Ronda de Sant Antoni has become a hub for sticker trading, especially fueled by the popularity of World Cup stickers. This situation has exhausted the patience of traders at the Sant Antoni Sunday market, who are reporting growing unfair competition.
One of the most critical stallholders, Ferran Roig, who invested 25,000 euros for a license in late 2020, laments that illegal sellers operate just meters away without incurring the same costs, such as monthly fees and taxes. Roig estimates that the fraudulent turnover could reach 5,000 to 6,000 euros each weekend.
"This has always happened, but now an alternative market has been established," Roig denounces, comparing the illegal sellers to illegal shellfish collectors. These individuals, according to the trader, sell stickers at "ridiculous" prices due to the absence of taxes and their use of card payment terminals. For instance, the gold Lamine Yamal sticker, priced at 150 euros at his stall, can be found for 100 euros on the street. This craze has intensified with each World Cup event.
Roig points out that street sales have also increased because platforms like Wallapop have become stricter, favoring in-person transactions. The local police have promised action following several meetings with affected traders.
The demand for World Cup stickers has exceeded expectations, with a significant rise in customers at authorized stalls. The sidewalks around the market fill with people exchanging stickers, causing traffic jams in the neighborhood from early morning. Even former mayor Ada Colau was seen accompanying her children in their sticker hunt.
The intense heat on Sunday caused one young person to faint, although they quickly recovered to continue trading stickers.
