A leading supermarket chain in Spain continues to outshine competitors, securing a commanding position as shoppers’ top choice. Mercadona holds a 29.5% market share in 2025, matching its performance from 2024, while operating 1,618 stores across Spain and 61 in Portugal. Carrefour trails in second place with 7.2%, followed by Lidl at 6.2%.
Market Share Rankings
Recent data from consulting firm NielsenIQ (NIQ), which tracks shopping patterns among 12,000 households, highlights Mercadona’s dominance. The multinational discount chain DIA ranks fourth with 4.8%, Eroski fifth at 4.3%, Consum at 4.1%, Alcampo with 2.9%, Aldi at 1.8%, and El Corte Inglés at 1.6%.
Over the past decade, consumer spending on groceries in Spain has risen sharply, climbing from €82 billion in 2015 to €131 billion last year. This growth reflects evolving shopping behaviors and economic factors.
Positive Sector Growth
Nacho San Martin, NIQ’s general manager for Iberia, states, “The sector in Spain is going through a very positive evolution, with a very interesting dynamism for both manufacturers and retailers.” He adds, “We are one of the countries that has grown the most and we project that this will continue to be the case.”
Shifting Consumer Habits
Teleworking and a push for convenience drive shoppers toward local and regional stores, away from large hypermarkets. Regional operators now capture 25% of the market, emphasizing proximity and accessibility. This shift contributes to declining sales at hypermarkets, while smaller convenience outlets experience robust growth.
Store Network and Coverage
In terms of store area, Mercadona commands 16.7%, ahead of Carrefour’s 10.9%, Eroski’s 6.3%, and DIA’s 6%. For outlet numbers, DIA leads with 2,360 stores, followed by Mercadona at 1,603, Eroski with 1,374, Carrefour at 1,175, Consum with 964, Lidl at 714, Alcampo with 504, and Aldi with 495.
Company Histories
Mercadona began in 1977 as a family-owned butcher shop in Valencia. Juan Roig expanded it into a full supermarket chain in 1981. The company achieved market leadership through affordable private-label products like Hacendado and Deliplus, which deliver quality at competitive prices. It entered Portugal with its first store in Porto in 2019 and now operates 61 locations there as of April 2025.
Lidl arrived in Spain in 1994, opening its debut store in Lleida and growing swiftly through the 1990s to become a major player. Aldi followed in 2002, after delays caused by a Spanish wholesale group, IFA, holding the rights to the Aldi name.
