For years now, talking about supermarkets in Spain means talking about Mercadona. And it is logical. The Valencian chain has been gradually expanding its share until it has monopolized almost 30% of the sector at the end of 2025 and its commitment to service ‘Ready to eat’ is giving wings to a new business concept in Spain: the merchants. However, despite that resounding dominion of the retailJuan Roig’s company has found a surprise in the Valencian Community, the region where it was born. late 70’s: Consum has just advanced it in a key business parameter.
The question is… What does that mean?
What has happened? Basically, that the specialized portal infoRETAIL has published a report on the food distribution sector that, for the first time in a long time, relegates Mercadona to second place.
The study, based on Retail Data, concludes that the Juan Roig chain has lost its dominant role in the Valencian Community in one of the key business parameters: square meters of sales area. If we look at that aspect, at the end of the first quarter Consum was better positioned.
What does the data say? They show that right now Consum dominates the Valencian sales areas with 25.9% of the space. Translated into meters, that is equivalent to 436,835 m2 in the region which are spread across 533 locations. The firm directed by Antonio Rodríguez Lázaro also stands out in this aspect: there is no other chain in the region with more stores. Mercadona occupies second place with 431,688 m2 and 262 stores, which gives it a share of 25.6%.
Is it an important indicator? Yes, because it shows us how extended the chain’s sales network is, a key asset when competing with its rivals. However, a crucial detail must be taken into account: the surface area quota is not the same as the value quota. The first is basically measured in square meters with merchandise displayed. The second in invoiced euros.
infoRETAIL does not provide updated data on the latest indicator (value quota), but in spring Expansion echoed from a study by Worlpanel by Numerator that reflects that Roig’s chain clearly dominates on that front. Your share of business in the Levant was 33.6%above that reached in other regions of Spain and that registered by Consum, which held 16.8%.
Has it grown that much? If we talk about surface, the answer is ‘yes’. In 2025 Consum premiered 18 new supermarketsof which seven were distributed throughout the Valencian Community, and by 2026 it has been marked a similar goal: open 18 new establishments, a good part of which will be distributed throughout towns in the region (Orihuela, Cox, Sagunto, Ontinyent, Torrevieja and València).
This explains why Consum’s share of sales area in the Valencian Community has increased by close to 0.2% in a matter of one year. During the same period, Mercadona’s share decreased by 0.1%. In general, Mercadona said goodbye to 2025 with fewer stores in its sales network than in 2024. This drop did not affect its turnover, which grew 8%up to 41.8 billion.
And the rest of the chains? The exchange of positions between Mercadona and Consum is not the only change that the sector has experienced in the Valencian Community. The results of Retail Data show that Lidl has managed to establish itself in the Valencian “TOP 5” with 101,777 m2 spread across 83 establishments. The German firm thus surpasses Masymas, which has 100,519 m2 in 180 stores. The photo is completed with Aldi, which totals 89,154 m2 in 78 stores.
The Valencian market is not only important for its economic potential, it is also important on a symbolic level. After all, it is the cradle of three large chains in competition: Mercadona, Masymas and Consum, which started in 1975 in Alaquàs and closed 2025 with a turnover of 5,163 million euros, 9.7% more than the previous year. In its annual balance there was already an increase in surface area of 5.6%.
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