Following the late August shift in consumer patterns after the summer season, basic food items are returning to Spanish shopping baskets.
Sales of meat, fish, milk, dairy products, bread, sugar and oil are experiencing increases of around 10%. Regarding fresh produce, potatoes are once again appearing on shopping lists, alongside oranges, bananas, apples, and pears, which are regaining prominence after a summer dominated by stone fruits, melons, and watermelons. Consumption of wine-related products, soft drinks, snacks, cured meats, and ice cream is moderating as Spaniards return to their regular routines and residences.
The return to typical purchasing habits represents a concentrated surge in demand for essential goods, including many fresh items. Supermarkets associated with ASEDAS, the Spanish Association of Supermarket Chains, have prepared their logistics platforms to serve the millions of people returning home in the first weeks of September. This logistical challenge involves managing product flow and reorganizing stores to quickly shift offerings from tourist areas to major cities.
The “pantry restocking” trend is also reflected in online sales. Increasingly, consumers are opting to place orders, particularly for heavy and bulky items, for delivery to their homes upon their return. While not a peak in e-commerce sales, purchases made at the end of summer exceed those recorded during July and August.
“The way to absorb the demand peaks that occur at times like the “pantry restocking” operation is, on the one hand, to have a deep understanding of the consumer and their habits and, to guarantee a particularly efficient logistics network with which, in an average of 21 hours, fresh products reach the city from the countryside with guarantees of safety and quality”, affirms Ignacio García Magarzo, Director General of ASEDAS.
