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Barcelona suspends 24-hour supermarket licenses to protect local businesses

The City Council halts the opening of new establishments for one year to regulate saturation and neighborhood coexistence.

Generic image of a supermarket open at night on a city street.
IA

Generic image of a supermarket open at night on a city street.

The Barcelona City Council has decreed a suspension of licenses for 24-hour supermarkets for one year, aiming to protect local businesses and prevent the saturation of these establishments in the city.

The measure, published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona (Bopb), has already come into effect and affects the granting of new licenses as well as works for the establishment or expansion of these businesses. This decision follows an analysis that estimates around 1,300 such establishments in the city, a figure that has grown significantly in recent years.
The council aims with this suspension to develop specific regulations that preserve commercial diversity and prevent saturation and monoculture in certain areas. The measure comes after nearly 700 new 24-hour supermarkets were opened in the last four years.
The districts of Ciutat Vella and Sant Martí are exempt from this suspension, as they have their own specific regulations. In Sant Martí, for example, 104 establishments of this type were opened between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2025.
According to the City Council, most of these premises are oriented towards food products and, due to their area of less than 300 m², are exempt from regional hourly limitations. The municipal government believes these establishments cause coexistence problems with residents, especially in areas with high residential density or strong tourist pressure.
In recent years, the City Council has conducted 14 multi-inspection campaigns in various districts, reviewing over 230 premises. These inspections have identified more than 1,440 violations related to license requirements, as well as other non-compliance issues concerning public health, waste management, labor matters, and fiscal aspects.

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