Mercadona invoiced a total of 35,500 million euros in 2023, 15% more than in 2022, and achieved a net profit, after paying taxes and distributing the bonus among its 104,000 employees, of 1,000 million euros, 40% more than in the previous exercise. Furthermore, last year the Valencian firm increased its market share in the distribution sector in Spain by 0.6% to reach 27.6% of the total market.
The data was announced this morning by its president and main shareholder, Juan Roig, who has announced that the future of the company is going to be "spectacular." "Mercadona in 2023 has gone very well" he added. He also stated that one of the important factors for this result is the increase in tourism "in the two countries in which we are present, in Spain and Portugal."
He assessed that the success of 2023 was also due to the strong investments, of 10,000 million euros in the last eight years, to improve stores and logistics blocks. Currently, Mercadona already has 1,681 active stores, 49 of them in Portugal.
"Customers in Portugal have received us well," said Juan Roig before adding that in this country in the last year "we have not had losses", a situation that has occurred for the first time since the company opened in the country in 2019. neighbor his first establishment.
In Portugal, 10 stores were opened last year, and from 2016 to 2023 the company has invested a total of 900 million euros. "In Portugal we are just starting out, we have been there for four years, but we want to be Portuguese although one does not become Portuguese by becoming a national," acknowledged the businessman. He also announced that in the neighboring country they will soon open the largest logistics block in the entire chain.
Roig explained how the company has had "the best year for the five components", which the company divides between the boss, the supplier, capital, society and the worker, but not without taking unpopular measures. "Since 2016 we have made brave and sometimes unpopular and annoying decisions," said the businessman in relation to the closure or change of location of the different stores.
This last year the company has changed locations of a total of 400 stores, "which is always bad for the customer, but it was necessary," and another 130 have closed. With the changes, the company has already renovated 80% of its stores. stores, which adjust to the new model, in which spaces such as 'Ready to eat' have a special place.
Regarding prices, Roig explained that the price of the menu cart has been lowered, "more than inflation has increased." The decrease was 1,000 lower prices (500 in April 2023 and another 500 in February 2024), although he acknowledged that, due to the cost of raw materials, "we have also increased the price of chocolates, pasta, olive oil. olive and rice".
Mercadona has also made a historic tax contribution for another year to the public coffers of Spain and Portugal of 2,604 million euros, 15% more. In detail, the VAT item stands out, which has grown to 487 million euros, 17% more; that of the Tax on the Physical Income of workers, of 495 million euros, 12% more; and the Income Tax, with an effective rate of 23.3%, which was 342 million euros, 43% more than last year.
"Is having profits good or bad? It is reviled. Having profits is a very good thing, but this is like eating. It is a great pride to run a company that makes a lot of money," said Roig, who commented that last year " "Everything has gone very well, it has been a good year."
(((There will be an extension)))
