Supermarkets in Malta 2026: Chains, Hours and Saving Tips

Short answer: supermarkets in Malta range from Lidl, the main discount chain, which opened its twelfth Maltese store, in Qormi, in June 2026, to larger local supermarkets such as Greens, Scotts, Welbee’s and the PAVI and PAMA stores, plus thousands of small grocers, bakeries and convenience shops. Many supermarkets open seven days a week; Greens, for example, lists 7:00 to midnight every day, including Sundays and public holidays. The University of Malta budgets about €450 a month per person for food and drink at home. Most expats do a main shop at a discount chain and top up locally. Details last checked October 2026; always check your branch’s own opening hours.

My first weekly shop in Malta took two hours and three shops, because I could not find half the things I was used to and did not yet know where locals buy what. These days it takes forty minutes, mostly because I know which shop sells what, which ones close for lunch and when the fresh bread arrives. Here is the shortcut, so your first month of shopping is less of an adventure than mine was.

The main supermarkets in Malta

Sources: Greens Supermarket website (opening hours), Lidl Malta website and careers page, store websites. Last checked October 2026. Hours vary by branch and on public holidays.

Opening hours and Sundays

Opening hours in Malta are more relaxed than many newcomers expect:

• Large supermarkets often open early and close late, seven days a week. Greens publishes 7:00 to midnight daily, including Sundays and public holidays.
• Lidl publishes each branch’s hours in its online store finder; check yours before a Sunday or holiday shop.
• Small grocers and local shops often close for a few hours in the early afternoon and may close on Sunday afternoons.
• Public holidays: Malta has 14 public holidays a year. Most big supermarkets open on many of them but close on a few, such as Christmas Day.

Bakeries, markets and veg vans

Some of the best food shopping in Malta does not happen in supermarkets at all:

• Bakeries: Maltese bread (ħobż) is baked fresh every morning and sold at local bakeries and grocers. Buy it early; it sells out.
• Vegetable vans and stalls: hawkers sell fruit and vegetables from vans and stalls in many towns. Prices are often good and the produce is seasonal.
• Fish: fishmongers and the Sunday market in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk are the places for fresh fish.
• Valletta’s food hall: Is-Suq tal-Belt, the restored covered market in Valletta, is now a food hall with stalls and places to eat.
• Pastizzerias: for a cheap snack on the go, the pastizz is Malta’s unofficial national food.

How much does a weekly shop cost?

Food prices in Malta are broadly similar to many Western European countries, with imported brands costing more and seasonal local produce often cheaper. Rather than quote shelf prices that change every week, here are the budgets I see people actually live on:

Last checked October 2026. The University of Malta figure is a planning estimate for students and newcomers; your total depends heavily on how often you buy imported or branded products.

Food is only one line of your budget. Our cost of living in Malta guide puts it alongside rent, bills and transport.

How to save on supermarkets in Malta

1. Split the shop: basics and household goods at a discount chain, fresh bread from the bakery, fruit and veg from a van or stall.
2. Buy seasonal: tomatoes, citrus, strawberries and other local produce are cheapest and best in their season.
3. Use loyalty cards and apps: several chains run loyalty schemes and app coupons.
4. Shop late in the day for reduced fresh items in bigger stores.
5. Avoid convenience shops for the main shop: fine for milk at 11pm, expensive for a week’s food.
6. Cook with flatmates: sharing staples and cooking together cuts costs and is a good way to get on with the people you live with.
7. Bring a bag: reusable bags are standard, and you will carry your shopping home on foot or by bus in the harbour towns.

Local products worth trying

Part of settling in is learning what to buy local. A few staples that are worth putting in your basket:

• Ġbejniet: small Maltese cheeselets, sold fresh, dried or peppered. Great with tomatoes and bread.
• Kunserva: a concentrated tomato paste, spread on bread with olive oil for the classic ħobż biż-żejt.
• Bigilla: a bean dip often served with crackers called galletti.
• Seasonal produce: local strawberries in spring, figs and prickly pears in late summer, citrus in winter.
• Honey, capers and olive oil from small Maltese and Gozitan producers, often sold at markets and delis.

The things expats most often miss are specific branded products from home. Larger supermarkets carry many international brands, but expect to pay more, and expect some items to disappear for a few weeks until the next shipment. Most people end up switching to local or own-brand alternatives for everyday cooking and keeping the imported favourites as treats.

Online shopping and delivery

Several supermarkets take online orders with home delivery; Greens, for example, runs an online shop with delivery and returns information on its site. Delivery apps also cover many convenience shops and some supermarkets in the harbour area. Check the minimum order, delivery fee and time slots, and whether frozen goods are handled properly. Delivery is a lifesaver in summer, after a long day, or if you live up a steep street without a lift.

Where to shop by area

• Sliema and Gżira: plenty of supermarkets, grocers and convenience shops within walking distance; see our guide to living in Sliema.
• St Julian’s and Swieqi: large supermarkets nearby plus late-night convenience shops.
• Msida and Birkirkara: a mix of chains and local shops, often a little cheaper.
• Valletta: smaller shops and the market hall; many residents do a bigger shop outside the city.
• The north and Gozo: fewer large stores; plan a weekly shop and use local grocers between.

Shopping without a car

Most newcomers in the harbour towns do not have a car, and that changes how you shop. Buy smaller amounts two or three times a week from the shops on your walking routes, keep heavy items (water, detergent, tins) for an online order or a trip with a friend who drives, and use buses for the occasional big-store run outside town. A foldable shopping trolley sounds old-fashioned, but on Malta’s hills and in buildings without lifts it quickly becomes one of the most useful things you own.

Your first shop: a checklist

1. Find the nearest discount supermarket and the nearest late-opening store.
2. Find a bakery for fresh bread and a veg van or stall nearby.
3. Download the loyalty apps for the chains you use most.
4. Stock basics: olive oil, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, coffee, cleaning products.
5. Buy a reusable bag or a small shopping trolley if you live without a car.
6. Note which shops close at lunchtime and on Sunday afternoons.

If you have just arrived, our step-by-step guide to moving to Malta covers the rest of your first week, and the shared apartment guide explains how flatmates usually split costs.

Food, cooking and social life

Cooking is one of the easiest ways to turn acquaintances into friends here. A Sunday lunch in a shared flat, a picnic at the beach or a “bring one dish” evening costs a fraction of a restaurant meal and gives everyone time to talk. Say up front how you will split it (everyone brings something, or everyone chips in a few euros) and nobody feels awkward. For more on how newcomers build routines around small, regular plans, see our honest guide to expat life in Malta.

Supermarkets in Malta: FAQ

What are the main supermarkets in Malta?

Lidl is the main discount chain, with twelve stores across Malta and Gozo after its Qormi branch opened in June 2026. Local chains and large independents include Greens, Scotts, Welbee’s and the PAVI and PAMA supermarkets, alongside many neighbourhood grocers and convenience shops.

Are supermarkets open on Sunday in Malta?

Many are. Greens, for example, lists opening from 7:00 to midnight every day including Sundays and public holidays, closing only on Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year. Hours differ by chain and branch, so check the store’s own page; small local shops often close on Sunday afternoons.

Which is the cheapest supermarket in Malta?

Lidl is usually the cheapest for a standard basket of own-brand basics. Local chains can be competitive on offers, fresh produce and local products, so many people do a main shop at Lidl and top up elsewhere.

How much is a weekly food shop in Malta?

The University of Malta budgets about €450 a month per person for food and drink, excluding eating out, which works out at roughly €100 to €110 a week. Careful shoppers who cook at home and buy own brands can spend less.

Can I get groceries delivered in Malta?

Yes. Several supermarkets offer online ordering with delivery, Greens among them, and delivery apps cover many convenience shops in the harbour area. Check minimum order values and delivery fees.