Spanish supermarkets ranked by consumers: Where fresh food performs best and worst

A new consumer study in Spain has highlighted clear differences in how shoppers experience fresh food across the country’s main supermarket chains, with results that may be particularly relevant for foreign residents and expats living in Spain and regularly navigating local grocery shopping.

The findings come from the Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU), which surveyed around 7,600 consumers across 48 supermarket and hypermarket chains. The research focuses on customer satisfaction with fresh food categories, assessing perceived quality, freshness and consistency rather than price or nutritional value.

For those living in Spain, the results help explain why experiences can vary noticeably depending on where people shop, particularly in fresh food sections such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and bread.

Meat leads satisfaction across supermarkets

Fresh meat is the highest-rated category overall, scoring an average of 76 out of 100. Consumers report strong satisfaction with freshness, appearance and consistency, making it the most positively rated fresh food section in Spanish supermarkets. The best-performing chains in this category include Costco, El Corte Inglés, Hipercor and Plus Fresc, followed by BM Complet, Esclat, Froiz, Covirán and Unide, which also achieve solid results.

For residents who regularly shop in different chains across Spain, these differences can be noticeable, as fresh counters vary significantly in presentation and perceived quality. Despite strong overall ratings, the study also finds that around half of consumers still choose to buy meat outside supermarkets, often in traditional butcher shops or local markets where quality and cut selection are perceived as more consistent.

Fish ranks second but varies by chain

Fish is the second-best rated category, with a score of 72 out of 100. However, satisfaction levels vary depending on the supermarket chain. Chains performing best include El Corte Inglés, Hipercor, Costco, Plus Fresc, Esclat and Gadis, which achieve the strongest scores in this category.

Even so, supermarket fish is not the primary choice for many consumers, with specialist fishmongers still widely preferred for freshness and preparation standards.

Fruit and vegetables sit in the middle range

Fruit and vegetables receive a more moderate score of 69 out of 100. While generally well regarded, they do not reach the same satisfaction levels as meat and fish. The strongest-performing chains include Ametller Origen, Costco, El Corte Inglés and Hipercor, all scoring above 80 among their customers.

These products remain among the most frequently purchased fresh items in supermarkets due to convenience. The study also notes that around two in three consumers regularly buy fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, although perceptions of freshness can vary between chains and locations.

Bread is the weakest-performing category

At the bottom of the ranking is fresh bread, with an average score of 63 out of 100. It is also the only fresh food category where no supermarket chain reaches 80 points, highlighting a consistent gap in satisfaction across the sector. One of the lowest-rated performers is Mi Alcampo, which does not reach 50 points in consumer evaluations, underlining the variation between chains.

Despite its growing presence in supermarket bakeries, bread remains the least frequently purchased fresh product, with only around 41% of consumers buying it in supermarkets. The majority continue to prefer bakeries or traditional ovens (tahonas), where they associate the product with higher quality and more traditional preparation methods.

Common complaints include texture, how quickly bread loses freshness, and inconsistency between purchases.

How the study was conducted

The OCU survey is based on responses from 7,600 shoppers across 48 supermarket and hypermarket chains in Spain. Participants were asked to evaluate their experience with fresh food categories they regularly purchase.

The focus is overall satisfaction, including freshness, quality perception and reliability over time. It does not compare pricing or nutritional content. Rather than ranking individual products, the study analyses broad categories and differences between supermarket chains, offering a general overview of how fresh food is experienced across the retail sector.

Shopping habits and what drives choice

The findings also highlight wider consumer behaviour in Spain. Most shoppers visit supermarkets at least once a week, and the main reason for choosing a particular chain is proximity, followed by price, quality and variety. Fresh food remains a major part of household spending, particularly in meat, dairy, oil, pasta and other basic staples.

These patterns help explain why supermarket choice can have a noticeable impact on everyday shopping satisfaction, particularly when comparing fresh food quality across chains commonly used by both local and international residents.

What this means for shoppers in Spain

The study highlights clear differences in satisfaction across supermarket chains and product categories. Meat and fish sections in chains such as El Corte Inglés, Hipercor and Costco tend to score highest, while bakery products remain the weakest category overall.

Fruit and vegetables sit in the middle, with more variation depending on store and location. Overall, the findings underline that fresh food quality in Spanish supermarkets is not uniform, and shopping experience can differ significantly depending on where purchases are made.