Barcelona boasts a market tradition that dates back to the 19th century. The emergence of supermarkets and superstores in the 1980s endangered the survival of markets, but architectural renovation and the firm commitment to fresh products have preserved a model.
Markets have become a factor in revitalising the retail sector and safeguarding an urban culture under threat, as the catalysts for the emergence of new city amenities and the proponents of a healthy and balanced diet. Markets have contributed to
The local politics during the Spanish democracy in matters of markets policy has set trends and Barcelona –the leading member and seat of the international markets association Emporion– has served as a model for other cities. As Lewis Mumford said
Nothing better illustrates the landscape of a country and the way of life of its population than its market stalls. A trip to the market is akin to a visit to an art gallery, arousing and engaging all the senses.
Fresh products are the main asset of Barcelona’s markets, which jointly are the city’s leading company in the fresh food industry, having a market share of 30-35%, that increases to 70% in the case of fish. Markets have existed as
Products have changed, as has the seasonal produce calendar (transport); the way we conserve our food has changed (fridges), prices have fallen (supermarkets), eating habits have changed (pre-cooked food), but despite all of this, the markets are still with us.
Barcelona’s vast culinary potential has become an increasingly important aspect in tourism campaigns and has garnered institutional support and initiatives. Many renowned chefs have made an active contribution to the promotion of Catalonia’s markets and cuisine. In the 1970s, when
[Video in Catalan] Barcelona’s markets: facilities that create jobs, spaces of great architectonic value that are part of the touristic routes and places for social cohesion and neighbourhood life. A walk through the historical legacy of markets and what they
