Grocery Shopping in Iceland: I Visited Hagkaup, the Walmart of Iceland

Founded in 1959, Hagkaup (pronounced HOW-kup) is an Icelandic retailer with seven locations across the country.

Travel bloggers, Iceland travel guides, and sites like Globe City Guide have compared Hagkaup to Walmart for its wide-ranging selection of food, housewares, clothes, cosmetics, crafts, toys, and other items.

But as I found out during a recent trip to Iceland, the chain also offers items and experiences I've never seen in a US store before, like an entire section filled with pick-your-own candy.

I visited a Hagkaup in Kópavogur, Iceland, about 5 miles outside of Reykjavík. Take a look inside.

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