Customer: Mercadona Is No Longer Cheap or High Quality

Mercadona loses the parking battle to Lidl, says customer

A customer enters a Lidl and, upon exiting, compares the parking lots with the nearby Mercadona. The difference, according to his perception, is overwhelming: the German chain wins by a landslide. This anecdote, repeated in multiple locations, summarizes a cycle change in Spanish distribution, according to some participants. Mercadona, the supermarket that Juan Roig turned into the undisputed leader, is no longer perceived by some as the cheapest or the one with the best quality. Lidl, with its bazaar section, its commitment to organic products, and an aggressive pricing policy, positions itself as the real alternative, according to several forum users. The debate, far from being a simple impression, reflects a trend that is accelerating, according to some: the Spanish consumer is stopping filling the cart in the same place as always.

The decline of the Mercadona model: prices and quality under suspicion

Mercadona’s strategy, based on its private label and customer loyalty, is beginning to show cracks, according to some. For years, its slogan “SPB” (Always Low Prices) worked like a mantra. Today, that narrative is shaking, according to some. A recurring analysis in the sector points out that its prices are no longer so competitive and that the quality of its fresh products has plummeted. Fruit, in particular, is the subject of constant criticism: it is argued that it is peine in chambers and that its flavor is far from that of a neighborhood greengrocer. Packaged meat and frozen fish are not spared either. Some claim that Mercadona’s fish department is “contagious with anisakis” and that processed meat contains hormones and water in worrying proportions. These are opinions, not proven facts, but the rumor spreads.

Mercadona’s business model, focused on national products, is its main trump card. The company boasts of supporting Spanish industry and generating stable employment. However, this virtue does not compensate, according to a growing part of buyers, for the loss of competitiveness in the aisles. The feeling that Mercadona has fallen asleep on its laurels is becoming increasingly common. Its founder, Juan Roig, built an empire on the promise of quality at a good price, but this promise is now perceived by some more as a memory than as a reality.

Lidl tightens: bazaar, organic, and local products

Lidl, for its part, has managed to adapt, according to some. Its offer no longer extends only to the usual private label. The bazaar section, with tools and household items, breaks the monotony of the modern supermarket and attracts an audience looking for something more than food. This is added to a strong commitment to organic and imported products at competitive prices. Some point out that Lidl is betting on local horticultural products, something Mercadona does not do in certain areas. The quality of its fruits and vegetables, according to some analyses, is only surpassed by Eroski in the segment of affordable supermarkets. Its yogurts, chocolate, coffee, beer, soft drinks, cheeses, and even rice receive praise for their quality-price ratio, according to some.

Not everything is perfect at Lidl. Meat and fish leave much to be desired, and the feeling of dirt and disorder in some stores is a burden, according to some. Cash management is another weak point: with only two registers open, waits can reach 15 minutes, while Mercadona reacts quickly and opens more when it detects queues, according to a forum user. This detail, seemingly minor, marks the difference between treating the customer as a person or as livestock, according to this opinion.

The consumer changes: from full cart to selective coupons

The buyer profile is mutating, according to some. Facing the traditional customer who filled the cart at Mercadona emerges a more selective consumer, who seeks the best price at each place and combines offers and coupons. This new buyer is not loyal to a chain, but to his pocket, according to this vision. Competition intensifies with the emergence of Aldi, which has reformed its stores and incorporated a wide range of organic products, including meat from Galician and Catalan origin, according to a forum user. In some areas, Aldi’s parking lot saturates on weekends, a symptom of the transfer of customers, according to this opinion.

Mercadona continues to grow, according to available data, but its growth relies more on inertia and the opening of new locations than on customer satisfaction, according to some. The province of Palencia, for example, benefits from Mercadona’s activity, which supports local jobs and suppliers, according to a forum user. This is a strong argument that its defenders wield. But the consumer, when paying, rarely prioritizes macroeconomics over their shopping cart, according to this vision.

The battle for fresh products: butchers and markets regain ground

Amidst this supermarket war, there is an unexpected winner: proximity commerce, according to some. Increasingly, voices recommend going to butchers, fishmongers, and markets for fresh products. The reason is simple: packaged ground meat, that substitute sold in trays, costs the same per kilo as a butcher’s entrecôte, according to a forum user. And the flavor does not allow comparison, according to this opinion. Supermarket fruit and vegetables, peine in chambers, cannot compete with those bought at a neighborhood greengrocer or directly from the producer, according to some. This movement towards local commerce is not just a matter of quality, but also of price and common sense, according to this vision.

Modern distribution, with its fluorescent lights and infinite aisles, has homogenized the shopping experience. But the palate and the pocket are beginning to rebel, according to some. The question is no longer whether Lidl will surpass Mercadona, but how long it will take for the Spanish consumer to rediscover that the best supermarket is the one that does not have to deceive him with packaging and promises, according to this opinion.

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Key data of the debate:

• Mercadona maintains its sales leadership, but Lidl is the fastest-growing chain, according to available data.
• Mercadona’s fruit is perceived as low quality, peine in chambers, according to some.
• Lidl offers organic and imported products at competitive prices, according to some.
• The selective consumer combines coupons and offers instead of filling the cart in one place, according to some.
• Packaged ground meat costs the same per kilo as a butcher’s entrecôte, according to a forum user.