Espanhola has 57 stores compared to the more than 500 from the Auchan-Minipreço merger, but it is already directly behind Lidl, Jerónimo Martins and Sonae.
Mercadona, which arrived in Portugal just five years ago, has become the fourth largest supermarket chain in the country in terms of market share, surpassing historical competitors such as Intermarché.
With a market share 7,1%according to a new study by Kantar cited by , Mercadona even surpasses that of Auchan and Minipreço, which together hold a 6.6% share, despite having more than 500 stores compared to the Spanish retailer’s 57.
Mercadona stood out as the supermarket chain with the highest growth in 2023increasing its share by 1.4 percentage points. This performance is attributed to an organic expansion strategy, focused on opening new stores, especially in areas with high population density.
The size of the stores also contributes to their competitiveness, with a Mercadona supermarket being equivalent, in terms of space, to several units of competing chains, such as Minipreço.
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in Portugal continues to be dominated by three large groups: Sonae, with 26.4% share (Continente, Modelo, Meu Super, among others); the Jerónimo Martins, with 21.5% (Pingo Doce and Amanhecer); and the Lidl, com 13,1%. This trio maintains a solid position, while Mercadona leads the next pack. Behind the Spanish retailer are Auchan, Aldi and Minipreço, with shares of 4.3%, 2.8% and 2.3%, respectively.
The merger between Auchan and Minipreço, announced in 2023 for 155 million euros, was initially seen as a threat to Mercadona’s position. However, even with a much larger number of stores, the new entity was unable to match the performance of the Spanish retailer.
The combined share of Auchan and Minipreço fell to 6.6% from 7.3% the previous year, while Mercadona continues to grow.
