{"id":232084,"date":"2026-06-17T18:32:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/in-barcelona-hoteliers-are-tired-of-competition-from-mercadonas-mercaurantes-and-are-speaking-out\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T18:32:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:32:05","slug":"in-barcelona-hoteliers-are-tired-of-competition-from-mercadonas-mercaurantes-and-are-speaking-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/in-barcelona-hoteliers-are-tired-of-competition-from-mercadonas-mercaurantes-and-are-speaking-out\/","title":{"rendered":"In Barcelona, Hoteliers Are Tired of Competition from Mercadona’s ‘Mercaurantes’ and Are Speaking Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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## The Emergence of ‘Mercaurantes’ in Barcelona<\/p>\n

Until recently, traditional hoteliers in Barcelona faced competition from conventional rivals like restaurant chains, fast food outlets, and food trucks. However, a new contender has emerged\u2014\u2018mercaurantes,\u2019 a concept developed by the supermarket chain Mercadona. This hybrid model allows customers to select freshly cooked dishes within the supermarket, pay at the cashier, and consume their meals inside the store. This has caused considerable concern among local bars and restaurants.<\/p>\n

### Hoteliers Take Action<\/p>\n

Initially, hoteliers in Barcelona expressed their discontent through discussions, but they quickly shifted to tangible actions. The Gremi de Restauraci\u00f3, which represents local restaurants, bars, and cafes, recently announced the filing of formal complaints against 30 Mercadona locations for alleged regulatory violations and ‘intrusion’ into their market. This marks a significant escalation in the confrontation between traditional hospitality venues and supermarket offerings.<\/p>\n

### Regulatory Concerns<\/p>\n

The complaints center around Barcelona regulations that explicitly forbid using areas within supermarkets\u2014specifically, the space between cash registers and exit doors\u2014for commercial or service activities. The Gremi de Restauraci\u00f3 argues that many of these supermarket spaces are, in fact, catering areas outfitted with essentials like cutlery and seating\u2014features that further blur the lines between a supermarket and a restaurant.<\/p>\n

### Mercadona’s Standpoint<\/p>\n

Mercadona has responded to the accusations by asserting that their activities are compliant with Catalan regulations. They claim not to charge for services post-checkout, reinforcing that their food spaces are intended for customers to relax, not operate as traditional eateries. According to the supermarket chain, these areas serve multiple purposes\u2014from customers heating up their meals to enjoying a moment with a newspaper.<\/p>\n

### The Competitive Clash<\/p>\n

The rise of ‘mercaurantes’ reflects shifting consumer habits, exacerbated by the hospitality industry\u2019s ongoing struggles with profitability. Supermarkets like Mercadona now offer freshly cooked meals at prices often lower than those charged by traditional restaurants. This presents a dilemma\u2014what are diners prioritizing: the quality of food or convenience and cost-efficiency?<\/p>\n

### Market Impact<\/p>\n

Recent research shows a significant increase in prepared meal sales within supermarkets, growing by 55% since 2022. Moreover, the number of consumers choosing to eat inside stores has nearly doubled, indicating a remarkable shift in dining preferences. In fact, Mercadona reported an impressive turnover of 700 million euros from their ‘Ready to Eat’ section alone in 2025.<\/p>\n

### Ongoing Conflicts in the Hospitality Sector<\/p>\n

The Gremi de Restauraci\u00f3 is repeatedly vocal about perceived threats to their industry. Not only have they taken action against Mercadona, but they have previously engaged with other businesses, including bakeries that, in their view, violate municipal licensing regulations.<\/p>\n

### Conclusion<\/p>\n

As the battle between \u2018mercaurantes\u2019 and traditional establishments continues, what remains to be seen is whether traditional hoteliers can adapt and compete effectively in this changing landscape. The evolving dynamic raises crucial questions about the future of dining experiences and the role of regulation in sustainingtraditional hospitality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

## The Emergence of ‘Mercaurantes’ in Barcelona Until recently, traditional hoteliers in Barcelona faced competition from conventional rivals like restaurant chains, fast food outlets, and food trucks. However, a new contender has emerged\u2014\u2018mercaurantes,\u2019 a concept developed by the supermarket chain Mercadona. This hybrid model allows customers to select freshly cooked dishes within the supermarket, pay […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":232085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[8311,3380,41306,39616,53975,268,879],"class_list":["post-232084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-barcelona","tag-competition","tag-hoteliers","tag-mercadonas","tag-mercaurantes","tag-speaking","tag-tired"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232084"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":232086,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232084\/revisions\/232086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}