Top Supermarkets In Spain
Anyone aiming to live affordably knows that making food yourself is a better option than eating out often. And supermarkets will be your best bet to get all the groceries that you need affordably. But supermarkets are not just limited to that. You can find everything from organic produce, essential grocery items to even clothes and electronics in the bigger ones. This article will help you locate the biggest and most affordable options near you in Spain.
Overview Of Main Supermarkets In Spain
| Name | Type | Price level |
| El Corte Ingles | Bio supermarket | €€€ |
| Veritas | Bio supermarket | €€€ |
| Alcampo | Hypermarket | €€ |
| Carrefour | Hypermarket | €€ |
| Eroski | Membership-only hypermarket | €€ |
| Mercadona | Supermarket | €€ |
| Supercor | Supermarket | €€ |
| Lidl | Supermarket | € |
| Dia | Discount supermarket | € |
| Aldi | Discount supermarket | € |
Here are the different types of supermarkets in Spain, and what makes them different.
Types Of Supermarkets In Spain
Bio Supermarkets
If you have any special dietary needs or restrictions or choose to shop organic products, you will have to head to organic supermarkets. Most of the mainstream chains do not stock such specialty products, and you will only find them at these stores. You should however, be prepared to pay higher prices for these products too.
El Corte Ingles is an organic department store with a supermarket chain too; it also has other standalone supermarkets. The Veritas organic supermarket chain is found in Madrid, Catalunya and Basque Country regions. You can expect to find good quality products here, if only a little pricey.
Hypermarkets
A hypermarket is a department store and a supermarket in one. Typically such a store will stock clothes, electronics and other miscellaneous items too apart from groceries. Alcampo is Spain’s second biggest hypermarket chain. It is based in almost all cities of Spain (but stores can mostly be found in out-of-town locations) and it is a cheap option (sometimes even cheaper than the supermarket giant Mercadona!).
Carrefour is a French multinational chain, and has a significant presence in Spain too. It has an extensive range of its own-brand products, which is constantly updated and enriched. It has more than 200 hypermarkets in Spain alone (and numerous other smaller-sized shops).
- Membership-only Hypermarkets
Eroski is a big name in this category. They run on a cooperative model, meaning they also include consumers (who are a major stakeholder) in their socio-business model as well. This is to ensure sustainable employment and better quality of service. The chain initially started off selling food, and has now expanded to textiles and appliances, among others. Their store sizes vary a lot in different locations: the larger hypermarkets are simply called ‘Eroski’ while the smaller ones are ‘Eroski Center’ stores.
Supermarkets
There are a number of popular supermarket chains in Spain, with the largest two being Mercadona and Lidl. Mercadona is a Spanish family-owned chain with more than 1500 stores across the country. It is able to keep its prices low by buying directly from the sellers, and not incurring additional costs by employing the services of a middleman. It also has a range of its own-brand products (Hacienda) which can compete with branded products in quality yet cost less.
Lidl is a chain with German origins, that sells everything from locally produced items to renowned global brands at discounted prices. In Spain, it has grown to have more than 550 stores currently. Another popular name is the Supercor supermarket, which is also Spanish in origin. It does not have a large number of stores, meaning it has a presence mostly only in the bigger or more popular places. However, it offers a huge product range: you can find everything from groceries, household items to things like clothing, perfumes and other household items.
Discount Supermarkets
Discount supermarkets usually offer great discounts on their products but a lot of the times not a lot of variety in the products. Still, if you are looking for a bargain, the best places to go to include the Dia and Aldi chains. Aldi is originally a German discount store, but they have a huge market presence in Spain. They have hundreds of stores across the country, sell a decent range of goods, and offer regular discounts as well. Apart from household and grocery items, they also stock jewelry, beauty products, electronics and various ecological products.
Dia (Distribuidora Internacional de Alimentacion) is the largest Spanish discount supermarket, and expanded throughout the country through a series of acquisitions. It stocks its own label as well as other brands, and it also has a slightly bigger product range than its German competitors.
Which Supermarkets Deliver In Spain?
Most Spanish supermarket chains will also deliver groceries. You can simply shop online and then select a time slot for delivery according to your convenience. Alternatively, you may even choose the pick-up option where you place your order and then go to pick up your groceries from the store.
Apart from this, there are also some grocery options which operate online only. These are a great option for people looking to do their grocery shopping from home, or for those looking for particular items that might not otherwise be available in stores. Some of the online-only supermarkets include Foody, Senslac and Tu Otro Super.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Supermarkets Open On Sunday In Spain?
You will find most Spanish supermarkets closed on Sundays. But if you forgot something and need to get it last-minute, you might find it at some of the smaller stores like local convenience stores that remain open. But you won’t be able to get prices as good as the supermarkets’ and will end up paying more.
Generally, many other types of shops throughout Spain close in around the middle of the day. However, supermarkets do not necessarily follow the same timings. They typically open early morning around 8:00 or 9:00 and close late in the evenings around 21:00 to 23:00. Their exact timings will depend on the location, but in rural areas timings are a lot more limited so you will have to plan accordingly.
How Can I Save Money While Shopping In Spanish Supermarkets?
While supermarkets in Spain are not particularly expensive, you can cut down even more on your grocery bills by simply switching to their own-brand options. These are often similar in quality to branded options, but cost a lot less!
Moreover, as in other European countries, Spanish locals carry their own heavy-duty reusable bags for shopping. You can also pick some at the store, but you will have to pay for them.
Conclusion
There are a number of options you can choose from if you are looking to buy groceries in Spain. Your choices, budget, dietary requirements and the presence of supermarkets in your vicinity will determine which one you will go to exactly. But everyone will find an option for themselves. For the Spanish locals, Mercadona and Carrefour have remained popular choices for many years.