Dia’s sales in Spain rise 11.4% in first nine months of 2026

Dia ended the first nine months of 2026 with net sales of €3.795 billion in Spain, up 11.4%, and 85 store openings. The results combine network expansion with like-for-like sales growth, two relevant indicators for prospective franchisees assessing a chain with a substantial franchised presence.

Spain drives sales growth

According to reports published by Cinco Días and EFE on 26 October and covered by L’Express Franchise España, the group’s net sales reached €4.7147 billion between January and September. This represents a 12% increase at current exchange rates, with Spain the main growth driver and Argentina weighing on the group’s overall performance.

In Spain, gross sales across the Dia network totalled €4.562 billion, up 11.5%. This measure covers both company-owned and franchised stores, as clarified by Consumidor Global.

The distinction matters: net sales and gross sales across the network are different measures. The latter provides a view of trading across both company-owned and franchised stores, but this aggregate growth should not be treated as a measure of individual store profitability.

Like-for-like stores also record growth

During the third quarter, gross sales in Spain rose by 11.3% to €1.608 billion. Like-for-like sales grew by 8.3%, a figure that helps distinguish the performance of comparable stores from the impact of new openings.

The company also reported growth across several categories and channels: fresh food sales rose by 12%, own-label sales by 15% and sales through its own digital channel by 24%. These differing growth rates help put the performance into perspective beyond the number of supermarkets, although they do not, on their own, demonstrate improved franchisee margins.

According to NielsenIQ, Dia Spain ranked as the country’s fourth-largest grocery retailer. In the third quarter, it grew at more than twice the market rate and gained 30 basis points of market share. This provides a competitive benchmark for the chain’s sales performance, showing that its progress extends beyond comparisons with its own previous results.

85 openings and a network of 2,432 stores

Dia opened 85 stores in Spain during the first nine months of the year, including 27 between July and September. It also recorded 11 individual store closures over the nine-month period. During the third quarter, it closed five loss-making stores.

At the end of September, the Spanish network comprised 2,432 supermarkets, up 3.1% compared with December 2025. The group had 3,423 stores in total, including 991 in Argentina, where store numbers had fallen by 1.6%.

The chain is opening stores in both major urban centres and small towns, and attributes 3% of sales growth to organic expansion. On the strength of these results, it says it is closer to its annual target of 100 net openings. That target should be distinguished from the 85 openings reported: net growth also takes closures into account.

What the results mean for prospective franchisees

Franchising accounts for a significant share of Dia’s network. According to Emprendedores, franchised stores represented 64% of its estate at the end of 2024, with more than 1,500 outlets. Meanwhile, in May 2026, Alimarket reported more than 30 openings across nine of Spain’s autonomous regions, around 90% of them franchised. Madrid and Andalusia accounted for just over half.

These figures relate to specific periods and scopes of reporting: they should not automatically be applied to all openings during the first nine months of 2026. The latest results offer a basis for assessing the brand’s sales growth, but not for assuming that every supermarket has achieved the same performance.

Practical takeaway: for anyone considering joining the network, sales growth provides useful context. The decision should also rest on the location, costs and financial projections of the individual store.