Once again, Mercadona, a physical supermarket and online sales company, has shown its solidarity with the most vulnerable groups in society and has made a significant effort to expand the network of social welfare organisations that it collaborates with. In 2023, it added 215 new organisations from various geographic areas across Spain and Portugal, considerably improving the coordination of the aid that the company offers. “We are proud to say that we collaborate with 762 social welfare organisations and this collaboration has translated into the donation of 23,100 tonnes of products during the year, which is the equivalent of more than 380,000 shopping trolleys”, claims Laura Cruz, the company’s Social Action director.

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Mercadona's involvement was not limited solely to the donation of basic products. The company also participated in collection campaigns like the Great Collection of Food, organised by the Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) between 24 and 30 November, through which the company and its “Bosses” (as the company internally refers to its customers) donated 2.6 million euros to be fully converted into food.

In this latest edition of the campaign, Mercadona made a total of 1,632 stores available for the project in which various coordination and communication activities were carried out so customers could make monetary donations, in multiples of 1 euro, at the till when doing their shopping. “We support this approach because it allows us to adapt donations to the real needs of recipients, as well as do it more efficiently since food banks can acquire the products that they need, in the right quantities and at the time that they need them”, explains Laura Cruz.

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A sustainable social action policy as part of the company’s CSR strategy

Mercadona maintains an unwavering commitment to local communities and, each year, supports a number of responsible social, environmental and governance initiatives that impact positively on the business. As part of this approach, since 2011, the company has been a signatory of the Global Compact, an initiative through which the United Nations promotes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In addition, Mercadona has an active Social Action Plan which, year after year, helps the company strengthen its bonds with society through values that it believes to be essential, such as dialogue, transparency and active listening. Through these values, the company is able to build close, stable relationships in the areas in which it is present, helping it to better identify the exact needs of the local community and provide specific solutions through consensus and mutual understanding. As part of this policy, Mercadona collaborates with 762 organisations, to which it donated 23,100 tonnes of food in 2023.

Similarly, Mercadona continues to work on the Trencadís Project, through which it seeks to improve inclusion in the workplace of people with mental disabilities who make the decorative murals located in the Fish section of the company’s stores.

Environmental sustainability is another strategic pillar of Mercadona’s Social Responsibility Plan. To this end, Mercadona has its own Environmental Management System focused on 3 main areas: sustainable production, circular economy and decarbonisation. In each of these 3 main areas, the company has identified specific lines of action, such as logistics optimisation, energy efficiency, animal welfare and the prevention, management and re-use of waste. Furthermore, Mercadona is also working alongside its suppliers on the Sustainable Urban Distribution Project and improving air quality in cities by using lorries and vans powered by cleaner and more efficient technologies.

With the sustainable mobility of “The Boss” (the customer) in mind, the company already has 1,350 parking spaces with Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (PCVEs) located in the car parks of over 500 stores. Mercadona began installing these charging stations in 2017 as part of the implementation of the Efficient Store Model and plans to continue installing more over the next few years. Similarly, it plans to continue installing solar panels on its stores as a testament to its commitment to investing in renewable energies.

Map of organisations that Mercadona collaborates with.