Mercadona is introducing clearer food labels across its product range. Credit : NestorMN, Shutterstock
Mercadona customers in Spain might have noticed a change in the packaging of their favourite products. The supermarket chain is trying to make its food labels more readable by increasing the font size and including more information to help customers better understand what they are purchasing.
The changes will affect everything from the ingredient list to cooking instructions on the labels of foods and beverages. If you’ve had a hard time reading tiny labels or comparing the nutritional information on different products, this new label may make shopping easier for you.
Mercadona has been gradually implementing these changes rather than replacing all labels at once. The changes were driven by customer feedback that they wanted more convenient product information.
In an explanation published by the supermarket chain, Mercadona said it had already implemented packaging improvements on approximately 4,000 products, with the ambition of exceeding 6,000 during 2026.
What is changing on Mercadona’s food labels?
One of the most obvious changes is the font size. Mercadona has increased the font on its new packaging to make key information easier to read without having to pore over each line of fine print.
The company has also reorganised information into clearly defined sections, making ingredients, nutritional details and preparation instructions easier to locate. This will help customers find ingredients, nutritional information, and instructions more quickly.
Another key improvement is the nutritional tables. Instead of having various formats for different products, Mercadona is working on making the nutritional information more uniform.
This should make it easier for shoppers to find information like calories, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, and salt.
The changes are particularly helpful for those who regularly compare similar products, follow specific diets or want to keep track of their food intake.
The company is also making cooking instructions more visual. Some of the newly designed packaging now features icons and images showing how to cook the products, including oven, microwave, and air fryer directions.
The purpose of this is to provide the customer with clarity about how to prepare food without having to read the long instructions printed on the packaging.
According to Spanish newspaper 20minutos, the changes are being rolled out slowly, so customers may see both old and new labels in their stores.
Mercadona adds nutritional information per portion
One of the most useful changes involves the way nutritional values are displayed. Under EU food labelling rules, nutritional information on most prepacked foods must be expressed per 100 grams or 100 millilitres, allowing shoppers to compare products more easily. This format makes it easier for consumers to compare similar products, even if they are sold in different sizes.
The information will be kept on the label. The company has added per portion nutritional information where it is considered to be useful.
For example, the calorie content per 100 grams might be presented on the package along with the number of calories in the suggested serving.
It provides two methods of evaluating the product. Per 100 grams may be useful for comparison, while per portion may provide a more practical idea of how much the average consumer will consume in a single serving.
However, there is a difference. The manufacturer’s recommended portion size does not necessarily match what a person actually consumes.
Therefore, a consumer comparing two products should continue to use the per 100 grams or 100 millilitres figures instead of solely relying on the serving sizes.
The new changes do not mean that Mercadona has started a new nutritional labeling system, or that the nutritional profile of its products has changed. Instead, the new labels are an improvement on the presentation and, in some cases, the addition of information.
What Mercadona shoppers in Spain should know
Mercadona’s packaging changes are part of a longer program, not an immediate overhaul that will be introduced in every supermarket in October 2026.
The company has been working on improving product labels for several years. The company’s latest communication highlights how these improvements are being extended across thousands of its own-brand products.
For customers, there is no need to do anything. Newly redesigned labels will be available as the packaging is changed. The availability of each design may vary.
The changes will be of particular importance to foreigners who are shopping at Mercadona but may not be entirely comfortable with the food labeling in Spanish.
Larger font size, more clearly divided sections and visual preparation instructions can make it easier for users to find the information they need.
However, those who have food allergies or intolerances should always check the ingredient list and allergen information for each product. The visual appearance of the packaging may not tell the whole story.
Mercadona has also warned its customers shopping at its online supermarket to be sure to check the physical packaging of their orders. Sometimes, product images on its website may not be up to date.
The supermarket explains this in its official guidance on ingredients and allergens.
For Mercadona customers, there may be some minor differences but they may affect your shopping experience. The next time you pick up that familiar product, you may notice a new label, but it will contain the same product.