Mercadona changes home delivery rules leaving some shoppers stranded in Spain
Shoppers now face checking store by store across Spain to see whether deliveries are still available
Mercadona shoppers across Spain are facing a frustrating new change that could make the weekly supermarket run a lot more complicated, especially for people without a car.
Spain's favourite supermarket chain has confirmed that from Thursday May 7, home delivery will no longer be available from some physical stores, ending a system many customers relied on for larger shops.
Until now, shoppers could visit pretty much any Mercadona branch, fill a trolley with groceries and pay a €6.50 fee to have everything delivered to their front door later that day or the next. It was especially popular for big monthly shops and among older customers, families and anyone who simply didn’t fancy dragging heavy bags home.
Now though, customers are being told that not every store will continue offering the service and the only way to know for sure is to ask in branch.
"To find out if your order can be delivered to your home, simply provide your address and postal code at the nearest store. They will inform you if you are within the delivery area," the company explains on its website.
For many shoppers, the change feels like a major step backwards in convenience. While online shopping with home delivery is still available, plenty of customers preferred doing the shop themselves and then arranging delivery afterwards.
Anyone who suddenly finds their local branch no longer delivers is basically left with three choices: stop using the service altogether, travel to another store that still offers it or switch completely to online shopping.
The move has already sparked frustration among customers who remember similar chaos not long ago when Mercadona suspended deliveries to Camposol, Hacienda del Álamo and nearby urbanisations in Murcia. Residents complained loudly at the time, particularly those without transport, before the service was eventually restored a couple of weeks later.
The timing is also interesting because the delivery changes come just after Mercadona announced huge investment plans for its new supermarket model known as ‘Store 9’.
Mercadona president Juan Roig recently revealed the company plans to spend €3.7 billion transforming its roughly 1,700 supermarkets across Spain.
According to Mr Roig, the new concept represents a shift "from a store focused on business transactions to a store focused on processes. There will be more space for fresh produce, including meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables, as well as for ready-to-eat meals."
"All frozen products will be together," he added.
He also insisted the new setup "will be more convenient" and said it’s "designed to do things better."
Mercadona says the redesigned stores will centralise preparation areas into dedicated workshops while increasing space for fresh food sections and prepared meals.
Whether shoppers dealing with disappearing delivery services agree that things are becoming “more convenient” though is another question entirely.
Image: Mercadona
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