The pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have created a mix of economic strain and social shifts that influence how people shop. A joint survey by the Roundtable Meeting for the Participation of Consumer Associations (MPAC) and Mercadona shows that about 72% of consumers report changing their buying habits. Roughly 20% are seeking lower prices, and 21% are choosing different product types. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Across 3,500 households from 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities, surveyed in the first part of 2022, there is growing awareness of vulnerable consumer status. This term describes a situation of subordination, limited protection, or inability to exercise rights on equal terms. The data reveal a clear link between vulnerability and income, particularly in rural areas and among those with basic education levels. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Labeling remains a heated topic for both industry and regulators. Consumers want clearer health information and details about what they buy. The 2022 findings show some interesting shifts: 59% indicated they consumed expired products in 2022, down from 67% in 2021. Importantly, 66% still regard the expiration date as the most important label element, followed by product composition/ingredients (55%). Place of origin (28%) and nutritional information (26%) sit behind price (37%) in perceived importance. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Over time, there is a lingering decline in the habit of reading labels. For those who read labels regularly, the share fell by seven points to 34% (down from 41% in 2021). Those who read occasionally dropped by four points to 54%. Yet the label remains the primary information source for 42% of respondents, who find it useful. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
While many recognize the value of healthy eating, the share of people who believe their habits are healthy has slipped to 66%, while those who are unaware or do not accept healthy habits have grown to 22% and 12%, respectively. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Environmental awareness is rising
Data analysis shows that the average consumer in Spain increasingly favors environmentally responsible companies and sustainable consumption. About 57% view this positively at the point of purchase. The influence on buying decisions comes from several factors, including product origin (25%), production methods (20%), environmental commitment (16%), and the ethical behavior of producers or distributor communities (15%). (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Similarly, 88% of respondents consider food waste a major issue. To reduce waste, 41% plan to use more of what they buy, and 31% intend to plan purchases more carefully. Only 10% admit to doing nothing about it. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Rising electricity costs reshape consumption
In terms of sustainability, 89% of those surveyed feel that their eating choices affect the environment, based on the sustainability of the foods they consume. Yet during months marked by the pandemic, a little over half showed heightened interest in purchasing more sustainable options. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Almost two-thirds (61%) know which bin to use for compostable waste such as fruit peels and meat residues. Sorting has become more prevalent as households strive to recycle more of what they generate. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Proximity, quality and price shape choices
Proximity has overtaken quality as the top consideration when selecting a shopping location. More than half of consumers rate proximity as the primary factor, with quality close behind. Price is becoming more influential in rural areas, while urban shoppers still place greater emphasis on quality. Although quality remains the key criterion for food selection, price sensitivity is rising. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
The supermarket remains the preferred channel for food and mass-market purchases (64%). Small stores and specialty shops show only minor declines, while there is a slight uptick in hypermarkets and municipal markets. Excluding pulses and pasta, shoppers predominantly prefer fresh products over frozen or ready-made options. Compared with 2021, there is more frozen meat purchases and less fresh meat; packaged products rise across categories, and fresh pasta/pulses purchases fall. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Comfort and convenience drive online and multi-channel shopping
Online grocery shopping maintains strong appeal, with 67% of consumers showing positive attitudes toward it, even though about half feel no need to use it. The favorable view of online shopping coexists with a strong preference for proximity, and many shoppers now expect a multi-channel experience. Convenience remains the most valued aspect of online shopping for nearly half of those surveyed. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Online information also plays a notable role, with 43% of users indicating they are influenced by internet or social media content when purchasing food or mass-market products. A quarter of respondents continued to notice no change in influence. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
Health-focused innovation and technology
When asked where food companies should focus their innovations, about one in four respondents want higher product quality as the top priority. Others point to healthier options (22% and 21%), more affordable prices, and greater social and environmental responsibility. Digital innovation trails behind these priorities. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
A little more than half of consumers generally respond positively to innovations when encountered in the product range they buy, though 28% say they do not notice them and 19% distrust them initially. More than 80% recognize the use of new technologies in food purchases, with many acknowledging that grocery stores have advanced significantly in recent years. The impact of these technologies on simplifying shopping is felt by about 45%. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)
The MPAC, the Mercadona initiative, is a forum and working group started in 2014 by Mercadona, along with CECU, FUCI, UNAE, and UCAUCE. It gathers periodically to discuss current topics, evolving trends, and consumer habits, aiming to propose shared solutions in consumption and to strengthen links among regulators, consumers, and the business sector. (Source: MPAC/Mercadona consumer study, 2022.)