# What food is worth buying at a Spanish supermarket or market, and which brands and products are actually worth the suitcase space?

> Spanish supermarkets sell excellent cheap staples and overpriced tourist tat side by side. What to buy at Mercadona or a market, and what to leave on the shelf.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/what-to-buy-at-a-grocery-store-in-spain
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2025-11-04

Spain is the easiest country on this list to shop well in cheaply, and the easiest to shop badly in. **Mercadona** is the biggest chain and the one locals actually use; Carrefour, Lidl, Dia and Eroski fill in the gaps, and every town of any size has a **mercado** with stalls rather than aisles. The staples — olive oil, tinned fish, paprika, ham — are genuinely better here than the exported versions, and they are the reason to shop rather than eat out every meal.

## The four things worth carrying home

**Pimentón** is smoked paprika, and the good stuff comes from La Vera, where it is dried over oak fires. It is a protected designation, so the tin will say so. Sweet (*dulce*), bittersweet (*agridulce*) and hot (*picante*) are different products, not strengths of the same one.

**Aceite de oliva virgen extra** is the everyday cooking oil here, sold in large tins and bottles for less than the small imported bottles cost elsewhere. Buy a mid-range Andalusian or Catalan oil for cooking and a small bottle of a single-estate oil for finishing.

**Tinned fish** is the great Spanish supermarket category. *Bonito del norte* (white tuna) in olive oil, mussels in escabeche, and small fried fish are all preserved to a standard that makes the tinned tuna at home look like a different food.

**Azafrán** from La Mancha is real saffron, sold in small sealed packets. It is expensive everywhere, but what is sold as saffron in most countries is often not.

## The everyday shop

**Jamón** comes in a wide range: *serrano* is the everyday cured ham, *ibérico* is the acorn-fed one and costs several times more. Sliced packets are fine and much easier to travel with than a whole leg.

**Tortilla** is sold ready-made in supermarkets, chilled, in wedges. It is a legitimate shortcut for a picnic and better than it sounds.

**Pimientos del piquillo** are small roasted red peppers, sold in jars, and they are one of the most useful things in a Spanish kitchen.

**Membrillo** is a firm quince paste eaten with cheese, and **turrón** is the almond nougat that appears every Christmas alongside *polvorones*.

**Vermut** is having a moment in Spain and supermarket brands are perfectly drinkable.

## Shopping hours and the Sunday problem

**Large supermarkets close on Sundays** in most of Spain. Mercadona closes every Sunday. Small convenience shops, petrol stations and some regional chains stay open, and in big cities and tourist areas you will find something, but do not assume it.

The midday closing still survives in smaller towns, where shops shut for lunch and reopen in the evening.

**Markets** run in the morning and are usually finished by early afternoon. Go before noon for the best produce and the least queue.

## What is in season

**Winter** is citrus — oranges, mandarins and lemons — which is why *naranja* juice is cheap and good in January.

**Spring** brings artichokes, broad beans and strawberries.

**Summer** is tomatoes, peaches, melon, and everything that goes on a grill.

**Autumn** is mushrooms, chestnuts and game.

Spanish eating hours run late, and the biggest supermarket meal of the day is lunch rather than dinner — see our [coperto and cover charge guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/coperto-italy-cover-charge-tipping-guide) for how restaurant charges work in the region.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are Spanish supermarkets open on Sundays?

Most large ones are not. Mercadona closes every Sunday, and small convenience shops, petrol stations and some regional chains are the exceptions.

### What is the best food souvenir from Spain?

Smoked pimentón from La Vera, tinned bonito del norte, La Mancha saffron and a good olive oil. All are sealed, light and markedly better than the exported versions.

### Is Mercadona cheaper than Carrefour in Spain?

Mercadona is generally competitive on own-brand staples and is the chain most locals use, while Carrefour and Lidl are stronger on international goods and promotions.

### What is the difference between jamón serrano and ibérico?

Serrano is the everyday cured ham from white pigs. Ibérico comes from Iberian pigs, often acorn-fed, and costs several times more.