But there is one modern ritual that unites thousands of Portuguese people in a curious, wallet-driven form of devotion. It's the cross-border dash to Mercadona. Ask anyone from the Minho to the Algarve, and they’ll tell you: “Ir a Espanha é ir ao Mercadona.” (Going to Spain means going to Mercadona).

Mercadona, just in case you weren't aware, is Spain’s uber-efficient supermarket chain that's part shopping experience, part cultural institution and part financial rescue package for Portuguese families battered by rising prices. In Portugal, people romanticise Continente, feel loyal to Pingo Doce, nip into Lidl for bargains or admire the posh Waitrose-esque aisles of Apolónia in the Algarve. But we all love Mercadona. And the reason? Just good old-fashioned value. Not to mention a one-stop shop choice. Endless choice from cosmetics to car care, from jamón Ibérico to jerez. It's all here in Mercadona.

The border is a portal to another economic dimension

Driving into Spain from Portugal always feels like entering an alternate universe where roads are smoother, fuel is cheaper and suddenly every café has croquetas. But the true border-crossing transformation happens when you walk through the automatic sliding doors of Mercadona.

It begins with the lighting. It's soft and warm, not the cold interrogation lamps used in many Portuguese stores. Then the smell! Freshly baked bread, just-brewed coffee and the distinct whiff of bargains. And the layout? It's all straight lines, wide aisles and endless shelves perfectly stacked with geometric precision. Before you’ve even reached the bakery, you’ve convinced yourself that every euro in your pocket is about to be multiplied.

Hacendado: The brand that became a religion

For Portuguese value seekers, one name rises above all others: Hacendado, Mercadona’s house brand. It's arguably the greatest triumph of Spanish own-brand aplomb. It’s not just cheaper, it’s amazingly good, often trumping proprietary brands for quality.

Hacendado sauces? Excelente!

Hacendado ready meals? Surprisingly tasty. Hacendado ice cream? A threat to waistlines across Iberia. Hacendado cleaning products? So effective, you start judging every Portuguese equivalent for lacking ambition. And then there’s the legendary Hacendado almond milk, a cult product that has caused full-blown stockpiling events - it's almost contraband! The real genius is that none of it looks cheap. Unlike many own-brand labels, Hacendado has mastered the subtle art of appearing premium while costing a fraction of the price of proprietary brands.

The fresh food revolution: Fish, meat and the essential bakery

While Portuguese shoppers are famously picky about fresh produce, especially fish, Mercadona manages to win hearts with surprisingly high standards. The fish counter is immaculate. Portugal may have the world’s best seafood culture, but Mercadona’s presentation has a meticulousness that Portuguese supermarkets rarely match. Everything is displayed like edible jewellery. Gleaming doradas, perfectly arranged sardines, trays of peeled prawns so uniform they must have been selected with a ruler. Then there’s the meat counter, where the prices prompt Portuguese shoppers to shout things like “Isto por este preço?!” Chicken breasts, pork ribs, and beautifully marbled beef are all significantly cheaper than at home.

But the true seduction happens in the bakery aisle. The Spanish have mastered the art of supermarket baked goods that taste genuinely artisanal. Soft-cut breads, rustic barras and pastries that defy their low price.

Prepared foods: The most dangerous aisle

This is where Mercadona reveals its strategic brilliance. At the prepared foods counter. It's a culinary honey trap. Whole roasted chickens are consistently excellent. Then we have Paella trays, meatballs in tomato sauce, grilled vegetables, lasagna and the dangerously addictive croquetas. You arrive intending to “just pick up a few bits” and leave with three full meals because everything looks like it was cooked by someone’s Spanish grandmother. Portuguese supermarket take-away sections look timid by comparison.

The checkout experience: A lesson in efficiency

One of Mercadona’s greatest strengths is that it treats time as seriously as money. Spanish efficiency surprises Portuguese shoppers accustomed to slower, occasionally philosophical checkout paces. At Mercadona, the cashiers are fast but friendly. Packing areas are spacious. Self-checkout is available but not mandatory. It amounts to supermarket ballet.

The cultural twist: The Spanish shop differently

Part of the Mercadona charm comes from observing how Spanish customers move through the store. They shop calmly and methodically. There’s a cultural contrast that Portuguese shoppers notice immediately. Spanish people stock up boldly, whilst Portuguese shoppers compare every label. The Spanish buy in bulk, whilst Portuguese shoppers prefer small-batch freshness. Still, the shared Iberian love of food creates a warm sense of familiarity. The languages may differ, but the joy of a good bargain transcends borders.

Why Portuguese shoppers go to Mercadona

Predictability: Mercadona’s product quality rarely fluctuates. Portuguese stores, by contrast, sometimes feel like lucky dips.

Innovative: Mercadona regularly introduces new items such as ready-to-eat poke bowls, vegan desserts, and gourmet sauces you can turn to without making a fuss.

Fairness: Portuguese consumers increasingly feel squeezed by domestic price trends. Mercadona, by contrast, feels anchored, consistent and rational.

A mini escape: Let’s be honest, going to Spain for groceries is fun. It feels like a day trip and a small adventure. It's a reminder that Europe’s cultural richness starts right at the border. And, it does. Who can resist nipping down to Ayamonte for a tapas lunch before heading off to Mercadona?

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A car full of savings

Portuguese return trips from Mercadona often look like smuggling operations. Cars are stacked impossibly high with paper bags, boxes, loose fruits, and enough seafood to open a café. There are even WhatsApp groups dedicated to Mercadona intel, including new products, price changes, discontinued favourites and, most importantly, cross-border fuel tips. If you spot a Portuguese car heading west with slightly sagging suspension, you can immediately assume that it’s been to Mercadona

Could Mercadona dominate Portugal?

As I'm sure you'll have already read right here in The Portugal News, Mercadona has already entered Portugal in recent years, mainly in the north of the country. But the experience still feels slightly different. It's less magical and less exotic than actually going to Spain. It's like drinking Portuguese wine in the UK; it's not the same experience at all. Whilst the Portuguese stores echo the Spanish model successfully, the cross-border trip retains the thrill of finding better value abroad. It's the experience that counts. So, for now, Portuguese Mercadona fans will continue their pilgrimages, convinced (quite rightly) that the Spanish experience is somehow superior, or at least more fulfilling.

More than just a supermarket

For Portuguese value seekers, Mercadona isn’t just a place to buy groceries. It’s a symbol of fairness, quality, affordability and a little bit of cross-border indulgence. In a world where prices feel increasingly unpredictable, Mercadona offers the comfort of relative stability and the thrill of a bargain. Spain may have flamenco, tapas and Almodóvar, but for many Portuguese, its greatest gift is a supermarket that seldom disappoints.

As long as there are savings to be had, the pilgrimage will continue. Shopping bags full, wallets only lightly dented and spirits lifted by the simple joy of a supermarket that just gets things right.