Maspalomas, the economic capital of the Canary Islands, reflects the transformations in consumer spending at holiday destinations like few other places. With more than 13 million overnight stays annually and a steady flow of European visitors, southern Gran Canaria has become a benchmark for global brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, but also for the growing strength of private label brands in chains like HiperDino, Mercadona, Lidl, and Spar.
“Customers from Northern Europe tend to come with a different mindset. They compare prices, look at labels, and aren't as swayed by brands,” explains a manager at a HiperDino in Playa del Inglés. This trend is accentuated during the low-season months, when temporary foreign residents predominate, more likely to opt for low-cost options.
The multinational Coca-Cola remains the absolute benchmark in bars, hotels, beach clubs, and restaurants. In the HORECA sector (hotels, restaurants, and cafes), its market share in the southern part of the island stands at around 70%, according to industry estimates. In 2022, Coca-Cola sales in the Canary Islands exceeded 176 million liters, placing the archipelago among the regions with the highest per capita consumption in Spain.
Pepsi, distributed on the islands by Ahembo, maintains a more modest presence. In bars and restaurants in the south, its market share hovers around 10%, although it's improving in specific locations such as fast-food franchises or some establishments managed on the mainland.
White label brands now account for 40% of sales in tourist supermarkets.
The reality is changing radically in the retail channel. In supermarkets targeting both foreign residents and long-stay tourists, private label soft drink brands now account for more than 40% of sales volume. Lidl (with its Freeway brand), Mercadona (Hacendado), and SPAR offer products that are 20% to 35% cheaper than leading brands, which has boosted their acceptance, especially among the Scandinavian and German public.
“Nordic consumers are very price-conscious and compare prices. They don't mind buying store-brand soft drinks if they like the taste and labeling,” explains a store manager in San Fernando de Maspalomas. This consumer profile also prioritizes sugar-free versions or versions with natural ingredients, an area in which store-brand brands have quickly established themselves.
The new map of tourist consumption in the Canary Islands
While Coca-Cola remains the visible face of the soft drink on terraces and in hotels, private label brands are quietly growing. This shift in consumption is a response not only to pricing strategies but also to changing habits: today's tourists are no longer swayed by the logo alone, but also by the nutritional label, price, and environmental impact.
In Maspalomas, where middle-class European tourists and temporary foreign residents coexist, the soft drink chosen in each context reflects a broader trend: consumer segmentation. This phenomenon, far from being temporary, is poised to become the new standard of tourist behavior in the Canary Islands.
