ICA Kvantum Södermalm — Supermarket in SoFo, Stockholm

This is an ICA Kvantum branch on Magnus Ladulåsgatan, in SoFo on Södermalm, and the first thing you notice is the size: wide aisles, a full run of shelves, and enough room to do a week of shopping in one go rather than piecing it together from smaller shops.

The meat counter is the thing to make a trip for. It is staffed, which sets this branch apart from the smaller ICA shops around town, and you can point at what you want and have it cut. The fruit and vegetable section is worth a look on the way in, and the ready-made food is very good if you want something to eat without cooking.

Self-scanning checkouts are there, and the layout takes both manual and electric wheelchairs and strollers, with an adapted customer toilet. Staff will walk you across the store to find an item, and will offer to order something the shelves do not have.

Prices run high for a supermarket, and a small refill of five or six items lands around 300 to 400 kroner, so a full weekly shop costs a multiple of that. Special prices and regular items alike can be sold out despite being advertised, and on a Sunday the store fills up.

The store has become crowded, and finding things can take time. It still suits anyone who wants one big shop with a proper meat counter rather than three small ones.