Tom Ewart Smith
A WEEK after the Peninsula’s massive power outage, Spain’s supermarket industry has revealed staggering economic losses and called for a national crisis plan to prevent further chaos.
According to ASEDAS, the Spanish Association of Distributors, Self-Service Stores and Supermarkets, the blackout on April 28 cost the sector at least €53 million.
That figure is described as a ‘first conservative estimate’ and is expected to rise as more data emerges.
Fresh, refrigerated, and frozen foods were hardest hit.
In stores where cold chains could not be guaranteed, stock had to be pulled from the shelves and destroyed.
Generators kept most large supermarket chains operating for several hours.
But even then, many retailers were unable to maintain full service.
Bottled water and toilet paper were among the first products to disappear, as consumers rushed to stockpile essentials in scenes that mirrored COVID-19.
The fallout extended beyond spoiled stock. The power cut triggered widespread logistical disruption, with companies forced to spend heavily on transport, fuel for emergency generators, waste disposal, and extra security.
ASEDAS, which represents major brands such as Mercadona, Lidl, Dia, and Ahorramas and accounts for 75% of Spain’s food distribution, said the crisis proved how vulnerable essential infrastructure still is – and how unprepared authorities remain.
“The blackout once again highlights the urgent need for the government to work with us on a crisis plan that ensures our ability to operate and includes extraordinary protections for damaged products and facilities,” said Ignacio Garcia Magarzo, Director General of ASEDAS.
Supermarkets are calling for clear emergency protocols that can be activated ‘in minute zero’ of a national crisis.
Among the key demands: immediate safeguards for the movement of goods (including access to shops and logistics platforms), waste management strategies, and coordinated public messaging to avoid panic buying and the spread of misinformation.
The power cut, they added, was a ‘clear reflection of the urgent need for real and automatic protection mechanisms for this strategic sector.’
