News

• The new publication from the PAC Network reveals a transformation of the Spanish shopping basket and cuisine: the volume of food purchased is falling, spending is increasing, and there is a growing demand for practical and easy-to-prepare products.

• The decline in consumption of some pillars of the Mediterranean diet, the rise of ready-made meals, and online shopping pose new challenges and opportunities for producers, local businesses, and the agri-food chain.

The way we eat also reflects how our society is changing. Smaller households, new work rhythms, less time to cook, an aging and more diverse population, price pressures, digitalization, and a greater awareness of health and sustainability are transforming what food we buy, where we buy it, and how it ultimately reaches our plates. Spaniards today eat less than they did a few years ago, spend more on food, and waste less, while convenience gains ground and some foods closely linked to the Mediterranean diet are losing ground in households. Understanding this transformation and finding ways to adapt a healthy, sustainable, and locally sourced food model to modern life is the starting point of the new dossier from the CAP Network.   “New trends in consumption habits and the Mediterranean Diet: initiatives and strategies.”  

The publication, edited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) within the framework of the   The PAC Network analyzes recent changes in food consumption and their effects on the Mediterranean diet, but broadens its perspective to encompass the entire food chain: from farmers and livestock breeders to industry, distribution, commerce, and consumers. The report combines statistics, specialized literature, and the expertise of collaborating organizations with initiatives and proposals to address one of the major challenges facing our food system: how to eat well and sustainably in a world of profoundly changed living conditions.

Spain eats less, spends more, and wastes less.

Three figures summarize much of the transformation. Between 2016 and 2024, per capita food consumption in Spain fell from 661 to 572 kilos per year , a reduction of almost 90 kilos, or 13%. In that same period, spending increased from 1,528 to 1,787 euros per person , nearly 260 euros more, or 17%.

But to this apparent contradiction is added a third positive trend: food waste in households fell from 1.304 billion kilos in 2016 to 1.097 billion in 2024, a decrease of almost 207 million kilos , representing a 15.8% reduction. The report links this evolution to factors such as a greater perception of the value of food, better shopping planning, making better use of portions, and a growing social awareness of food waste.

Inflation explains part of this equation, but not all of it. As the publication points out, “consumption is changing because the consumer is changing.” There are more households, and they are smaller; there are fewer children, and the proportion of older people is growing. Households made up of retirees now account for 26.9% of the total volume of food consumed, a situation that affects package sizes, quantities purchased, and the preference for products that are easy to store and prepare.

The result is a shopping basket increasingly conditioned not only by how much a food costs, but also by how long it takes to prepare, how much of it can be used, and how well it fits into everyday life.

From stews to the air fryer: change the way you cook

Spanish cuisine is also transforming. And probably few images explain it better than the shift from long stews to grilling, salads, ready-to-eat foods, and air fryers.

Ready meals have seen a 45.24% increase in consumption since 2013. In 2024 alone, they grew another 5.1% in volume, reaching 806 million kilos and 4.424 billion euros in Spanish households.

This search for convenience doesn't necessarily mean that traditional cuisine will disappear. Among the ten most common dishes in Spanish homes in 2024 were lentils, potato omelet, pasta soup, and hake, along with simple preparations like green salad, tomato salad, and chicken breast, and options like pizza.

Rather than a complete break with the past, the report identifies an adaptation of food to new material and social conditions. Household sizes, schedules, and available time are changing, and with them, culinary techniques and formats. Production, industry, and distribution are already responding to these demands with cleaned and filleted fish, new cuts of meat, cooked legumes, minimally processed vegetable products, and ingredients that reduce preparation time.

The challenge doesn't seem to be choosing between tradition and modernity, but finding ways to make convenience compatible with a balanced diet.

The Mediterranean diet faces the challenge of adapting to modern life

It is precisely here that the transformation takes on a dimension that transcends domestic habits. The Mediterranean diet , recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, constitutes a model that integrates foods, cooking methods, seasonality, territory, and cultural and social elements surrounding food. However, some of its components show a downward trend in Spanish households.

Between 2006 and 2023, domestic consumption of the various categories of olive oil decreased by 29.06% , falling from 402.6 million to 285.62 million liters. In the case of fresh fish , the reduction reached 35.49%, from 571.45 million to 368.66 million kilos.

The analysis of the dossier, however, avoids simple explanations. In the case of fish, for example, part of the change is related to the growing preference for clean fillets, canned goods, processed products, and formats that facilitate preparation. In the case of oil, factors such as price, cooking techniques that require less added fat, and the general decrease in stews, fried dishes, and sauteed foods in home cooking all play a role.

There is also a gap between dietary recommendations and the actual frequency of consumption of certain food groups. The document estimates around four weekly servings of vegetables compared to the recommended 21 , and also indicates a lower consumption of fruits and legumes than the recommendations used as a reference.

The conclusion that runs through the dossier is especially relevant: the challenge is not to try to reproduce the lifestyle that made the cuisine of previous generations possible, but to adapt the nutritional and cultural values of the Mediterranean diet to current conditions.

Because keeping a diet alive doesn't mean keeping it static.

Price, health, sustainability and proximity: this is how the new consumer decides

So what makes a food item end up in the basket?

The answer is becoming increasingly complex. The report paints a picture of a consumer who simultaneously seeks price, convenience, proximity, health, sustainability, and trust , although the importance of each element varies depending on the situation.

35% of consumers consider price the most important factor , but at the same time, approximately half take sustainability into account in their purchases and 59% prioritize local products in their weekly shopping .

These figures don't necessarily describe a contradictory consumer, but rather a contextual one. The same person might look for the best price on certain products, pay more for another they perceive as having a certain quality, shop at the supermarket for convenience, buy fresh food at local stores, and shop online when they need to save time.

This reality forces the agri-food sector to compete on an ever-increasing number of variables. It is no longer enough to simply produce good food: aspects such as presentation, size, convenience, information on origin, traceability, sustainability, and ease of cooking are gaining importance in the relationship between food and consumer.

Spain leads European organic production, but domestic consumption still has room for growth.

Organic production reflects another of the paradoxes that characterize new eating habits.

Spain has approximately 2.95 million hectares dedicated to organic production , making it the European Union country with the largest area under this agri-food management and production system. Organic production reached an approximate value of €4.796 billion in 2024.

However, domestic consumption still offers room for growth: spending on these products was €2.89 billion and represented 3.25% of household food expenditure .

Price continues to act as a barrier for some consumers. The report itself shows that in 2024 the average price of organic food was around 28% higher than the average price of food overall . The opportunity for the sector, therefore, lies not only in increasing production, but also in expanding the domestic market and ensuring that sustainable production is compatible with affordability.

Rural areas retain some distinct consumption patterns

The place where we live also influences our relationship with food.

The analysis included in the publication reveals differences between rural municipalities and urban areas. In towns with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, consumption of fresh, seasonal vegetables is 9.4% higher than the national average considered in the reference study, while the dossier's conclusions point to a greater presence of fresh produce, homemade cooking, and certain traditional practices in rural Spain.

This behavior makes territory another relevant variable for understanding the evolution of the food system. Local products, local commerce, markets, cooperatives, and short supply chains are not just sales channels: they can also contribute to strengthening the link between agriculture and livestock farming, food, landscape, local economy, and gastronomic culture.

A publication from the PAC Network to understand the present and anticipate future consumption

The dossier “New trends in consumption habits and the Mediterranean Diet: initiatives and strategies” aims to analyze the changes recorded in recent years in food consumption, study how they affect the Mediterranean diet and disseminate initiatives capable of promoting healthy and economically and socially sustainable consumption decisions.

The publication connects this analysis with the National Food Strategy (ENA) and, specifically, with its initiatives aimed at promoting Mediterranean and Atlantic diets and raising awareness of the value of food. Within this framework, it also puts forward proposals in different areas of the agri-food system and brings together experiences from public and private entities.

Because behind the seemingly simple question "what do we eat?" there are many others: who produces it, how much it costs, where we buy it, how much time we have to prepare it, what information we use to choose it, what impact it has on the territory and how the agri-food sector can respond to constantly evolving preferences.

Spanish food is changing. The challenge is not to stop this transformation, but to ensure that health, the Mediterranean diet, sustainability, local sourcing, and regional values also find their place on the plate of the future.

➡️ Consult and download the complete dossier “New trends in consumption habits and Mediterranean Diet: initiatives and strategies” , published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and prepared within the framework of the CAP Network.