London offers some of the best shopping anywhere in the world. Most visitors spend their time, and money, in the West End tourist shops, where prices are dearest in an already expensive city.

Residents may also frequent the huge department stores around this area, especially the impressive food courts during lunchtime. However, most shopping is done at the bi-yearly sales, at discount shops and supermarkets, and in the wonderful street markets dotted throughout the city.

Most shops and department stores open everyday, and late on Thursday night. Several markets are open during the week, whilst others operate only on weekends. Supermarkets are open everyday, some until 10pm.

Department stores include the exclusive Harrods and Fortnum & Mason; Harvey Nichols for designer fashion, cosmetics and home furnishings; the 'never knowingly undersold' John Lewis for electronics and clothes; Liberty and Selfridges for 'it' girl fashion; Marks and Spencer for everyday fashion, fantastic sandwiches, and ready made meals; and over at the rarely mentioned Primark, clothes are so cheap that few admit shopping there.

The official sales at London's department stores take place twice a year. The midyear sales usually start in June and run through to the end of July. The biggest sales time is the end of year January sale. Many shops also display permanent sale racks or offer sales periods outside these traditional periods to bring in some extra cash. The Evening Standard and Time Out magazine, both available in newsagencies, list many clearances, warehouse sales and factory outlet promotions.

Boutique fashion can be found along King's Road in Chelsea, at Oxo Tower Wharf along Southbank, and in trendy stores hidden around Covent Garden, whilst inexpensive fashion and chain stores line Oxford Street. Jermyn Street offers hand-made shirts and shoes for men. Teenagers flock to Camden Town for grungy clothes and accessories, and Hamley's in Regent Street is toy heaven. Some of the best bookstores can be found in Charing Cross Road, and technology along Tottenham Court Road or at Dixon's stores. In addition to fashion, Covent Garden is full of delightful food stores, herbalists, outdoor cafes and bars.

London's bustling markets are lined with stalls selling a variety of goods from fruit and vegetables to clothes and rare antiques. Covent Garden and Portobello Rd markets are the best known and most popular. For the best fresh produce try cheap Berwick or chef favourite Borough; Brick Lane is piled with bargain antiques, treasures and trash; clothes and music for young bohemians at Camden; stunning flowers at Columbia Road; arts and crafts at Spitalfields; and second hand books along Southbank.

For everyday grocery and home shopping, supermarket branches are located throughout central London and major suburban shopping areas. Waitrose provide quality fruit vegetables, and household products; Sainsbury and Tesco sell almost everything including cheaper "home brand" products; Lidl is not much to look at, but the prices are stunning; the buying power discounts of worldwide chain Adli are passed onto customers; whilst Iceland often have special deals on frozen foods

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