After a long, public back-and-forth between families and the government over how to curb rising grocery bills, Spain’s leading supermarket chain stepped forward with a concrete plan. The aim is clear: ease the squeeze of inflation on everyday purchases. Mercadona, led by Juan Roig, announced price cuts on 500 commonly used products across food, cleaning, home care, and perfumery categories. The Valencian retailer projects that customers could save as much as 150 euros annually, reinforcing a wider move among major chains to help households stretch their budgets. In recent weeks, rivals have rolled out similar measures, with Carrefour, Dia, and Eroski among those signaling price relief. Here are the highlights from each player’s strategy to keep shopping affordable:
Mercadona
Mercadona is trimming prices on a broad range of daily essentials—food, cleaning supplies, home care products, and cosmetics. The retailer claims the initiative will translate into substantial savings for households, with the potential to total around 200 million euros in savings by year’s end.
Carrefour
Carrefour rolled out a catalog of about 200 essential items priced at the lowest end within their category. The retailer estimates that the program could save a typical family roughly 1,056 euros per year when the year wraps up.
Dia
Dia introduced ongoing weekly promotions across more than 100 products, offering discounts of up to 30% for shoppers looking to maximize every euro spent during their weekly visits.
Eroski
Eroski, a pioneer in promotional campaigns, announced price reductions across up to a thousand products as part of its ongoing value-focused campaign, signaling a robust commitment to affordability.
Consum
Consum keeps a high share of its memberships active, delivering about a 1.25% discount on total purchases. In addition, customers can benefit from targeted discounts tied to the consumption patterns of specific brands, enhancing the potential for deeper savings across baskets.
Alcampo
Alcampo emphasizes consistently low prices and has joined the broader movement to sustain affordable shopping. The chain highlights that its policy centers on ensuring customers see value across their shopping trips, aligning with the common aim of reducing the total cost at checkout.
More and more
Several chains have introduced price caps across all products offered in their stores, aiming to provide a predictable ceiling for family budgets and to reduce sticker shock at the register.
On the ground
Stores report they rely on market research and shopper feedback to position themselves as the cheapest option in their respective regions, using data to guide promotions and maintain competitive pricing without compromising quality.
Aldi
Aldi presents itself as a discount-focused retailer with frequent weekly offers. The chain also mentions special promotions on fresh categories like meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables, alongside promotions on its own brands and other manufacturer products. It even references a limited-time window for discounted items nearing expiration as part of its strategy to move stock while preserving value.
Lidl
Lidl communicates a clear mission: provide high-quality products at the best possible prices. The retailer sustains weekly promotions and mentions additional discounts as part of its ongoing commitment to strong value for shoppers, reinforcing trust in price leadership across its shelves.