Mercadona and Carrefour price comparison reveals cost differences

Social media content creators have conducted comparative shopping experiments between Spanish supermarket chains Mercadona and Carrefour to analyze price differences in basic goods.

In one viral TikTok comparison, a Barcelona family found that purchasing an identical monthly basket of goods—including dairy, pasta, cleaning products, and pet food—cost €304.81 at Carrefour compared to €271.43 at Mercadona. When including an external butcher purchase for higher quality meat, the total rose to €365.13, representing a difference of €93.70.

Another creator, Nere Nereaha, performed a smaller-scale test with an €80 budget. Her identical shopping list totaled €79.96 at Mercadona and €83.20 at Carrefour, a difference of approximately €4. These variations are attributed to different commercial strategies, such as private label variety, loyalty programs, and specific pricing on staple items.

According to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), food prices have risen by 33% over the last four years. The OCU notes that consumers can save up to €1,272 annually depending on their choice of establishment, identifying Alcampo and Family Cash as among the most economical options.