Looking for American shop equivalents in the UK, like the UK equivalent of Target? Or perhaps simply trying to understand UK store brands and what they are comparable to in the USA? Here’s a comprehensive list of what you need to know for comparable American shops in the UK.
These popular American store equivalents in the UK are my opinion and not fact. My recommendations below are to help you find what you need to get settled in the UK.
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The UK equivalent of Target takes a village.
There’s simply no UK equivalent of Target.
For women, this is a big deal. In fact, it’s so sensitive for some American expats, there’s an unspoken rule to not even mention the American brand. See how I avoided it there?
For some American women who’ve moved to the UK, I’d dare say they miss Target more than anything else – another testament that there isn’t a comparable shop in the UK.
The alternative to shopping Target where you can buy everything on your shopping list – from milk to shoes to sheets to an iPhone 14 – while sipping on a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte requires multiple stores in the UK. There isn’t one place that can do it all quite like Target does.
For this reason, it’s the one American shop that’s the hardest to simply say go “shop at this UK store instead”. Target really does need a village to fill the gap and experience all that it offers in the USA.
UK Equivalent of Target Stores Breakdown
And while there really isn’t a good answer to a comparable shop in the UK, these are recommendations that possibly come the closest to filling the all-American Target gap.
UK equivalent of Target includes:
- John Lewis – Covers all the departments Target has to offer but at Nordstrom prices.
- Marks & Spencer – Offers high-end food (particularly for entertaining) at higher prices and high-quality clothes at reasonable prices. See my favorite items in .
- Next – Target alternative for kids’ clothes and housewares.
- Dunelm – Lacks clothes and electrical departments, but heavy in-home and bedding departments.
- Wilko – Sells practical home necessities at low prices, but no clothing or electrical departments.
- B&M – Widely covers most departments, but their online presence is a catalog.
- Matalan – Sells clothes and light housewares at low prices but on a much smaller scale.
- The Range – Find home furnishings, garden and outdoor, DIY crafting, pet supplies, clothing, electrical, and even holiday decor but is underwhelming compared to Target.
Other American Shop Equivalents In The UK
Beyond the Target brand, here are popular American brands and what stores they compare to in the UK to fulfill the majority of your shopping needs abroad. The shops are organized alphabetically to help you quickly find a shop equivalent.
- Ann Taylor – Hobbs, Phase Eight
- Ann Taylor Loft – Boden, &Other Stories (but more whimsical)
- Bed, Bath & Beyond – Wilko, HomeSense, The Range, Dunelm
- Best Buy – Argos, John Lewis, B&M (small appliances & electronics), Currys PC World
- Crate & Barrel – West Elm
- CVS, Walgreens, or Rite Aid – Boots
- Dick’s Sporting Goods or Academy Sports & Outdoors – Sports Direct (sporting goods only; ie, not fishing or hunting), Halfords (bicycles, camping, car accessories), Decathlon
- Dollar Store – Poundland
- EMS – Mountain Warehouse
- Express – River Island, Topshop
- Forever 21 – H&M, Boohoo
- Home Depot or Lowe’s – B&Q, Wickes
- HomeGoods – HomeSense (also part of TJX Companies parent organization). For a broader assortment go to TK Maxx, The Range, or Dunelm.
- Janie & Jack – JoJo Maman Bebe (with maternity clothes, too)
- Kohl’s – Debenhams
- Macy’s – John Lewis (but nicer). House of Fraser is another comparable store to Macy’s but was acquired by Sports Direct in 2019.
- Nordstrom – Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Peter Jones, Fenwick
- Old Navy – Gap, Primark, Forever 21
- Pottery Barn – Similar to Crate & Barrel, the Pottery Barn UK equivalent is West Elm. Although West Elm is an American store, it’s by far the most comparable shop in the UK. For a list of popular American stores in the UK, read .
- The Container Store – aplaceforeverything.co.uk, The Holding Company
- TJ Maxx – TK Maxx (part of the TJX Companies parent organization). Find loads of American products here.
- Toys R Us – Albeit bankrupt with no stores in the USA, the best comparable toy store is Smyths Toys. The Entertainer is a toy only shop, and Argos covers toys too.
- Walmart – ASDA (Walmart owns ASDA in the UK). More Walmart alternatives include Tesco Extra, Primark, and Shein.
Shopping at Hobbs has an Ann Taylor feel
Fast Fashion Breakdown For Newcomers In The UK
With so many new brands and storefronts to learn in the UK not in the USA, shopping for everyday women’s clothing can be overwhelming – so frustrating to the point of actually avoiding it altogether.
But when the season changes (or stays the same for months on end) or your heels are no longer practical for getting to work every day (read here for best shoes for cobblestones), you need to know where to go.
Now that you have British comparable shops to your favorite ones in the USA, here’s my fast fashion UK breakdown to help you further decide where to go shopping when old faithful is thousands of miles away.
This is based upon the quality, vibe, or online/in-store experiences I’ve personally experienced living in the UK.
Popular Fast Fashion Low-End Stores In The UK
This category is hot for trendsetters looking to buy fashion on the cheap.
- H&M
- New Look
- Primark
- TopShop
Fast Fashion Middle
It could be argued that there is no “middle” for fast fashion. However, between the higher end brands they might carry, store appearance, and even how these shops manage packaging warrants them a notch above the others.
- ASOS (online only)
- River Island
- ZARA
Besides, even Kate Middleton shops at Zara. See a few of Kate’s Zara favorites.
Higher End Fashion Brands In The UK
I don’t consider these brands fast fashion because they tend to carry classic timeless pieces and their associated prices prove it.
However, I do believe it’s important to include them for bookend comparison since they aren’t as brand familiar to Americans as Burberry, Hunter, or even Ted Baker.
- COS (owned by H&M)
- Hobbs
- Jigsaw
- LK Bennett
- Reiss
- Whistles
American Grocery Store Equivalents In The UK
We can’t forget about grocery store equivalents! If the idea of grocery shopping in the UK has you feeling a bit “deer in headlights”, I get it. It’s one thing I absolutely loathe doing.
Luckily, the UK is much further ahead with online delivery than grocery stores in the UK. It’s how I survived the first several months after moving to the UK.
Here is how British supermarkets stack up compared to the USA.
Ocado.com is an online-only grocery store in the UK, but there is a slew of brick-and-mortar others to consider as compared to your preferred American one.
- Kroger – Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco
- Publix – Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco
- Trader Joe’s – Is there a Trader Joe’s in the UK? Sadly no. Aldi is the closest. Although no grocery store in the UK quite stacks up, Aldi is the one most comparable. This is because brothers own the two stores, and therefore you’re most likely to find some similarities between the two brands.
- Walmart – ASDA
- Whole Foods – There are Whole Food stores in London. Waitrose is the most comparable to Whole Foods in the UK.
There are many more UK grocery stores and here is how I rank them in order of high to low prices and experience.
- Waitrose
- M&S
- Sainsbury’s
- Tesco (Tesco Metro is the small chain, where Tesco Extra is a massive supermarket that also carries home, toys, electrical, and some fashion categories)
- Morrisons
- Iceland (primarily frozen food)
- ASDA
- ALDI/LIDL
For further step-by-step help on what grocery shopping is like in the UK, watch my grocery shop tutorial at Waitrose.
American Shop Equivalents In The UK
If not having Target, Pottery Barn or even Trader Joe’s has you in a panic, you can ship most items internationally. In fact, Target offers international shipping. Alternatively, wait for a return visit to the USA. (Check out how I coped without Target after moving to the UK. )
For now, refer to these UK store equivalents to get settled after moving from the USA. If there is an American store you’re curious about but don’t see on this list, it could be because there is a store in the UK. You can find American brands in the UK in this post: Popular American Shops and Brands In The UK.
Any favorite American brand you’re curious about that I missed or should it be paired with a different UK store? Please share in the comments.
Looking for more expat guides to living in the UK? Try these.
- Popular American Shops and Brands In The UK
- Dress Shopping In The UK: An Expat’s Guide To Where To Buy (Race Day)
