MADRID – The Spanish consumer organisation OCU has adapted its guide to the cheapest supermarkets. Recent food price increases in December were the reason for the changes.
The constant rise in the cost of key energy sources continues to have a direct impact on food prices. 2021 ended with a 5% year-on-year price increase. The Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) presents an overview of the increase in food prices and of the cheapest supermarkets. On this basis, consumers can better determine where they can do their shopping. The overview mainly focuses on fresh products.
The price increases
In December last year, prices for all fresh products, except fruit, increased exceptionally:
- Mutton: 7.5%
- Fish: 7%
- Legumes and vegetables: 4.4%
- Seafood: 3.3%
- Poultry 2%
- Beef: 1.9%
In addition to these fresh products, December also saw price increases for many other foodstuffs bought in the supermarket, such as:
- Pasta: 5.1%
- Yoghurt: 3.6%
- Bakery products: 3.1%
- Flour: 2.1%
- Rice: 2.1%
- Edible oils: 30.5%
- Olive oil: 26.7%
- Margarine and vegetable fats: 11%
- Fruits: 9%
In December fruit did not increase in price
Fruit, on the other hand, was one of the few fresh foods that did not increase in price in December. In this regard, the OCU advises buying mainly seasonal fruit. That is cheaper than fruit that has to be imported or has to undergo long processing before it ends up on the supermarket shelves. On an annual basis, the price for fruit has increased (+9%).
Savings possible of more than 1,000 euros over the longer term
By shopping at the cheapest supermarkets, consumers can save considerably over the months. With an average difference of up to €1,073 between the chains, the OCU study shows. The difference is also greater in the large cities because people have more shopping options there.
What are the cheapest supermarkets in Spain?
For Spain’s cheapest supermarkets report, OCU compared the prices of 238 products in more than 1,000 supermarkets in 65 Spanish cities. The prices that can be found online were also taken into account. It concerns the prices of foodstuffs, cleaning products, and drugstore products.
Looking at prices on a regional basis, the list of budget supermarkets is still led by Supermercados Dani (present only in eastern Andalucia), followed by Más Ahorro (Córdoba), Family Cash (Valencia), and Tifer (Burgos).
Read also: The opening hours of the main supermarkets in Spain
For the national scene, the list is led by Alcampo, closely followed by Mercadona. On a national level, these are the cheapest supermarkets in Spain to fill the shopping cart with the 238 selected products.
After this particular Alcampo store in Murcia, four other supermarkets of the same chain follow, which are the cheapest. These are the Alcampo sites in Sant Adrià de Besòs, in Barcelona, in Vigo and in Esplugues de Llobregat.
Top ten cheapest supermarkets in Spain
The rest of the top ten are the Family Cash stores (Valencia), Tifer (Burgos), Eurospar (Badajoz), and Dani de Granada, the cheapest stores.
The most expensive supermarkets according to the OCU’s research are the stores of the Sánchez Romero chain.
With the constant increase in supermarket prices, especially in fresh products, the OCU continues to demand protectionist measures from the government. In addition to the above list of cheapest supermarkets, the organization also provides tips for consumers to save.
