Eloïse Trenda
Research Expert covering global food topics with a focus on the French and Spanish markets.
Supermarkets in Spain - statistics & facts
Supermarkets and hypermarkets are Spain’s favorite venues for grocery shopping. The latest figures show that approximately 60 percent of all grocery expenditure takes place on these premises. Mercadona, a supermarket chain founded in 1977 in the Region of Valencia, has expanded significantly in recent years, reaching a dominant 25 percent of the industry’s market share and clocking up more than 1.6 thousand stores in Spain, as well as ten establishments in Portugal.
One of the reasons for Mercadona's sales success is its private-label products, but that is not all. Indeed, Mercadona's business model is also one of its main hallmarks. Within this, the fundamental pillar in its stores is the motivation and involvement of the thousands of employees. Indeed, the company usually offers a permanent contract and an average annual gross salary higher than its competitors.
However, Lidl overtook DIA in the third position in the supermarket chain's market share in Spain. The German discounter's sales amounted to approximately 6.01 billion euros in 2022. This growth can be explained, among other things, by the development of its organic product list.
Mercadona, an example of success
In 1977, the Roig family founded Mercadona to turn their butcher's shops in Valencia province into a grocery business. They could not imagine that the brand would become the leading supermarket chain in Spain and one of the country's leading companies in sales revenue. And the fact is that, since its foundation, it has not stopped growing. In Spain and Portugal, more than five million households chose Mercadona to buy food and other products.One of the reasons for Mercadona's sales success is its private-label products, but that is not all. Indeed, Mercadona's business model is also one of its main hallmarks. Within this, the fundamental pillar in its stores is the motivation and involvement of the thousands of employees. Indeed, the company usually offers a permanent contract and an average annual gross salary higher than its competitors.
The other leading chains
Carrefour's Spanish subsidiary has been on Mercadona's heels in recent years, with the second-highest market share of supermarkets in Spain. The French retailer is the second supermarket brand in revenue and the number of employees, with a workforce of approximately 34.3 thousand people in 2022.However, Lidl overtook DIA in the third position in the supermarket chain's market share in Spain. The German discounter's sales amounted to approximately 6.01 billion euros in 2022. This growth can be explained, among other things, by the development of its organic product list.
