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BRITISH TikTok influencer Jamie Der (@thedeardiaries) thought he was just grabbing some cheap snacks on his sunny Spanish getaway – but ended up wading straight into Spain’s supermarket wars.
With the giddy energy of a kid in a pick ‘n’ mix, the self-styled ‘budget bab’ took to Mercadona on his trip to Valencia, sharing the sugary spoils with his TikTok following. Jamie’s cheesecake and donuts are just the beginning of a much bigger battle than his snack haul.
Jamie’s video has now received over 130,000 views, and there are over 350 comments. He squeals with delight at everything from carrot cake to cheese sticks. “The prices are incredible, this whole cake costs three euros!” He screamed and cradled the cake like it was buried treasure.
What is the total amount of damage? A jaw-droppingly low €23 for a sugary smorgasbord. Comments poured in quicker than he was able to unbox the biscuits. One viewer said, “Whoever told Mercadona that it was the worst didn’t wish you good,” and another stated, “It used be one of most expensive but not any more.”
Jamie did not say that he had walked into Europe’s fiercest supermarket battleground.
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Mercadona may look like a humble budget paradise, but it’s actually Spain’s biggest retail beast – with a whopping 26.6% market share, towering over its nearest rivals Carrefour (9.8%) and Lidl (6.5%). It is headed by billionaire Juan Roig. Last year it posted record profits despite Spain experiencing pandemic levels of inflation and sky high energy costs.
Mercadona, despite its size, does not have the most shops. That title goes to Día, which operates 2,288 locations across the country – although that hasn’t stopped its market share from shrinking after it offloaded hundreds of shops to Alcampo. Lidl has steadily climbed the ranks thanks to its loyalty programs, discount appeal, and constant promos.
Do not be mistaken: Mercadona doesn’t only win on size. It boasts some of highest profit margins among all supermarket chains. Is this a big part of the success? Own-brand goods. A whopping 44% of Spanish grocery sales now come from private label products – a fact not lost on Jamie, who seemingly bought one of everything from Mercadona’s white-label lineup.
Jamie’s Basket, which looked like a sugar lover’s nightmare, revealed an unintentional truth: Spain is a country with a unique supermarket market. Spain’s five biggest supermarkets barely hold 50% of the Spanish market. In comparison, Tesco and Sainsbury dominate the UK with over 70%. Regional supermarkets and independent butchers, bakers, and greengrocers still hold major sway – especially among locals who prefer fresh, traditional produce to factory-packaged fare.
Jamie Der’s holiday haul is a great example of the future of shopping for food in Spain. Forget sangria and sunburn – the real Spanish experience might just be fighting for shelf space at Mercadona.
Jamie, what about him? Jamie is back in Britain. He probably dreams of white chocolate and wonders how long it will be before Lidl UK acts.
