Spain is stopping eating fresh fish and buying it in trays. We don’t know if that’s worse, but it is much more expensive

A Spanish consumer group found fresh fish sold in trays can cost up to 30% more than fish bought at the fish counter, and in some cases up to 45% more.

The price gap was observed across ten Spanish retail chains, including Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl, Aldi, and Dia.

The difference is especially notable for small fish that are already cleaned and filleted, where packaging and presentation add to the final price.

The report helps explain how changes in food retail formats can raise household spending.