MERCADONA has emerged as the global leader in supermarket profitability, earning €4.5 for every €100 in sales (4.5%).
Mercadona is now considerably more profitable than European rivals such as Carrefour (0.39%) and Tesco (2.52%), cccording to a report published by Expansión.
The Spanish champion even beat out global titans Walmart, the world’s largest retailer by revenue with around €613 billion annually, which posted a net profit of 3.10%, while Costco stands at 3%.
Overall, Mercadona ended 2025 with revenue up 8%, reaching €41.858 billion.
Of this total, €39.766 billion was generated in Spain and €2.092 billion in Portugal, where it operates 69 of its 1,672 stores.
The company, chaired by Juan Roig, achieved a net profit margin of 4.52% in 2025, reflecting strong operational efficiency and well-managed own-brand products.
Supermarket chains typically operate with net margins of between 2.5% and 4%, so Mercadona is performing above the industry average.
According to company sources, Mercadona’s improved profitability comes from higher employee productivity, a more efficient logistics network, and better handling of fresh produce, alongside improvements in energy efficiency.
In its 2025 annual report, the company says it has achieved energy savings of around €2 million by using ovens in eco mode, cutting out unnecessary costs, and improving in-store operations.
This includes boosting staff productivity, streamlining logistics, and improving the management of fresh products.
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This growth has also translated into more jobs, bringing its total workforce to 115,000 direct employees.
Looking ahead, Mercadona plans to create a further 1,000 jobs in 2026 and increase its sales by 3.5% to €43.2 billion, while keeping profits at a similar level to 2025.
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