Mercadona opened its fourth efficient supermarket on the island of Lanzarote this Thursday, specifically in the La Perla shopping center in Puerto del Carmen, in Tías, after an investment of 3.2 million euros.
55 people work in said store and 35 suppliers participated in its construction, employing more than 150 people during the construction phase, as Mercadona reported in a press release.
The supermarket that was opened incorporates novelties in all its sections, such as the specific lines of fresh milk and chilled juices, cold cuts with sliced and packaged ham, a central gondola in the perfumery for specialized cosmetics, a service of freshly squeezed orange juice, sushi specialties, oven section with bread slicer and refrigerated pastry or an exhibition in the fish market for shellfish products, among other novelties.
It also has the new section Ready to eatwhich offers meals to eat served in containers made with natural materials, such as sugar cane (compostable material), cardboard or paper, as well as a rest area in the same store with chairs and tables.
It also has a double-glazed entrance that prevents drafts, wider hallways, and a new model of shopping cart and basket-type trolley “much more ergonomic and lighter”.
The new generation of efficient supermarket has a sales area of 1,636 square meters and has a completely renovated design compared to the previous store model, with new colors and materials in the distribution of the different sections. In addition, he opts for wide and diaphanous spaces that facilitate the entry of natural light and warm colors in the delimitation of the different environments.
Regarding the environmental aspect, they point out that measures have been adopted that allow energy consumption to be reduced by up to 40% compared to the conventional store model, such as improving thermal insulation and acoustics with the optimization of materials and wall thickness. and roofs, as well as new, more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly freezer cabinets.
It also has an automated LED lighting system regulated by zones and times of day for “much more efficient” energy management.
The opening hours of the supermarket are Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from October to May (winter time) and 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from June to September (summer time). In addition, Mercadona has activated its home delivery service and online shopping through the website.
This new opening will allow customers to benefit from its SPB (Always Low Prices) commercial policy which it uses “exclusively” and which consists in guaranteeing the lowest unit price of the products, “with the best quality, at all times”.
In addition to facilitating the daily tasks of workers, this new supermarket includes measures to improve ergonomics and eliminate overwork, such as, for example, the new cash cabinet that has been developed in collaboration with the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia .
The store also has common areas for employees to enjoy greater comfort in their moments of rest, as well as a more equipped dining room and more spacious and comfortable personal lockers. The new supermarket is “completely technologically connected”, thanks to the integration of a series of electronic devices and collaborative tools for workers, with which information can be shared from any section of the store, which facilitates the self-management of each supermarket and speeds up the processes of the whole chain.
Among the new devices are the queue at the checkout, scales or even the use of electronic tablets which replace paper to carry out administrative procedures in order to optimize processes and know the management of the store in real time, which “facilitates decision-making and contributes to greater agility”, particularly in the management of fresh products.
The Canary Islands close their purchase volume with 514 million in 2021
Mercadona closed the 2021 financial year with a volume of purchases in the Canary Islands of 514 million euros, ending last year with a workforce of 4,637 people, all with “stable and quality” contracts.
As for the new efficient store model, it began to be implemented in the Canary Islands in 2017 with the reform of the supermarket located in the 7 Palmas shopping and leisure center, in the municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canarias. It currently has 86 supermarkets in the Archipelago, 59 of which have the new model.