Spain’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products

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Sharing borders with France to its north and Portugal to its west, the Kingdom of Spain has the largest land area of any country in Southern Europe.

A member of the European Union, Spain is home to 47.1 million residents according to the International Monetary Fund. Spanish is the nation’s official language.

Spain is the world’s 16th richest economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on a Purchasing Power Parity basis, generating US$1.959 trillion worth of products and services as of April 2021. Spain is Europe’s seventh wealthiest nation behind Germany, Russia, France, United Kingdom, Turkey and Italy.

Spain’s demand for imported goods represents a subtotal US$144.6 billion worth of Spanish spending on the 100 most valuable consumer products imported into Spain during 2020.

That consumer-driven dollar amount represents 43.9% of the overall value of all goods imported into Spain. Overall spending on all Spanish imports, including raw materials, intermediate products and semi-finished goods, totaled $329.7 billion in 2020.

Among Spain’s most valuable imported consumer products in 2020 are: automotive parts or accessories; cars; phone devices including smartphones; refined petroleum oils; and computers.

Spending on all of Spain’s imported goods dropped by -12.2% from 2019 to 2020. Spain’s purchases focused on its top 100 consumer imports posted a lesser -10.1% decrease over the latest annual period.

The deceleration in Spanish spending for key imported consumer products was greater than the global average from 2019 to 2020, which was an average drop of -8.2% for all importing countries around the world.

Among the top 100 consumer products imported by Spain, 32 increased in total value from 2019 to 2020 whereas 68 declined.

Changes in Spanish consumer demand for essential imports offer future opportunities for international suppliers who correctly anticipate which upward or downward trends will continue.

Consumer Products Defined

Economics educator BoyceWire defines a consumer product as a final good or end product that a business creates for consumers to buy. For example, consumers often purchase refined petroleum oil at the gas station while imported crude oil is an intermediate good subject to further processing before being sold to end users.

Although there may be a few wealthy individual buyers, products like turbojets are excluded from the consumer products targeted by this study. That is because turbojets are usually purchased by corporations. In contrast, it is common for a consumer to buy a motorcycle.

Types of Consumer Products

This article focuses on 3 distinct consumer product types.

Convenience Products are easy to access, non-durable, have relatively lower prices and therefore consumers frequently purchase them. Examples of convenience products are food, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and soap.

Shopping Products are not as easily available, involve more time to make a buying decision, are durable and are not bought as often as most convenience products. A great example of a shopping product is a mobile phone where buying the wrong model is a much more expensive mistake than buying a disappointing loaf of bread.

Speciality Products describe another consumer product type. This grey area includes infrequently purchased, expensive, durable and sometimes rare items. Consumers may consider the product’s brand image when making their purchase decisions. Some examples of speciality products are gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and branded refrigerators and dishwashers.

Spain’s Most Valuable Imported Convenience Products

The list below showcases the most valuable imported convenience products on which buyers in Spain spent the most. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented in descending order.

You can also peruse the greatest increases or decreases in product values from 2021 to 2022 by focusing on the percentages displayed to the right of each product name.

  1. Medications: US$11,037,096,000 (up 8%)
  2. Processed petroleum oils: $4,763,337,000 (down -41.6%)
  3. Miscellaneous plastic items: $1,911,164,000 (up 12.9%)
  4. Moluscs: $1,692,423,000 (down -13.7%)
  5. Corn: $1,653,435,000 (down -15%)
  6. Palm oil: $1,396,578,000 (up 19.5%)
  7. Cigars/cigarellos, cigarettes: $1,343,656,000 (down -12.6%)
  8. Soya beans: $1,288,964,000 (up 6.8%)
  9. Whole fish (fresh): $1,221,551,000 (down -3.9%)
  10. Crustaceans (including lobsters): $1,212,837,000 (down -14.6%)
  11. Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $1,191,095,000 (down -4.8%)
  12. Cheese, curd: $1,181,189,000 (down -5.1%)
  13. Coffee: $1,013,513,000 (up 6.3%)
  14. Miscellaneous nuts: $997,943,000 (down -1.1%)
  15. Fish, caviar (preserved/prepared): $918,474,000 (down -11.2%)
  16. Other food preparations: $914,711,000 (down -4.2%)
  17. Fish fillets, pieces: $884,670,000 (down -3%)
  18. Other organic cleaning preparations: $815,990,000 (up 0.4%)
  19. Whole fish (frozen): $797,816,000 (down -5.3%)
  20. Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries: $776,581,000 (down -10.9%)
  21. Miscellaneous fruits (fresh): $737,199,000 (up 16.7%)
  22. Dates/pineapples/mango/avocado: $674,291,000 (up 7.4%)
  23. Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $645,069,000 (down -31.8%)
  24. Perfumes, toilet waters: $611,266,000 (down -27.2%)
  25. Chocolate, other cocoa preparations: $606,148,000 (down -4.7%)
  26. Medication mixes not in dosage: $551,000,000 (up 0.7%)
  27. Olive oil: $544,047,000 (up 49.3%)
  28. Sugar (cane or beet): $523,634,000 (down -23.7%)
  29. Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $522,751,000 (up 10.9%)
  30. Antibiotics: $480,657,000 (up 52.1%)
  31. Fresh or chilled beef: $465,926,000 (down -22.6%)
  32. Prepared vegetables (non-frozen): $377,882,000 (up 1.1%)
  33. Sowing seeds, fruits, spores: $364,755,000 (down -0.2%)
  34. Sanitary towels, baby napkins: $357,448,000 (down -5.4%)

Convenience products led by the products listed above represent the country’s second-most popular import product type attracting Spain’s international spending behind shopping products but ahead of speciality goods.

Non-durable consumer products are goods that are not re-used once consumed. Alcoholic beverages and bananas are examples of non-durable goods. Convenience products are uniquely non-durable consumer products.

Spain’s Most Valuable Imported Shopping Products

Below, the list highlights the most valuable imported shopping products on which buyers in Spain spent the greatest amounts. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented from highest to lowest total amounts.

The percentages displayed to the right of each product name reveal the highest increases or decreases in Spanish spending on that specific type of shopping product from 2019 to 2020.

  1. Automobile parts/accessories: US$14,541,506,000 (down -13.5%)
  2. Cars: $13,844,345,000 (down -33.9%)
  3. Phones: $6,340,278,000 (up 2.5%)
  4. Computers, optical readers: $4,373,321,000 (up 14.6%)
  5. Women’s clothing (not knit/crochet): $3,191,766,000 (down -19.3%)
  6. Insulated wire/cable: $2,885,457,000 (down -10%)
  7. Miscellaneous textile items: $2,642,918,000 (up 825.3%)
  8. Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet): $1,980,891,000 (down -11.7%)
  9. Trucks: $1,803,013,000 (down -30.8%)
  10. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1,701,890,000 (down -5.9%)
  11. Seats (not barber/dentist chairs): $1,635,359,000 (down -11.5%)
  12. T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet): $1,587,449,000 (down -20.2%)
  13. Rubber tires (new): $1,475,179,000 (down -13.6%)
  14. Electrical converters/power units: $1,474,770,000 (up 8.1%)
  15. Orthopedic appliances: $1,378,945,000 (up 4.8%)
  16. Hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel items: $1,365,803,000 (down -16.8%)
  17. Miscellaneous furniture: $1,280,857,000 (down -7.5%)
  18. Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): $1,239,240,000 (down -31.1%)
  19. Cases, handbags, wallets: $1,237,928,000 (down -31.3%)
  20. Women’s clothing (knit or crochet): $1,177,185,000 (down -9.6%)
  21. Tractors: $1,126,964,000 (down -20.1%)
  22. Footwear (textile): $1,095,298,000 (down -17.2%)
  23. Video console games, table games: $1,076,328,000 (down -3.6%)
  24. Footwear (leather): $1,065,121,000 (down -20%)
  25. Packaged insecticides, herbicides: $1,034,851,000 (up 1.7%)
  26. Computer parts, accessories: $990,451,000 (up 4%)
  27. Motorcycles: $966,608,000 (up 4.2%)
  28. Women’s coats (unknit/non-crochet): $951,149,000 (down -20.4%)
  29. Printing machinery: $920,101,000 (down -22.4%)
  30. Miscellaneous toys: $910,152,000 (down -17.1%)
  31. Footwear (rubber or plastic): $852,436,000 (down -15.9%)
  32. Miscellaneous iron or steel items: $837,706,000 (down -7.2%)
  33. Sports equipment: $800,068,000 (down -1.4%)
  34. Felt, other non-woven garments: $711,234,000 (up 99.5%)
  35. Screws, bolts, washers, hooks, pins: $660,230,000 (down -12.6%)
  36. Women’s shirts (not knit or crochet): $658,858,000 (down -26.8%)
  37. Unrecorded sound media: $592,275,000 (down -4.1%)
  38. Microphones/headphones/amps: $542,346,000 (down -9%)
  39. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $538,507,000 (up 11.3%)
  40. Vulcanized rubber apparel: $534,171,000 (up 193%)
  41. Men’s coats (unknit/non-crochet): $495,059,000 (down -29%)
  42. Miscellaneous aluminum items: $464,905,000 (up 59.7%)
  43. Vulcanized rubber items: $453,832,000 (down -16.6%)
  44. Glass bottles, other containers: $450,838,000 (down -3.8%)
  45. Infant clothing (knit or crochet): $432,719,000 (up 5.5%)
  46. Paints, varnishes: $430,595,000 (down -4.3%)
  47. Trailers: $393,662,000 (down -14.4%)
  48. Paper containers, cellulose wadding: $392,375,000 (down -0.2%)
  49. Hair preparations: $384,431,000 (up 1.7%)
  50. Wrist/pocket watches (regular case): $369,057,000 (down -28.5%)
  51. Sportswear (unknit/non-crochet): $367,382,000 (down -15.3%)
  52. Special garments including sports: $365,539,000 (up 14.2%)
  53. Linens: $363,845,000 (down -18.4%)

Focusing on the scope of this analysis, shopping products is Spain’s most popular category ahead of both convenience products and speciality items.

Shopping products exceed half (53) of the overall top 100 Spanish imported consumer goods.

Durable consumer products are goods like cars, refrigerators and furniture that last a relatively long time. Consumers can put durable products to use again and again. Note that shopping products and speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Spain’s Most Valuable Imported Speciality Products

Speciality products represent the category with the fewest entries among Spain’s imports that attracted the country’s spending on imported consumer goods during 2020.

Selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level, the most valuable speciality items are listed in descending order below.

The percentage to the right of each product name reveal highest increases or decreases in 2020 compared to 2019.

  1. Electric storage batteries: US$1,566,970,000 (up 87.3%)
  2. Air conditioners: $1,284,369,000 (down -5.7%)
  3. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $1,272,063,000 (up 9.5%)
  4. Refrigerators, freezers: $977,290,000 (down -7.1%)
  5. Beauty/makeup/skin care: $969,456,000 (down -17.8%)
  6. Liquid pumps: $943,618,000 (down -10.2%)
  7. Dishwash, clean/dry/fill machines: $787,097,000 (down -3.5%)
  8. Household base metal mountings: $708,227,000 (down -13.9%)
  9. Temperature-change machines: $545,610,000 (down -10.3%)
  10. Fertilizer mixes: $488,608,000 (down -12.5%)
  11. Vacuum cleaners: $426,096,000 (up 8.8%)
  12. Nitrogenous fertilizers: $417,216,000 (down -1.6%)
  13. Washing machines: $363,813,000 (up 2.1%)

Likeshopping products, speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Based on the product types identified in the sections above, 66 of Spain’s 100 highest-value consumer shopper plus speciality products are durable while the remaining 34 convenience products are classified as non-durable.

Spain’s Overall Fastest-Growing Consumer Imports

Listed below are the top 10 consumer products imported into Spain that experienced the highest percentage increases in spending from 2019 to 2020.

  1. Miscellaneous textile items: Up 825.3% (US$2.6 billion)
  2. Vulcanized rubber apparel: Up 193% ($534.2 million)
  3. Felt, other non-woven garments: Up 99.5% ($711.2 million)
  4. Electric storage batteries: Up 87.3% ($1.6 billion) 
  5. Miscellaneous aluminum items: Up 59.7% ($464.9 million)
  6. Antibiotics: Up 52.1% ($480.7 million)
  7. Olive oil: Up 49.3% ($544 million)
  8. Palm oil: Up 19.5% ($1.4 billion)
  9. Miscellaneous fresh fruits: Up 16.7% ($737.2 million)
  10. Computers including optical readers: Up 14.6% ($4.4 billion)

Five among the above top 10 gainers are shopping products and therefore also durable goods that consumers can re-use over time. The 5 fastest-growing shopping products in demand by importers in Spain are miscellaneous items made from textile; apparel made from vulcanized rubber; garments made from felt or other non-woven materials; miscellaneous goods made from aluminum; and computers including optical readers.

The lone speciality product in the top 10 fastest growers list above is electric storage batteries.

The 4 fastest growers among the non-durable imported consumer products are antibiotics; olive oil; palm oil; and miscellaneous fresh fruits.

Spain’s Overall Worst-Declining Consumer Imports

Spending by import buyers in Spain on the following 10 items decreased in value by the highest percentages from 2019 to 2020.

  1. Processed petroleum oils: Down -41.6% ($4.8 billion)
  2. Cars: Down -33.9% ($13.8 billion)
  3. Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): Down -31.8% ($645.1 million)
  4. Cases, handbags, wallets: Down -31.3% ($1.2 billion)
  5. Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): Down -31.1% ($1.2 billion)
  6. Trucks: Down -30.8% ($1.8 billion)
  7. Men’s coats (unknit/non-crochet): Down -29% ($495.1 million)
  8. Wrist/pocket watches (regular case): Down -28.5% ($369.1 million)
  9. Perfumes, toilet waters: Down -27.2% ($611.3 million)
  10. Women’s shirts (not knit or crochet): Down -26.8% ($658.9 million)

Seven categories among Spanish top 10 severest decliners are durable shopping products used over a period of time. The worst slippage among those categories was for Spain’s imported cars and unknitted and non-crocheted clothing.

There were 3 non-durable consumer products among Spain’s 10 major import decliners from 2019 to 2020, namely processed petroleum oils, alcoholic beverages, and perfumes or toilet waters.

Key Suppliers by Country

This analysis reveals competitive suppliers that target demand for 5 of Spain’s top consumer import products.

Spain’s biggest imported consumer product by value is automobile parts or accessories.  The other 4 leading consumer goods imported into Spain are cars, phone devices including smartphones, processed petroleum oils and computers.

Below, you will find major supplying countries for Spain’s imported:

Automobile parts or accessories: France (33.8% of total), Germany (20.2%), Italy (5.6%), Portugal (5.4%), Czech Republic (5.2%), Poland (4.8%), United States (3.8%), Hungary (2.5%), Turkey (2%), and China (1.9%).

Cars: Germany (27% of total), France (10.9%), Japan (8.5%), United Kingdom (7%), Czech Republic (6.9%), South Korea (5.2%), Slovakia (5.1%), Italy (4.4%), Turkey (4.1%), and Portugal (2.9%).

Phone devices including smartphones: China (33.7% of total), Vietnam (13.1%), Netherlands (13%), Ireland (7%), Italy (6.4%), Germany (3.9%), France (3.7%), Hong Kong (2.4%), United Kingdom (2.2%), and United States (1.7%).

Processed petroleum oils: Nigeria (14.1% of total), United States (9.4%), Algeria (8.5%), Russia (7.2%), Mexico (7%), Saudi Arabia (6.6%), Kazakhstan (4.1%), Italy (3.3%), Iraq (3.2%), and Brazil (3.1%).

Computers: China (41.2% of total), Netherlands (15.8%), Germany (7.2%), Italy (6.1%), Czech Republic (3.8%), Ireland (3%), United States (2.8%), United Kingdom (2.8%), Vietnam (also 2.8%), and Poland (2.5%).

See also

More great research: Portugal’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products by Sales, United States Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, Portugal’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries, United Kingdom’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, 100 Top Consumer Products to Sell to Importers in Taiwan, Sweden’s Top Imported Consumer Products Ranked by Value

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational portals.

BoyceWire, Consumer Goods Definition.

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Spain Economy.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Investopedia, Consumer Goods, Consumer Staples Definition, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Richest Country Reports, Top 100 Richest Countries by GDP.

Trading Economics, Spain Consumer Spending.

Wikipedia, List of largest consumer markets.

Wikipedia, Spain, Geography of Spain, Languages of Spain.

World’s Top Exports, Spain’s Top 10 Imports.

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