Spanish Supermarket Chains: A Simple Guide to Supermarkets in Spain (2026)

The main national chains

These chains have stores in many parts of Spain. Each one has a store finder on its official site.

Regional chains

• Consum: a Valencian cooperative that opened its first shop in Alaquàs (Valencia) in 1975. It has more than 1,000 supermarkets, counting its own Consum stores and its Charter franchise stores, in Catalonia, the Valencia region, Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, Andalucía and Aragón. Charter stores are smaller shops for small towns and neighbourhoods. Official site: consum.es.
• Other regional chains are strong in their own areas, for example Gadis in Galicia and Castilla y León, BonpreuEsclat in Catalonia and Supermercados MAS in Andalucía.

Spain also has many local markets, independent shops and smaller chains. A store finder or a map app is the quickest way to see what is near you.

Opening hours, Sundays and holidays

• Regions set the rules. A national law (Law 1/2004 on shop opening hours) sets the framework and each region decides the details. From Monday to Saturday, a region cannot limit shops to fewer than 90 opening hours a week in total.
• Sundays and public holidays: each region chooses the Sundays and holidays on which shops may open, at least 10 a year. On the other Sundays and holidays, larger supermarkets usually stay closed unless they are in a high-tourism zone.
• Exceptions: small shops under 300 m² (unless they belong to a large group), bakeries, convenience stores, shops in stations and shops in areas declared high-tourism zones (zonas de gran afluencia turística, ZGAT) may choose their own days and hours.
• Valencia region in 2026: larger shops may open on 11 authorised Sundays and holidays, and every shop must show a sign with its opening days and hours.

Opening hours vary from store to store. The store page on each chain’s website shows the hours, including special hours around public holidays.

Paying, bags and fresh counters

• Paying: supermarket checkouts take bank cards as well as cash.
• Bags: since 1 July 2018, shops in Spain may not give plastic bags to customers for free (Royal Decree 293/2018). Since 2021, light plastic bags are only allowed if they are compostable. Bring a reusable bag, or buy one at the checkout. The rule also covers online orders and home delivery.
• Fresh counters: many larger supermarkets have staffed counters for meat (carnicería), cold meats and cheese (charcutería) and fish (pescadería), where customers are served in turn. At Consum, for example, the Mundo Consum app lets you take a turn on your phone for these three counters in stores that have the system.
• Loyalty clubs: several chains have free customer clubs, such as Mundo Consum, El Club Carrefour and Club Alcampo. Check the conditions on each chain’s site.

Buying alcohol

• Under 18s: in the Valencia region, selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is banned, and staff must ask for official ID if they are unsure of your age.
• Late at night: in the Valencia region, shops may not sell alcohol between 22:00 and 07:00. This also covers home deliveries made during those hours. Bars and restaurants serving drinks on the premises are not affected.
• Other regions have their own rules on alcohol sales. Signs in the shop and staff at the checkout will tell you.

Online shopping and home delivery

• Mercadona, Carrefour, Dia, Eroski, Alcampo and Consum all run online grocery shops. Eroski, for example, offers home delivery and collection from a store.
• Delivery areas and time slots depend on your address. Check your postcode in the online shop.
• Lidl’s online shop mainly sells its non-food offers, such as home, DIY, sport and clothing items.

Alicante, Torrevieja and the Costa Blanca

• Consum: as a Valencian chain, Consum has several supermarkets in Torrevieja. Its store pages list the address, opening hours, holiday hours and services such as home delivery.
• Torrevieja is a high-tourism zone: the whole town is declared a ZGAT all year round, so shops there are free to choose their opening days and hours, except on 1 January, 6 January, 1 May, 9 October and 25 December.
• Each shop still decides. Being allowed to open on a Sunday does not mean every supermarket does. Some stay closed on Sundays, so check the store page first.
• Alcohol: the Valencia region rules above apply in Alicante and Torrevieja, including no shop sales between 22:00 and 07:00.

Sources

• Chains: Mercadona about us, history and online shop; Carrefour store formats and finder and FAQ; Lidl company page; Grupo Dia corporate site; Aldi about Aldi; Eroski who we are and online supermarket; Alcampo online shop.
• Consum: about Consum, taking a turn with the app (2020), Torrevieja store page.
• Regional chains: Gadis, Grup Bon Preu, Supermercados MAS.
• BOE: Law 1/2004 on shop opening hours, Royal Decree 293/2018 on plastic bags, Valencian Health Law 10/2014 (articles 69 and 70, alcohol sales).
• Generalitat Valenciana: shop opening hours 2026; Torrevieja: high-tourism zone (ZGAT).

Checked 9 October 2026. Opening rules, stores and online services change. Confirm on the official pages before you go.