Lorraine Williamson
In homes across Spain this summer, shopping baskets are telling a story. They’re filled with juicy stone fruits from Extremadura, potatoes from Galicia, and tuna fresh from the Cantabrian Sea. Imported grapes and plastic-wrapped beans flown in from Kenya? Not so much.
This isn’t just a seasonal whim. It reflects a powerful, growing movement among Spanish consumers: a return to eating—local, fresh, and in season.
It used to be that global produce signalled choice and modernity. Now, increasingly, it looks out of place. A new generation of shoppers is asking not just what something is, but where it comes from—and when it’s meant to be eaten.
Recent consumer research in Spain shows that over 80% of shoppers prefer fruit, vegetables and fish sourced from within the country, and nearly half care about the specific region of origin. Seasonality matters too: shoppers want food that’s in its natural rhythm, not forced onto shelves by chains and air miles.
This isn’t nostalgia—it’s practical. In the scorching Spanish summer, food that travels long distances often arrives tired. Locally sourced produce, picked at its peak, tastes better, lasts longer, and supports people closer to home.
Farmers feeling the difference
This shift in behaviour is reshaping supply chains. Spanish farmers, often squeezed by years of aggressive import competition and supermarket price wars, are seeing a cautious but welcome change.
Smaller producers in regions like Murcia, Aragón and Extremadura report renewed interest from national buyers. In the north, coastal fishing communities are seeing higher demand for bonito del norte, a white tuna caught seasonally and prized for its flavour. Unlike large-scale trawled species, these tuna are line-caught and delivered quickly—meeting growing consumer expectations around quality and sustainability.
For many farmers, the new focus on proximity and seasonality feels like a rare alignment of market demand with traditional farming values. The result is not just higher income, but more stable planning and less food waste.
Supermarkets follow the seasonal tide
The country’s largest supermarket chains are now adjusting their strategies to keep pace. Quietly, behind the weekly offers and price tags, there’s a shift happening.
Retailers are expanding their seasonal ranges, buying more from domestic producers, and adding traceability features so shoppers can see where their fruit or fish comes from. Stone fruits like peaches and cherries are front and centre this summer, alongside melons, potatoes and regionally labelled preserves. In some cases, produce reaches shelves within a day of harvest or catch.
While many of these chains have long operated across Europe, their renewed focus on local procurement signals more than a marketing play. It reflects rising pressure to reduce emissions from long-haul transport, shorten supply chains, and support regional economies—especially in the face of extreme weather and rural depopulation.
Shoppers with values—and habits—to match
There’s also a subtle but growing link between food choices and lifestyle. Smaller households, car-free city living, and higher ecological awareness are all shaping new routines. A weekly trip to the local market or a seasonal offer at a nearby shop is easier, tastier, and more sustainable than buying produce from the other side of the world. That was exactly why I chose a simple fish restaurant at Marbella’s fisherman’s port—nothing fancy, just incredibly fresh, beautifully cooked seafood straight from the boats. The flavour said it all.
What’s more, the economic uncertainty of recent years has helped sharpen the focus on value—not just in price, but in quality and impact. Consumers want food that does good close to home.
Not just a trend, but a turning point?
Spain’s climate, geography, and culture all favour seasonal eating. The fact that shoppers are rediscovering this isn’t just good news for their taste buds. It’s a potential lifeline for rural communities, a boost for sustainable farming, and a step towards more resilient food systems.
If this summer’s shopping habits are anything to go by, the future of food in Spain may lie not in exotic imports, but in the soil, sea and seasons of home.