Spanish bottled olive oil sales lost momentum in the second quarter of 2026, with volumes falling across all the main categories tracked by ANIERAC, the country's association of edible oil bottlers and refiners.

Between April and June, ANIERAC members placed 64.29 million litres of olive oil on the market, almost nine million litres less than in the first three months of the year. The decline was particularly visible in extra virgin olive oil, where sales fell from 33.67 million litres to 28.73 million litres. Virgin olive oil also recorded a sharp drop, while the categories sold in Spain as "suave" and "intenso" both finished the quarter below their earlier levels.

The figures do not represent direct supermarket sales, but they remain one of the clearest indicators of activity in Spain's bottled oil market. They suggest that the fall in olive oil prices has not yet been enough to trigger a strong recovery in demand.

This does not necessarily mean consumption is deteriorating dramatically. The first quarter is often stronger, and ANIERAC itself described the slowdown as broadly consistent with the usual pattern of the market. Even so, the comparison with last year remains less encouraging.

During the first nine months of the 2025/26 marketing year, ANIERAC companies sold 208.52 million litres of olive oil, nearly 6% less than during the same period of the previous campaign. Extra virgin olive oil sales were down 7.3%, while the "intenso" category recorded a decline of more than 14%.

The weakness comes despite the substantial correction in prices at origin over the past year. Part of the explanation may be that lower wholesale prices take time to reach supermarket shelves. Consumers who switched to cheaper oils during the price surge may also be returning to olive oil more slowly than the industry had hoped.

Across all edible oils, ANIERAC members marketed 159 million litres during the second quarter, 11% less than between January and March. That headline figure includes sunflower oil, seed oils, olive pomace oil and the different olive oil categories.

For the olive oil market, the next few months will help determine whether the slowdown was mainly seasonal or reflects a more persistent weakness in packaged demand. That distinction matters as Spain moves closer to the 2026/27 harvest.

A recovery in bottled sales would help absorb higher availability and support prices. If demand remains subdued while another large crop reaches the market, however, the pressure currently affecting prices at origin could become harder to reverse.