Dia has taken another step in its strategy to consolidate its neighborhood supermarket model in Spain and strengthens its position in food distribution. According to the latest data from According to NielsenIQ, the company increased its market share to 5,2% in the first quarter of the year, with 5,3% in March., which keeps it as the fourth largest operator in the sector in the country.
This behavior, which represents an improvement in 20 basis points compared to the same period of the previous year (+0,2 percentage points)This confirms the positive momentum the chain has been carrying since 2025. The progress comes in a context of strong competition, with large groups such as Mercadona, Carrefour or Lidl constantly making moves in prices, formats and services.
Dia climbs to a 5,2% market share and consolidates its fourth position
According to NielsenIQ panels, Dia closed the first quarter with a 5,2% cumulative market shareWhile in March its share of the fast-moving consumer goods market rose to 5,3%. This level of presence in the shopping basket places the chain as the fourth national operator, ahead of Eroski, which remains at around 4,3% customer loyalty among Spanish consumers.
The consulting firm points out that Dia has practically doubled the overall market growth in the first months of the yearLeveraging the appeal of its neighborhood store format and an improved commercial offering, the company has managed to reverse the trend and regain its market share after several rounds of adjustments, selective closures, and the sale of non-strategic assets.
Within the distribution sector, this move slightly reshapes the landscape. While Mercadona maintains a comfortable lead with a market share of around 27%.Following Carrefour at around 9% and Lidl approaching 7%, Dia's rise allows it to consolidate its fourth position and distance itself from other competitors such as Alcampo or Aldi in terms of overall market share.
The improvement in market share is not explained solely by volume, but also by the customer behavior in terms of repeat purchases and average basket sizeThe chain points to an increase in visit frequency and the relevance of strategic categories, especially fresh produce and private label brands, which have become key drivers of its recovery.
A strategic plan to 2029 focused on proximity
The evolution of market share is framed within the execution of the Strategic Plan 2025-2029, entitled “Growing every day”which has been underway for approximately a year. This plan revolves around a very defined model: medium-sized stores, close to the customer, with a limited but complete assortment and a simple shopping experience.
The group, controlled by the LetterOne fund, has opted for concentrate its business in neighborhood supermarkets of between 200 and 600 square metersAbandoning large stores like MaxiDia, which were sold to Alcampo. This specialization aims to capitalize on changing consumer habits, which penalize traditional hypermarkets and reward frequent, restocking, and local shopping trips.
According to the company, the positive trend reflected in the NielsenIQ data It is not a temporary situation, but the result of a shift in the model that is already noticeable in both the short and long term.The market share gains in 2026 add to those of the previous year and reinforce the feeling within the group that the roadmap set out is beginning to bear consistent fruit.
Within this framework, Dia is focusing on several key areas: physical proximity, improved product range, boosting private label brands, strengthening fresh produce, and developing the online channelAll this with the aim of offering a complete purchase in the shortest possible time, without the need for long journeys or planning large shopping carts.
New openings and a network of 2.373 supermarkets in Spain
One of the most visible elements of this strategy is the expansion of the sales network. During the first quarter of the year, Dia has opened 22 new supermarkets in Spain and closed 7, which represents a net gain of 15 openings.This positive balance aligns with the objective of accelerating organic growth and strengthening the brand's reach.
As of the end of March, the company has 2.373 points of sale in the Spanish marketAll of them operate in convenient, local formats. The idea is to be "where the customer needs us," that is, in urban neighborhoods, suburban areas, and municipalities where other operators have less of a presence, offering a daily or weekly shopping basket without requiring long journeys.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2029 includes up to 300 net new openings in Spain throughout the periodOf these, around 100 should materialize this year if the chain's forecasts are met. This implies increasing the pace of openings in the coming quarters, once the new store model is established.
These openings are not limited to large cities; they are also looking strengthen presence in areas of lower population densityIn areas where supermarket competition is less intense and physical proximity plays a crucial role, Dia aims to become the primary choice, or even the only supermarket, in many of these locations.
The combination of selective closures and openings in locations considered more strategic responds to a network optimization process to improve profitability per storeThe company prioritizes locations that best fit its current format and customer flows, leaving behind those less efficient locations or those further removed from the new business proposal.
Fresh produce, private label brands, and local suppliers as drivers of growth
Beyond the number of stores, part of the increase in market share is explained by the transformation of the assortment and product offeringDia has been reinforcing its fresh produce section —fruit, vegetables, meat, delicatessen and bakery— for some time now, a key segment for building customer loyalty and increasing the frequency of visits.
The company emphasizes that one of the determining factors in the increase in sales has been the balanced combination of major manufacturer brands and their own brandThe goal is for the customer to be able to choose between well-known brands and the private label, which Dia positions as high-quality but with competitive prices, trying to gain space in the shopping basket compared to other alternatives.
This assortment strategy is complemented by a strong commitment to locally sourced products. Currently, Dia works with more than 1.100 suppliers in Spainto which it allocates around 96% of its purchases. This network of local suppliers allows it to bring products tailored to the tastes of each area and, at the same time, reduce supply times.
Strengthening the private label brand and fresh produce aligns with the search for a more complete shopping experience in medium-sized storesThe idea is that the customer can resolve most of their food and drugstore needs in a single nearby establishment, without sacrificing quality or essential variety.
To maintain this positioning, the company has been reviewing packaging, formulations, and product ranges, trying to make its private label brands more recognizable and consistent. Commercially, it relies on... Selective promotions, improvements in in-store displays, and messages focused on proximity and everyday usefulness, without any big advertising gimmicks.
Boost to the online channel and an increasingly omnichannel distribution
The growth in market share is also supported by the development of the digital channel. According to data provided by the company, Dia's e-commerce service now reaches 84% of the Spanish population, including more than four million people who live in municipalities with low population density.
This coverage makes the online channel a key part of the business model, especially in areas where the physical network may be more limited. Dia has been refining its digital shopping proposal with adjusted delivery times, flexible time slots and the possibility of receiving the purchase at home or picking it up in store, as well as payment optionsdepending on the location and the customer's preferences.
In the last full fiscal year, the company's online sales in Spain They grew by double digits, reaching around 256 million eurosAccording to internal figures from the chain, while the physical channel remains clearly dominant, e-commerce is gaining ground and helping to reinforce Dia's image as an accessible option in the digital environment as well.
The commitment to omnichannel relies on the intensive use of network of stores like last mile logistics baseMany online orders are prepared in establishments close to the customer, which reduces delivery times and costs, while bringing the assortment of the neighborhood supermarket to the digital environment.
This approach fits with the group's overall philosophy: A simple, convenient shopping experience with the option to choose between visiting the store or receiving the basket at home.The company avoids overly complex solutions and prioritizes practical integration between physical store and online platform.
A map of the moving distribution
Dia's improvement comes amid profound changes in the Spanish supermarket market. According to various consumer panels, Mercadona continues to lead clearly with a market share of around 27%., with a penetration rate exceeding 90% of households and the highest levels of loyalty in the sector.
Carrefour, for its part, It maintains a market share close to 9%, although it faces some pressure due to its strong exposure to the hypermarket format.which is going through a more difficult time. Lidl continues to gain ground and is now at around 6,9% market share, supported by new openings and a very aggressive positioning in terms of price and its own brand.
In this scenario, Dia's advance to 5,2% in the first quarter and 5,3% in March This causes Eroski to take over in fourth positionwith the latter stabilizing at around 4,3% market share. Alcampo and Aldi complete the group of large national operators, with market shares of around 2,8% and 2% respectively, both with specific growth strategies.
Dia's market share gain is largely explained by Its focus on proximity and convenience versus models more centered on large areasConsumers, increasingly sensitive to time, price and distance, have shifted some of their spending towards neighborhood formats, which has worked in favor of the chain.
With this starting point, the company faces the challenge of the coming quarters Maintain the pace of openings, continue refining their product range, and not lose traction in the online channelThe evolution of the major industry benchmarks and consumer behavior in an inflationary environment will continue to set the pace of competition.
After several years of adjustments, divestments and changes of direction, Dia faces a new stage in which The proximity model, the reinforcement of fresh products, the private label and omnichannel strategy combine to sustain a 5,2% market share at the start of the yearThe chain consolidates its position as the fourth largest national operator with 2.373 stores, a dense network of local suppliers and an online channel that covers most of the territory, while the distribution sector continues to reorganize itself around closer and more flexible formats.
