From Monday, August 31, Mercadona will shorten opening hours at 320 supermarkets, mainly in Spain’s busiest tourist destinations. After a summer of extended trading, the stores will close at 21:30, half an hour earlier than at the peak of the season, as the company returns to its regular schedule.
The change ends Mercadona’s special summer timetable, which let selected stores in coastal towns and popular holiday areas stay open until 22:00 from late June through August. The company says its standard hours, 9:00 to 21:30 from Monday to Saturday, will resume, with exceptions for certain holidays or local regulations.
Who Is Affected
The change affects supermarkets that adopted the summer schedule, particularly in destinations such as Marbella and Benidorm. Other affected locations include Cullera and Salou, as well as Sanxenxo and Benicàssim. Demand from residents and tourists surged in these areas, prompting the temporary extension. Customers used to shopping late in the evening will need to adjust: the doors will close thirty minutes earlier each night.
Mercadona’s other stores already operated on the 9:00 to 21:30 timetable, so their hours will not change. The company says not all stores took part in the summer extension, meaning the change will not apply uniformly across Spain.
Sunday Openings End
Along with the earlier closing time, Sunday trading will end at most of these 320 stores. During the summer, some locations opened on Sundays from 9:00 to 15:00, a rare exception for Mercadona. With the holiday season over, the general rule returns: stores will close on Sundays and public holidays unless local laws or tourist status allow them to open.
Exceptions may still apply, particularly in regions with specific commercial regulations or during local festivities. Hours can vary around Easter and Christmas. Regional holidays may also affect schedules, which Mercadona can adjust accordingly.
How to Check Your Store’s Hours
To avoid confusion, Mercadona recommends checking its official store locator for up-to-date opening times at each location. Shoppers can search by address, then confirm whether their local supermarket has special hours or closures. They can also enter a town or postal code.
The tool is especially useful for people living in tourist areas and those planning a late-evening or Sunday visit. It can also show whether a local or regional holiday will affect store hours, which can vary significantly from one municipality to another.
As the summer campaign ends, Mercadona is returning staff and customers to their usual routines. Its seasonal scheduling reflects broader trends in Spanish retail, where tourism and local regulations often require flexible hours. Mercadona has also delayed rolling out other initiatives, including its 10-cent deposit scheme for beverage containers, as recent coverage on changes to store policies reported.
