Introduction
Some of the most essential aspects that individuals evaluate before going overseas are the availability of food and the cost of it. Many people are concerned about finding their favourite items in the new country. Others, on the other hand, may be allergic to certain foods and need to be extra cautious.
As a result, the focus of this article is on Spanish supermarkets. We’ll be looking at the most popular grocery chains in Spain, giving you a breakdown of the prices of some products you can buy. This should give you some insight into what to expect when you go to Spain.
Most Popular Spanish Supermarkets
In Spain, there are several supermarkets to choose from. The good news is that individuals may shop around and get some fantastic deals in the grocery market because of the competition.
It is worth noting, however, that the majority of supermarkets in Spain are closed on Sundays, with the exception of Madrid, Barcelona, and some other parts of Spain where some stores are open seven days a week.
The fact that traditional stores do not strictly conform to siesta hours is also encouraging. However, several smaller stores and marketplaces may close between 2 and 5 PM.
Mercadona
One of the most popular supermarkets here in Spain is Mercadona. In fact, the company has over 1600 stores across the country. It is a simple store that focuses on five main categories: food, beverages, personal care, household goods, and pet supplies.
It’s our go-to supermarket for everyday essentials, as the prices are very affordable in addition to fresh and good quality groceries. If you want to learn more about the exact items and pricing offered by this store, continue to read.
Carrefour
The Carrefour grocery chain is another popular option, and probably our second favourite. It’s a French multinational corporation that claims to be the world’s eighth-largest supermarket by revenue.
Its concept is quite similar to Walmart’s, in that it provides everything a customer needs. The chain sells cosmetics, cleaning goods, clothing, furniture, electronics, and much more in addition to food and drinks. It also has a section dedicated to ecological products, which I like.
In addition, Carrefour has its own network of gas stations where you can earn money by using the chain’s loyalty card known as Tarjeta El Club. It’s a fantastic little card that you can link to your energy provider and use to continue accumulating money. We save approximately 40 EUR each month, which we then spend on groceries.
Lidl and Aldi – discount supermarkets
Lidl and Aldi are the infamous budget supermarkets which are known throughout Europe. If you reside or have lived in another European nation, you will be delighted to discover these stores in Spain. According to 35,000 respondents in a 2020 poll by Datacentric, Lidl is the country’s second most favoured supermarket.
The aforementioned grocery stories have a good blend of local and European products. They also sell a variety of seasonal products including barbecue sets, garden furniture, and clothing. However, Lidl and Aldi, like in other European supermarkets, do not sell well-known brands, therefore their prices are slightly lower than those of other supermarkets.
Groceries prices – Mercadona and Carrefour
Mercadona and Carrefour are our go-to supermarkets when it comes to grocery shopping. We shop at Mercadona once a week and at Carrefour once every two weeks. Whilst the majority of our food can be purchased in Mercadona, the shop does not sell some specific products and has a limited selection of ecological items.
For example, I personally only drink plant-based milk and like to consume ecological products whenever feasible, therefore Carrefour is a better shop for this type of food.
When it comes to prices, they could vary considerably, so do your own research and shop around. Today, however, we will offer you a detailed breakdown of our recent food shopping at both Mercadona and Carrefour.
Mercadona shopping breakdown
Mercadona is a fantastic store for fruit, vegetables, meat, and pantry products. The prices are reasonable, though not the lowest I’ve seen. Nonetheless, we prefer Mercadona because of its high quality and close proximity to our house.
Below is the price breakdown of our typical weekly shopping in Mercadona for two adults.
| Product | Quantity | Total Price in EUR |
| Coconut water | 1.5 l. | 2.40 |
| Watermelon | 3.3 kg. | 2.08 |
| Cooked chicken breast | 3 units | 5.67 |
| Sour cream | 2 units | 2.00 |
| Mozzarella cheese | 1 packet | 2.85 |
| Chicken nuggets | 1 packet (12 nuggets) | 2.11 |
| Beef mince | 500 g. | 3.19 |
| Baby spinach | 2 packs | 1.98 |
| Mineral water | 1.5 l. x 6 bottles | 3.42 |
| Sparkling water | 1 l. x 6 bottles | 4.20 |
| Red onions | 1 kg. | 1.15 |
| Mozzarella pearls | 1 unit | 1.70 |
| Surimi sticks | 1 pack | 1.99 |
| Smoked salmon | 300 g. | 2.67 |
| Dark chocolate 85% | 1 bar | 2.30 |
| Protein yoghurt | 4 x 120 g. | 1.35 |
| Fusilli pasta | 500 g. | 0.60 |
| Aquarius | 330 ml. | 0.78 |
| Canned tomatoes | 500 ml. | 0.60 |
| Concentrated tomato paste | 170 ml. | 0.78 |
| Mayonnaise Hellman’s | 475 ml. | 1.99 |
| Courgettes | 1.7 kg. | 1.89 |
| Red bell peppers | 0.3 kg. | 0.59 |
| Hummus | 1 pack | 1.25 |
| Bread rolls | 4 units | 1.00 |
| Salad Tomatoes | 0.6 kg. | 1.06 |
| TOTAL | 51.60 EUR |
As can be seen, the total cost of shopping in Mercadona was 51.60 euros. This is equivalent to 61 US dollars or around 45 British pounds at the time of writing [25th July 2021].
Carrefour groceries price run-down
However, owing to Mercadona’s restricted variety of some products, we tend to supplement our shopping with Carrefour items. Because we did a bi-weekly Carrefour trip this time, we’ll also present you a product-by-product summary of the items we bought at a French grocery chain.
| Product | Quantity | Total price in EUR |
| Ecological olive oil | 500 ml. | 2.99 |
| Toilet paper | 4 rolls | 2.16 |
| Bathroom cleaning spray | 1 unit | 1.44 |
| Ecological cookies | 1 packet, 150 g. | 1.25 |
| Ecological oat milk | 1 l. | 1.99 |
| Energy tea | 1 pack | 3.49 |
| Immunity tea | 1 pack | 1.00 |
| Ecological cheese crackers | 2 packs | 4.00 |
| Black eco bread | 500 g. | 2.95 |
| Eco falafels | 200 g. | 1.83 |
| Kefir | 500 g. x 2 | 2.36 |
| Milk semi-skimmed eco | 1 l. x 2 | 1.98 |
| Bio natural yoghurt | 2 small units | 0.78 |
| Ecological avocados | 500 g. | 2.84 |
| Bananas | 1 kg. | 1.05 |
| Baby lettuce | 500 g. | 1.79 |
| Spicy guacamole | 1 unit | 1.85 |
| Kiwi | 4 units | 3.39 |
| Lemon | 4 units | 1.89 |
| Ecological potatoes | 2 kg. | 3.28 |
| Cucumbers | 400 g. | 1.00 |
| Salad croutons with garlic | 1 pack | 0.99 |
| Cherry tomatoes | 1 small box | 1.99 |
| Red sea salt | 1 kg. | 2.60 |
| Green kale juice | 1 l. | 2.75 |
| Ecological eggs | 6 units | 1.99 |
| TOTAL | 55.63 EUR |
The total for the Carrefour this time was 55.63 EUR, which is around 65 US dollars or 48 British pounds. It is crucial to note, however, that we only buy at this particular store every 10 to 12 days, so it is not part of our weekly budget.
Conclusions
Food shopping in Spain, I feel, is reasonably affordable, especially when the quality of the items is considered. In comparison to the UK, Spanish supermarkets stock a wide variety of fresh and well-priced products.
Depending on your needs and the number of people in your family, you can really shop around and find the most suitable products at the best price.
The ideal weekly grocery budget for two individuals, in my view, is between 60 and 80 euros. This pricing range enables us to enjoy a wide choice of ecological items, which is what we often purchase.
Share your weekly groceries budgets and let me know how they compare to the prices in Spain.
Until next time!
Live. Explore. Embrace 