Choosing one supermarket over another can lead to real savings throughout the year if you know where to shop. The annual study carried out by the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU) once again highlights the gap between the most and least expensive supermarkets across the country. It analyzed price levels at up to 1,180 supermarkets in 65 cities, including several in Alicante and Elche.
Overall, the OCU findings show that the average cost of a typical shopping cart rose by 15.2 percent since May 2021, marking the largest jump in 34 years. The current average cart totals 5,568 euros. Yet a closer comparison within the same city reveals potential annual savings of about 994 euros simply by choosing better stores.
In the two major cities of the province, Alicante’s prices edge slightly higher than Elche’s, with an index of 121 versus 118 in Baix Vinalopó. Still, substantial savings come from smart shopping choices. A family in Alicante can trim expenses by as much as 966 euros by opting for the cheapest supermarket, while the maximum savings in Elche reach about 799 euros.
So, which chains stand out in Alicante? The study shows that the most affordable supermarket in the city is Alcampo on Ramos Carratalá Boulevard, with an index of 109. This means a shopping cart there costs about 9 percent more than the country’s cheapest option, the hypermarket of the same brand in Vigo. Jiménez Cisneros Street shares the third spot with an index of 115. Carrefoursa on Lorenzo Carbonell and Mercadona on Ramos Carratalá both register at 116 points.
On the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive listings include Doctor Giménez Díaz at 126 points, with several other stores hovering around 129 and the Goleta Street area, and the English Court de Maisonnave reaching 129 points. The study presents three baskets: a fresh basket in the first column, the economic basket in the second, and the average basket prepared by the OCU in the third column.
In Alicante, the series of analyses shows that the cheapest options often cluster around discount chains while traditional anchors skew higher, underscoring how a shopper’s choice can sway annual totals. The accompanying images in the study illustrate the price spread across neighborhoods and store formats, reinforcing the message that price transparency is key to smarter shopping.
Supermarkets analyzed by OCU in Alicante. OCU
In the Elche area, the stores offering the most cost-efficient baskets include Supeco on Novelda Street with 109 points, Hyperber on Crevillente Road with 113, Carrefour on the Alicante-Murcia highway with 114, and Mercadona on Alicante Street with 116.
Conversely, the Elche study flags higher price points at Day Hilarion Eslava with 122, and other routes reaching around 123 or 126 points near Jorge Juan Street and Baix Vinalopó Street. The evaluation aligns the price tiers with store format and urban location, illustrating how proximity to major thoroughfares and brand mix influence final totals.
Supermarkets in Elche were analyzed. OCU
Overall, the report emphasizes that price increases are a common trend across all chains, with no exception observed in the OCU data. The recurring theme is clear: careful store selection can yield meaningful annual savings, even in markets with broad price variability.