Shoppers in Spain spent close to half (43%) of their annual food budget on fresh products in 2023, according to the sixth Aldi Fresh Products Observatory report.
This means that consumers spent €4 out of every €10 on the fresh category – including fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and seafood, eggs, bread and charcuterie – last year, the report noted.
In volume terms, fresh products accounted for 34.5% of the shopping baskets during the period – a figure that remains unchanged compared to 2022.
Purchasing frequency and weekly expenditure also remained the same compared to the previous year.
Spanish households bought fresh produce 187 times on average and 42% of families allocated €30 to €50 worth of spend to the category each week, the data showed.
Other Findings
Spanish shoppers consider quality as the fifth most important factor when choosing a supermarket following proximity, price, offers and promotions.
Almost all families in Spain (97%) already buy fresh produce in their regular supermarket and six out of 10 households do so because of a better quality-price ratio.
Fruit and vegetables were once again the segments accounting for the highest share in volume (63%) and value (35%) in the shopping basket during the year, with Spanish households spending €726 a year on average.
Consumers spent 27% of their budget on fresh meat with annual expenditure of up to €557.
This was followed by charcuterie (€312), fresh fish and seafood (€291), fresh bread (€128) and eggs (€72).
Price remains a relevant factor, with nine out of 10 Spaniards describing it as a 'determining factor' when buying fresh produce.
By category, fish and seafood emerged as products that shoppers perceive they spend the most money on.
Proximity Purchasing
Data showed that more than six in 10 consider the proximity of fresh produce a determining factor in governing their purchasing decisions.
Shoppers also prioritised purchasing in season (56%) and in bulk or with less plastic in the packaging (51%).
