar or even regular supermarkets, and cheaper for that amount."

@Matthew Whitehead said:

"Girl, the way you are crushing those chips 😳 Be gentle chile 😂😂😂"

@🍎JermainekieKonynkie🍎 explained:

"Woolworths and M&S have a long-standing relationship. When Woolworths expanded to Europe, they sold some stuff in M&S, and M&S adapted some products for themselves and vice versa."

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"Let's try some": British woman tries SA snacks and gives her honest verdict

@Matty-123 said:

"You have to try these, they are so good."

More on Woolworths making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on a Cape Town author who had a very specific complaint about Woolworths water.
• A young man shared Woolworths cake prices that had South Africans questioning everything, with some items on a 50% discount still costing hundreds of rands.
• Woolworths CEO Roy Bagattini posted a video eating a Now Now burger at home as a playful dig at the McDonald's CEO drama.

Source: Briefly News