Aldi on Mallorca: Expansion with Opportunities — and Open Questions

Aldi is arriving – but where and at what cost?

The German discounter is continuing its campaign in the Balearics: another branch is scheduled to open in September on Mallorca, though the exact location remains secret for now, as reported in Aldi brings over 550 toys to the island — lots of choice, but at what price?. That sounds routine amid opening banners and delivery trucks that clatter through industrial areas each morning. But behind this news lie questions that go beyond low prices: can Aldi's growing presence strengthen the local economy without harming small shops, street markets and the island's characteristic culture?

What the numbers reveal

Since 2015 Aldi has opened 15 stores on the islands, twelve of them on Mallorca alone. Around 250 people are now employed by Aldi, more than 100 of whom were added in the last three years. An important signal: over 50 products on the shelves now come from Balearic producers, and last year 1,150 tonnes of goods were purchased from the region — an increase of 35 percent compared with three years ago. Currently more than 20 local producers work with the discounter, and more on Aldi’s seasonal and gourmet offerings can be read in Christmas with ALDI on Mallorca: Gourmet options for the island table.

These figures allow two readings: on the one hand, Aldi creates jobs and sales channels for farmers and producers — which is not to be underestimated in times of empty barns and difficult marketing. On the other hand, one wonders whether this volume of goods and the planned expansion to up to 30 stores will lead to long-term displacement of smaller suppliers and how robust the promises of regionality really are.

The less visible problems

Public debate often focuses on prices and product range. Less discussed, however, are consequences such as land consumption, parking pressure in town centres, additional traffic from supply chains and the impact on commercial rents in peripheral zones. In many places — from the Plaça Major to industrial areas near Inca — it's not only sausage and bread prices that change, but also the urban landscape: empty shop fronts at the market, heavy goods traffic in otherwise quiet residential streets and a shift of customer flows away from the traditional weekly market.

Seasonal effects also play a role. Mallorca is full in summer, but in the low season the purchasing power of many tourists disappears. How sustainable are jobs that depend heavily on seasonal business? And what effect does the standardized logistics of large discounters have on local delivery companies, agricultural water use and packaging waste?

A central question — and three ways forward

Key question: How can Aldi's expansion be reconciled with preserving a diverse, resilient island economy?

Here are a few concrete proposals that rarely appear in the discussion:

1. Binding municipal requirements: Municipalities could set conditions for approvals regarding land use, loading zones and integration with public transport. No new supermarket without sufficient bicycle stands, a bus stop and clear disposal plans for cardboard — this would reduce traffic and litter in town centres.

2. Quotas for local products & support for supply chains: Instead of mere PR figures, binding minimum shares for products from the island region could help. Matching this with investment support for cooperatives and cold chains would enable small cheesemakers or fishing companies to deliver reliably.

3. Cooperation instead of competition: Pop-up spaces in new stores for local producers, joint marketing with weekly markets or agreed delivery times that respect quiet hours — these are practical steps that would have an immediate effect. Training programmes for sales staff could also improve job quality.

Using opportunities without losing the island

Expansion is not inherently bad: more choice and lower prices help families, and regional producers gain sales, as illustrated in Stress-free Feasting: ALDI's "Special" Brings Christmas to Mallorca’s Tables. On Mallorca you can still hear the waves at the harbour, the chatter at the market in the early morning and the cry of the seagulls — all signs of a lively island economy that shouldn't exist only through discounters.

If Aldi and the municipalities now take planning, transparency and cooperation seriously, a model can be developed that creates jobs, strengthens local producers and at the same time protects small shops and markets. The question remains whether politics and companies have the courage to look beyond pure square-metre figures and agree on truly long-term solutions.

Conclusion

The new Aldi store in September is only another step in a larger development. It brings opportunities for producers and consumers but also raises uncomfortable questions about sustainability, urban development and social compatibility. The island is at a point where rapid expansion and careful design must be brought together — otherwise it won't only be the shelves that look emptier, but whole streets.