Compare two Mercadona tickets 38 years apart and there is one detail that has not changed. Although Mercadona is currently the number one supermarket in Spain, the truth is that in the 80s the supermarket company Juan Roig She only had a few stores in Valencia. In fact, it was only in 1988 and with the takeover of the Superette Supermarket group that the supermarket chain went from 8 to 30 stores in Valencia and in 1989 it opened the first in Madrid. And in this past we found a a very surprising story which concerns a ticket from 38 years ago and now it has come into being to everyone’s surprise.
This story features Ximo Vercher, resident of Tavernes de la Valldignawho took a “trip down memory lane”, remembering the inauguration of the first Mercadona supermarket in his city in 1986, on the occasion of the closure of this same store 38 years later. And what is curious about his story is that without thinking or being aware of it, he had kept a purchase receipt dating from the inauguration of the store, so before closing, he decided to make the same purchase as a farewell. In this way, this customer was able tor a comparison between the two Mercadona banknotes with a difference of almost 4 decades and leaving everyone quite surprised.
Compare two Mercadona tickets 38 years apart
In a story he told to the newspaper Levant, Ximo Vercher He explains that the receipt for the first purchase he made at Mercadona remained intact in his wallet, almost forgotten, until the news of the closure of the same establishment made him save this piece of history. So in a farewell gesture, Vercher went to the supermarket with the intention of buying the same product as on his first visit: a pack of donuts, and bring home a new souvenir of this Mercadona.
However, the differences between this first ticket and the current one are obvious. The world has changed, and with it prices and products. In 1986, donuts cost 89 pesetas, a price that would seem almost unreal to us today. Now a similar, but not identical, sedan set costs 1.35 euros. Despite price increases and currency changes, the essence of that first purchase remains. Thus, in an almost symbolic act, Ximo Vercher closed a 38-year cycle, reminding us that even if everything changes, certain details persist.
Mercadona’s beginnings at Tavernes de la Valldigna
Mercadona opened its first store in Valldigna taverns in an emblematic building, the former Capitole theater and cinemaavenue des Germanies. The opening of this supermarket was an important step for local residents, who saw Mercadona as a new way to do their daily shopping. At that time, supermarkets were a relatively new concept in Spain, especially in small towns like Tavernes.
Ximo Vercher, then a young man of 17, He went to browse the new supermarket and came out with a bag of donuts and a post that would end up being a memory for a lifetime. Over time, Mercadona expanded throughout the country, becoming the number one chain in Spain. However, the small Tavernes store retained its essence and continued to serve its neighbors for almost four decades.
A special farewell and an unexpected coincidence
Upon learning of the closure of this Mercadona, Ximo decided to make one last purchase to say goodbye to the store in a symbolic way. Examining the note he had owned since 1986, he noticed how surprisingly well the paper and ink had been preserved.reflection of the good quality of the materials of the time. This preservation allowed him to read all the details of his first purchase, an intact memory of this first day of activity at the supermarket.
Determined to repeat the experience, Ximo went to get the same product he bought the first time. However, Mercadona no longer sells “Bamby Donuts” which she acquired 38 years ago, so He chose to buy today’s equivalent: a pack of sugar saloons. Even if it was not exactly the same product, this gesture allowed him to complete the cycle in a very special way.
Price evolution and exchange
The comparison between the two banknotes reveals not only the passage of time, but also the impact of inflation and the transition from the peseta to the euro. At that time, the donuts purchased by Ximo cost 89 pesetas.which today would be equivalent to approximately 0.50 euros. On the other hand, current sedans cost 1.35 eurosa significant difference that reflects economic changes over the past four decades.
Additionally, the current ticket is larger and the ink type is different, going from purple in 1986 to black today. These physical details are just a small sample of how materials and technologies have evolved in commerce, but this story leaves one clear conclusion:Even if time passes and things change, certain details, like a simple purchase, can stand the test of time. and become a indelible memory.
