Overview
- The study, published Friday, September 25, 2026, analyzed 101,520 prices from 690 establishments and online outlets using a 244-item basket across 80 categories.
- OCU calculates the average household basket costs €6,602 a year and that shoppers can save an average of €1,310 annually by choosing the cheapest store in their locality, with a maximum observed saving of €4,381 in Madrid.
- Year-on-year basket inflation was modest at 1.8% (May 2025–May 2026) while fresh foods rose 4.7% over the year and the basket has climbed about 39.5% since 2021, with extreme multi-year increases for items such as budget coffee (+142%) and eggs (+123% to +135%).
- The cheapest specific store identified is the Alcampo at Bonaire in Aldaia, and the lowest-cost chains include Supermercados Dani, Family Cash, Tifer, Alcampo and Supeco while Hipercor, El Corte Inglés, Supercor and Sánchez Romero rank among the most expensive.
- OCU notes that local availability and shifting chain pricing matter for real savings, so comparing prices before shopping can materially cut household food bills and small chain price moves have already lowered costs in some areas.