Shopping in Spain

Spain does not have the equivalent of a Boots, Marks & Spencer, Dixons, W.H. Smith or J.J.B. Sports. With the exception of grocery groups, few shopping chains exist. The Spanish shopping experience is absolutely different with specialist small family-run outlets forming the bulk of sales activity.

Why is there a difference between Spain and the multiple retail outlets of Northern Europe? Well, remember it is a large country with a low population density, which in turn gives rise to high distribution costs. The nature of retailing has as a consequence many small outlets, with high price points and little discounting. Having said that, in the city things are changing to a more European approach.

Tiendas

The smaller tiendas (shops) are cheerful, friendly, helpful places with the owners and assistants anxious to please. It is also where the annoying Spanish characteristic of 'not forming queues' is seen at its worst. People push and shove to the front to be served. This is best dealt with by patience as the perpetrators of this behaviour are often elderly who seem to think that their advanced years entitle them to non-queuing privileges. Alternatively say perdone and address the sales assistant who usually knows what is happening.

Opening hours for tienda s vary between summer and winter, but normally are 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and 4.30 pin to 7.30 pm Monday to Friday, plus a Saturday morning. The afternoon siesta seems inappropriate in winter but essential in summer when the shops open later, as no one wishes to go shopping during the intense heat.

Hypermarkets

French-owned hypermarkets such as Carrefour and Intermarche dominate food retailing. Smaller German supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi compete on price but not on product range. Spanish companies, such as Mercadona and Masymas, are now gaining a solid foothold. Hypermarket shopping is an experience not to be missed, with everything possible to buy being sold beneath one roof. Clothes, footwear, garden plants and equipment, sports goods, bicycles, electrical goods, hi-fi, furniture, DIY, motoring accessories, kitchenware, toys and books are all sold. The food hall has a massive product range. The fruit and vegetables are highly colourful. The delicatessen counter is staggering in its variety of sausages and cheese, and the fish counter is laden down with salmon, trout, mussels, skate, mackerel and a whole range of unrecognisable species. The wine, spirits, soft drinks and bottled water section stretches for miles. These hypermarkets have forty to sixty checkouts. Key staff are even equipped with roller skates to get from point to point. Franchised within the same building are restaurants, banks, jewellers, newsagents and the National Lottery.

Clothing

Regrettably there is only one major, but famous, clothing chain store in Spain - El Corte Ingles. It has a similar marketing style to other European retailers selling male and female clothing together with books, CDs, electrical goods, computers, kitchenware and sports equipment. Price points are similar to or higher than the rest of Europe with only occasional sales (rebajas). With the exception of a large number of international sports brands, Spanish clothing is not fashionable. In fact it is conservative, with citizens sticking to fairly traditional styles.

European chain stores, like European banks, have only a few outlets in major cities. The marketplace may be penetrated by individual foreign brands but not by foreign retailers. Where they do exist they tend to be a poor relation of their national parents. But things are changing. Small fashionable chains are opening Springfield for men's clothing, Corefield for women's fashion, Sprinter for active sporting goods. The tiendas and El Corte Ingles are at last having some competition.

Open Air Markets

There is a profusion of mobile open-air markets often stopping normal activity in a town for one day of each week. People flock from kilometres around to buy hams, fresh fruit and vegetables but not fresh fish. Clothing too is sold together with some ceramics and leather goods. Beware of purchasing designer items, watches and jewellery as they may be fakes.

Bargaining can take place, but it is an unnatural custom for Northern Europeans. Want to bargain? Express an interest in an item. Haggle on price. Say 'no' and walk away. The stall owner comes after you. That's when you get the low price, not before.

The hustle and bustle can be of some interest, but be cautious. Pickpockets, operating in gangs of two or three, are often present at open-air markets.

Mercado Central

The local council runs the indoor central market. Most towns have one. They are efficient, clean, hygienic purveyors of fish, meat, pastries, fruit and vegetables, a traditional alternative to supermarket shopping. Little English is spoken. Most of the goods on display are home grown and throughout the year there is a wonderful selection. The market has to be first choice for freshness.

Shopping in Spain, with its markets in most towns and villages, is a happy, friendly experience. The choice and quality is high, it is colourful and healthy. For the shopper the exercise of buying is a real pleasure. Usually a stall is playing some music creating an atmosphere of 'fun time' in a festive and very Spanish way.