Gluten-Free Shopping at Mercadona (Spain) — A Traveler's Guide
You've landed in Spain, you're celiac or gluten-free, and you're standing in front of a supermarket you've never seen before. Take a breath: Mercadona is one of the easiest places in Europe to shop gluten-free. It's Spain's biggest supermarket chain, it's everywhere (over 1,600 stores from the Costa del Sol to the Pyrenees), and its house brand takes allergen labelling seriously.
This guide walks you through Mercadona aisle by aisle, with the staples a traveler actually reaches for — bread, pasta, snacks, breakfast, protein for a self-catering apartment, and the treats that make a trip feel like a holiday.
Please read this first — a safety note. This list was compiled from product labels (OCR), current as of early 2026. Everything here is gluten-free by label, not certified. Recipes, suppliers and product ranges change constantly, and cross-contamination is not assessed in this guide. Naturally gluten-free foods can still be produced on shared lines. Always read the label on the actual package in the store before you buy, and when in doubt, skip it. This is a starting point to shop with confidence — not a medical guarantee.
How gluten-free is labelled in Spain
Spain is a genuinely good place to be celiac, and the labelling is clear once you know the words:
- "Sin gluten" — this is the phrase to look for. It means "gluten-free" and appears right on the front of qualifying products.
- The crossed-grain symbol — a crossed ear of wheat in a circle. Mercadona uses its own "Sin Gluten" mark, and many products also carry the official crossed-grain logo licensed by celiac associations.
- EU allergen bolding — by law, the 14 major allergens are highlighted in the ingredient list, usually in bold or capitals. Scan for trigo (wheat), cebada (barley), centeno (rye), avena (oats), espelta (spelt) and gluten. If none appear in bold, that's a strong signal.
A handful of useful words: harina = flour, almidón = starch, sémola = semolina, malta = malt, levadura = yeast, sin = without.
Aisle by aisle: the traveler's shortlist
Bread & bakery
Mercadona's own Sin Gluten range covers the emotional stuff — the biscuits and sponge cakes you'll miss most. You'll usually find these grouped together in a dedicated gluten-free section rather than the main bakery.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Magdalenas Sin Gluten (muffins) | Hacendado | €2.65 |
| Bizcocho de Chocolate Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €3.15 |
| Bizcocho con Azúcar Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €2.85 |
| Galletas con Pepitas de Chocolate Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €2.05 |
| Galleta María Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €1.60 |
| Crackers Sin Gluten con Romero | Mercadona | €1.70 |
| Tostadas de Arroz y Maíz (rice & corn toasts) | Hacendado | €1.45 |
| Bizcocho con Cobertura Sin Gluten | Mercadona | €2.20 |
Pasta, rice & grains
Naturally gluten-free grains are the backbone of Spanish cooking, so this aisle is friendly. Corn-and-rice pasta sits with the sin gluten products; plain rice, chickpeas and lentils are safe staples for a home-cooked dinner.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Pasta de Maíz y Arroz (macaroni / spirals) | Mercadona | €2.05 |
| Fideos de Arroz (rice noodles) | Mercadona | €1.45 |
| Tortillas de Maíz (corn tortillas) | Hacendado | €1.85 |
| Harina de Arroz (rice flour) | Mercadona | €1.31 |
| Harina de Maíz Precocida (precooked corn flour) | Mercadona | €1.60 |
| Almidón de Maíz (cornstarch) | Mercadona | €1.20 |
| Garbanzos Categoría Extra (chickpeas) | Hacendado | €0.75 |
| Maíz Dulce (sweetcorn) | Hacendado | €1.25 |
| Lentejas a la Jardinera (ready lentils) | Cidacos | €1.20 |
| Hummus de Garbanzos Clásico | Hacendado | €1.15 |
| Palomitas de Maíz para Microondas | Hacendado | €1.10 |
Breakfast & cereal
Jam, honey and a good coffee will carry most mornings. Mercadona also stocks gluten-free breakfast cereals in the Sin Gluten section — check the box for the mark.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Mermelada Extra de Melocotón (peach jam) | Hacendado | €1.50 |
| Mermelada de Fresa (strawberry jam) | Hacendado | €1.55 |
| Mermelada Extra de Arándanos (blueberry jam) | Hacendado | €2.10 |
| Miel de Flores (flower honey) | Hacendado | €3.20 |
| Cereales de Arroz y Maíz | Hacendado | €2.25 |
| Cacahuete Frito con Miel (honey peanuts) | Hacendado | €1.65 |
| Puré de Patatas en Copos (instant mash) | Hacendado | €2.00 |
Ranges change — carry the label-checker in your pocket
Suppliers get swapped and recipes get reformulated more often than any printed guide can keep up with. FoodScan lets you scan any Mercadona product in-store and instantly see if it's safe for your diet. Readers of this guide get 50% off their first month.
Dairy & alternatives
Plain dairy is naturally gluten-free and Mercadona's range is huge. Cheese, yogurt and milk are easy wins; plant milks are clearly labelled too.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Leche UHT Entera (whole milk) | Central Lechera Asturiana | €1.24 |
| Yogur Natural al Estilo Griego (Greek-style) | Hacendado | €1.55 |
| Bebida de Almendras Sin Azúcar (almond drink) | Hacendado | €1.40 |
| Bebida de Soja con Calcio (soy drink) | Hacendado | €1.25 |
| Queso Fresco de Vaca | Montesinos | €1.70 |
| Queso de Mezcla Madurado (mixed cured cheese) | Hacendado | €2.49 |
| Lonchas de Queso Cheddar (cheese slices) | Hacendado | €2.00 |
| Queso Feta D.O.P. | Mercadona | €2.40 |
| Nata Ácida (sour cream) | Mercadona | €1.30 |
| Helado de Vainilla (vanilla ice cream) | Hacendado | €2.40 |
| Flan de Huevo (egg custard) | Hacendado | €1.70 |
Snacks & sweets
This is where a trip gets fun. Nuts, olives, plain crisps, and single-origin chocolate are naturally gluten-free — but always confirm flavored varieties, which sometimes carry wheat-based seasonings.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Almendra Natural (raw almonds) | Hacendado | €2.50 |
| Cacahuete Frito con Sal (salted peanuts) | Hacendado | €1.65 |
| Patatas Fritas Clásicas (classic crisps) | Hacendado | €1.90 |
| Chocolate Negro 72% (dark chocolate) | Hacendado | €3.55 |
| Chocolate con Leche Extrafino | Antiu Xixona | €1.30 |
| Chocolate Valor con Almendras | Valor | €4.60 |
| Aceitunas Manzanilla (green olives) | Hacendado | €1.40 |
| Caramelos de Goma (gummies) | Jake | €1.60 |
| Cóctel de Frutos Secos (nut mix) | Hacendado | €2.70 |
| Bombones con Cereza Sin Gluten | Mercadona | €2.20 |
| Tarta Tres Chocolates Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €9.50 |
| Helado Crema de Turrón (nougat ice cream) | Hacendado | €3.25 |
Proteins & ready meals
For a self-catering apartment, whole proteins are your safest, simplest bet: eggs, fresh fish, plain meat, cured jamón. Watch processed items — sausages and breaded products vary, so lean on the ones marked sin gluten.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Huevos Frescos (dozen eggs) | Hacendado | €3.00 |
| Pechuga de Pavo Cocida (cooked turkey slices) | Hacendado | €2.30 |
| Pechuga de Pollo Cocida (cooked chicken) | Hacendado | €2.30 |
| Jamón Serrano Reserva | Hacendado | €3.60 |
| Chorizo Ibérico Extra | Incarlopsa | €2.30 |
| Atún Claro en Aceite de Oliva (tuna) | Hacendado | €2.70 |
| Filetes de Merluza Ultracongelados (hake fillets) | Hacendado | €5.70 |
| Albóndigas de Pollo Sin Gluten (meatballs) | Aldelis | €6.00 |
| Nuggets de Pavo Sin Gluten | Hacendado | €3.40 |
| Menestra de Verduras Ultracongelada (veg mix) | Hacendado | €1.83 |
| Guisantes Ultracongelados (frozen peas) | Hacendado | €1.05 |
| Paté de Pollo Asado (roast chicken pâté) | Casa Tarradellas | €1.10 |
Drinks
Wine, cider, juice, soft drinks and water are all naturally gluten-free. The one to avoid is standard beer — it's made from barley. Look for cerveza sin gluten if you want a cold one.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Zumo de Naranja (orange juice) | Hacendado | €1.90 |
| Zumo de Piña (pineapple juice) | Hacendado | €1.75 |
| Zumo de Manzana (apple juice) | Hacendado | €0.80 |
| Batido de Chocolate UHT (chocolate milk) | Hacendado | €1.45 |
| Agua de Coco (coconut water) | Chaokoh | €1.35 |
| Vino Tinto (red wine) | Borsao | €2.30 |
| Sidra (cider) | El Mayu | €0.90 |
| Tónica Zero | Schweppes | €0.99 |
| Agua Mineral (mineral water) | Font Vella | varies |
Pantry & condiments
Oils, vinegars, tinned fish and tomato-based sauces are your everyday friends. Two classic traps: soy sauce usually contains wheat, and some stock cubes and gravies use gluten — so the sin gluten mark matters here.
| Product | Brand | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|
| Aceite de Oliva Virgen Extra (EVOO) | Hacendado | €2.70 |
| Tomate Frito (fried tomato sauce) | Hacendado | €0.95 |
| Tomate Triturado (crushed tomatoes) | Cidacos | €0.80 |
| Mayonesa | Hacendado | €1.40 |
| Mostaza de Dijon | Hacendado | €1.25 |
| Salsa Pesto con Albahaca | Mercadona | €1.95 |
| Gazpacho (chilled tomato soup) | Hacendado | €2.20 |
| Vinagre de Manzana (apple vinegar) | Hacendado | €0.90 |
| Sal Yodada (iodized salt) | Hacendado | €0.45 |
| Filetes de Anchoa en Aceite (anchovies) | Mercadona | €1.30 |
| Sardinillas en Aceite de Oliva (sardines) | Hacendado | €2.05 |
| Aceite de Coco Virgen (coconut oil) | Hacendado | €5.25 |
Traveler tips
- Learn two words: "sin gluten." Say them at the deli counter and to waiters — Spanish staff know exactly what celiac means. "Soy celíaco/celíaca" ("I'm celiac") is understood everywhere.
- Look for Mercadona's own Sin Gluten range. House-brand gluten-free products are usually grouped in one section, which saves a lot of aisle-wandering.
- Cross-contamination still applies. "Gluten-free by label" tells you about ingredients, not about a shared fryer or a bakery counter. For raw naturally-GF foods produced on shared lines, the label is your guide, not a guarantee.
- Use the app in the store. Reformulations happen quietly. A ten-second scan beats squinting at fine print in a foreign language.
- Skip standard beer and most soy sauce. Both are common gluten sources hiding in plain sight.
Final reminder. This guide is compiled from product labels (OCR), current as of early 2026. It reflects what packaging stated at the time — gluten-free by label, not a certification — and it does not assess cross-contamination. Ingredients, suppliers and price ranges change. Always check the label in-store, and when unsure, don't risk it.
Shop Mercadona with total confidence
Labels get reformulated and ranges rotate — so verify as you go. FoodScan lets you scan any Mercadona product in-store and instantly see if it's safe for your diet. Readers of this guide get 50% off their first month.
