Spanish SMEs are evolving toward more hybrid, selective, and proximity-oriented procurement models, in a context marked by geopolitical uncertainty and mounting cost pressures. This is reflected in the second edition of Geopost’s 2B Recipient Barometer, the group that includes SEUR, which analyzes how the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises are changing and the role logistics plays in their activities.
Compared with the first edition of the study, conducted in 2024, companies now combine a greater number of channels when searching for and selecting suppliers. Internet and AI tools are gaining ground, although in Spain traditional relationships and channels still carry a particularly heavy weight. At the same time, international instability is reshaping procurement strategies and favoring closer-to-home supply chains. This trend coexists with increasing price sensitivity, forcing companies to seek a balance between cost efficiency and resilience.
One of the main evolutions compared to 2024 is the advancement of proximity sourcing. Currently, procurement in Spain has become significantly more local (80%), which represents a 12 percentage point increase from the previous edition of the report.
This proximity search does not, however, mean renouncing the international market. Another 80% of Spanish companies source within the European Union, above the European average of 72%, with Italy, Germany and France as the main markets. Outside Europe, procurement continues to grow, though it remains more limited and is mainly concentrated in China and the United States.
Data thus show an increasingly hybrid model, in which companies combine national and international suppliers to reduce risk.
Delivery, increasingly linked to business continuity
This transformation of supply chains also heightens the importance of logistics when selecting suppliers. Delivery-related problems are among the main red flags for companies, along with factors such as reputation and price, and they gain even more relevance than product quality itself. Consequently, 23% of SMEs consider the delivery company a key selection criterion.
A failed delivery has consequences for all Spanish SMEs surveyed. Operational delays (50%), stockouts (48%) or missed deadlines (47%) can directly affect their activity. As a result, 65% of Spanish SMEs would like to be able to choose the carrier (vs 56% European average), reflecting a desire for control over the last mile.
Security and responsiveness continue to shape Spanish SMEs’ delivery expectations. Safe handling of packages is an essential requirement for 77% of companies, while 70% highlight rapid incident resolution and 63% view punctuality as an indispensable factor. On this basis, predictability emerges as the next step to improve the logistics experience, enabling better operational planning and contributing to business continuity. The study indicates that companies want more information about when they will receive their orders to organize their activities, manage inventories, and avoid disruptions. Real-time tracking, faster deliveries, and clearer communication thus become fundamental elements of an ideal delivery experience.
Moreover, out-of-home or off-premises delivery solutions are gaining traction in Spain and are already demanded by 41% of companies, compared with 32% in Europe. Technology, however, does not replace the human element; thus 75% of SMEs positively value the familiarity and consistency of the person delivering their goods.
Despite rising expectations, Spanish companies maintain high levels of satisfaction with their deliveries. 85% are satisfied with national shipments and 87% with international shipments, although the share of companies that report being very satisfied is higher for national shipments, at 46% versus 39% for international ones.
Santiago Hernández, SEUR’s Director of Customers, explains: “The results of this second edition show that SMEs are adapting their supply chains to an increasingly complex environment. It is no longer just about getting a package on time, but about having logistics that provide predictability, flexibility, and responsiveness. Delivery is increasingly integrated into the business’s own planning and can be decisive in ensuring continuity.”
Food and beverages: faster pace and greater flexibility
The barometer also focuses on Spanish food and beverage SMEs, which share much of the overall trends but with some particularities. They rely more on traditional procurement channels and use the Internet less than their European counterparts, though they stand out for greater adoption of AI tools. In logistics, their top priorities are safe handling (80%), rapid incident resolution (67%), and punctuality (58%).
Additionally, 48% identify delivery problems as one of the main barriers to working with a supplier, ahead of reputation concerns (43%) and price (42%). Speed takes on an especially high weight: 47% demand faster deliveries, compared with 31% of the overall SMEs, and 51% place particular value on deliveries to pickup points or lockers. In addition, 63% would like to be able to choose the carrier, reinforcing the demand for greater flexibility and control over the last mile.
The results of this second edition sketch a business fabric that is adapting its purchasing and sourcing decisions to a more uncertain environment. Against a model based mainly on price, quality, and availability, SMEs are increasingly incorporating supplier resilience and their transport partners’ ability to offer security, flexibility, and above all, predictability into the equation.
