Spanish supermarket chains Eroski and Alcampo are targeting significant sales growth in the run-up to Christmas.
Eroski expects a 3% Christmas sales boost this year, following a year of over 2% average sales growth.
To attract shoppers during the holiday rush, when supermarket visits typically jump from 10 to 11 per month, Eroski will invest €22 million in promotions, including discounts on 100 popular holiday items and a 70% discount on the second unit of 2,000 other products, commercial director Beatriz Santos told daily El Economista.
Most Christmas shopping (57%) will occur in December, with 29% in November and just 14% in October.
Spanish families will spend 25–30% more (around €120) in December on food and drinks than in a typical month, with €100 of this extra spending going towards traditional Christmas items.
Sales of festive treats like nougat and sweets increase tenfold in December, while charcuterie, wine, and certain meats see sales double or triple.
Interestingly, over half of the yearly spending on seasonal items like nougat and a significant portion of sparkling wine and toy purchases still happen in December.
Households hosting Christmas celebrations, particularly those of seniors and families with older children, show the biggest spending increases.
Alcampo
Elsewhere, Alcampo anticipates a 5% rise in Christmas sales, driven by growing demand for fresh products and a trend towards 'treat' purchases.
They expect a particularly strong increase (17–20%) in ready-made meals, with bakery sales up around 7% and household goods up 11%. This positive forecast nearly doubles their 2.5% sales increase from Christmas 2023.
The director of product of Alcampo, Mariano Serrano, told El Economista that the company’s in-store restaurant concept, 'El Bistró,' has expanded to 15 locations and is expected to reach over 30 in the next few years.
The company also plans to leverage these in-store kitchens to supply prepared meals to smaller local Alcampo supermarkets, starting with a pilot program in the Las Vaguada hypermarket in Madrid in early 2025.
For the Christmas season, Alcampo will offer a mix of name-brand and own-brand products (4,000 food and 7,000 non-food items), adding 300 special items with a focus on premium ranges Cultivamos lo Bueno and Auchan Collection.
Alcampo's own-brand products currently comprises 25% of its food assortment and 20% of food sales, and 55% of non-food products, contributing 40% to sales in that category.
