Grocery spending in Spain hit a record €122 billion in 2024, representing a 4.6% increase, driven by higher prices (2.5%) and increased purchase volume (2%), according to the Consumer Trends 2024 report from NielsenIQ (NIQ).
Despite a slight moderation in price increases to around 2% in 2025, spending is still projected to rise by 4%-4.5%, with volumes expected to remain steady (+2%), according to the report.
Demand for most grocery products in Spain increased year-over-year, except for fresh fish, which saw a 5.6% decline, a drop attributed to the higher cost of fresh fish.
Nearly half of respondents reported adopting cost-saving strategies, like buying more basic products, opting for store brands, or seeking promotions.
Increased Purchases
Private-label products continued to remain popular during the year, with 58% of consumers reporting increased purchases.
Store brands now hold a 49% market share, though their growth is slowing as branded manufacturers become more price-competitive.
Manufacturers increasingly rely on promotions, with 25.4% of their sales coming from discounts and special offers – a trend expected to continue into the next year.
E-commerce grew significantly in value in 2024, with an 18% increase compared to the 4.5% growth of physical stores.
Pet products lead the way with 37.4% of sales online, followed by baby products at 16.3%, and personal care items at 15.3%.
Aldi, Consum, and Eroski saw the highest customer loyalty, measured by tickets per customer, and increase in store count.
While DIA and Mercadona still have the most number of stores (2,288 and 1,613 respectively), both saw a net decrease in locations in 2024. Carrefour, on the other hand, added 77 new stores, the highest among its peers.
Top Retailers
Mercadona retained its position as Spain's leading grocery retailer, increasing its market share to 29.5% and remaining significantly ahead of second-placed Carrefour at 7.4%.
The remaining rankings remained largely unchanged, with Lidl at 6.7%, DIA at 4.7%, Eroski at 4.4%, and Consum at 3.9%.
Regional supermarkets maintained a steady 25% market share, highlighting the continued demand for locally sourced fresh produce.
Spaniards are shopping for groceries more often (up 3%), but spending less per trip (down 1%), resulting in an overall increase in purchase volume, the study found.
This trend favours smaller, local supermarkets, which saw a 5% sales increase, while larger hypermarkets experienced a 2% decline.
