Barcelona plans network of affordable shops

22 September 2026

Barcelona is preparing a network of shops designed to make fresh food more affordable for families. The initiative, inspired by New York’s public supermarkets, will begin with a pilot project in La Marina del Prat Vermell in 2027 and will be run by a non-profit organisation.

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni announced the plan after meeting New York mayor Zohran Mamdani during the Urban20 summit, where the two discussed municipal policies aimed at tackling the rising cost of living in major cities.

Collboni said Barcelona’s project was inspired in part by New York’s plans for what are being described as public supermarkets. Barcelona’s first pilot shop will be located in a municipally owned building, while its day-to-day operation will be entrusted to a non-profit or third-sector organisation.

The project is intended not only to provide access to fresh food at affordable prices, but also to include a vocational training programme.

Barcelona already has a large network of municipal public markets across its neighbourhoods. However, the mayor said that newly developed areas and particularly vulnerable neighbourhoods can lack adequate access to shops selling essential goods.

La Marina del Prat Vermell is one such developing area. The pilot is therefore intended to address both affordability and gaps in local food provision.