New data from Worldpanel by Numerator, reported by ECO, shows that Continente remains in first place with a market share of 27.6%, while Pingo Doce has strengthened its position in second with 22.3%.

During the first six months of the year, Pingo Doce managed to reduce the gap separating it from Continente by 1.2 percentage points.

Continente also continues to reach more Portuguese households than any of its competitors. Between January and June, 87.5% of households shopped at one of the chain's more than 400 stores across the country.

Pingo Doce, meanwhile, has benefited from customers shopping there more often and spending more during each visit. Promotions and its loyalty strategy have also helped the supermarket gain ground.

Brand choice

Lidl remains Portugal's third-largest supermarket chain, with a 13.8% share of the market. Its growth has been linked less to attracting completely new customers and more to existing shoppers buying more when they visit.

The German supermarket has also been giving more shelf space to well-known manufacturer brands alongside its own-label products. This means shoppers are able to find a wider range of products in one place, something that appears to be important to Portuguese consumers.

Mercadona, on the other hand, has seen its rapid growth in Portugal slow down for the first time since arriving in the country.

The Spanish chain had a 7.4% market share during the first half of 2026, slightly down on the previous year. However, the number of Portuguese households shopping there continued to grow, rising from 53.1% to 55.6%.

One of Mercadona's challenges appears to be its strong dependence on its own brands, which account for around 90% of the products it sells. Worldpanel found that Portuguese consumers tend to look for a greater choice of brands and often visit several supermarkets to complete their shopping.

The supermarket is nevertheless continuing its expansion across Portugal. Its 74th store is due to open in Moita on 20 August, while two stores are also planned for the Algarve after the summer, in Portimão and Faro.

The study also shows that Portuguese shoppers are increasingly spreading their spending between different supermarkets rather than remaining loyal to just one. Price, promotions, product choice and loyalty discounts all play a part in deciding where people shop.