Alcampo, Mercadona, Lidl Compared: Savings Vary by Basket Size

Two YouTube creators tested supermarket prices in Spain, yielding contrasting results. In a 17-item basket, Alcampo was cheapest at 28.19€ Source: ABC.es, while a separate 2-day menu found only a 0.02€ difference between Mercadona and Alcampo Source: El Confidencial.

The experiments

Creator Elias Sweet bought a 2-day menu (cereals, chicken, vegetables, etc.) at Mercadona (17.59€) and Alcampo (17.61€), noting the budget slipped away Source: El Confidencial. Creator Nere Nerea compared 17 identical products (broccoli, chicken, fish, etc.) at Mercadona (34.87€), Lidl (31.95€), and Alcampo (28.19€), calling the 6.68€ gap between Alcampo and Mercadona "mucha, mucha diferencia" Source: ABC.es.

Key findings

• Alcampo was cheapest in the larger basket, but only 2 cents cheaper in the small menu.
• Lidl came second in the large basket at 31.95€.
• Both creators expressed surprise at how quickly costs added up, with Sweet saying "se nos está yendo el presupuesto" Source: El Confidencial.

Why the difference

Basket composition matters: the smaller menu limited selection, while the larger basket included pricier items like merluza and pavo, where Alcampo had notably lower prices. Consumers should compare based on their typical shopping lists.