Spending in Barcelona shops exceeded historical levels during the first half of this year. A report prepared by the Municipal Data Office of Barcelona City Council, based on credit card payments in city establishments, estimates growth in spending in the first six months of 2023 at 12.4% compared to the same period in 2022 and no more and no less than 27% compared to the first half of 2019.
The analysis carried out by the municipal technicians confirms that, although the growth rate of spending is moderating (from 16.8% in the first quarter to 8.7% in the second), largely as a consequence of the pressure of inflation, the results accumulated so far this year are spectacular. It is true that since the second half of last year spending has continued to grow, but it has done so at a more moderate pace, with slight increases in Christmas and sales campaigns and during large congresses such as the Mobile World Congress.
In the first half of 2023, all the large commercial sectors register year-on-year growth in spending that is positive, the highest being tourism and restaurant services, with an increase of 16.8%, which is largely explained by the large influx of visitors to the city. Consumption of essential goods and services rose 8.4% in this period; that of technology does so by 5.7% and that of culture, leisure and sports presents a more moderate increase in spending, of 5.3%. The sectors in which spending grew the least were transport and the automotive sector and clothing, footwear and fashion, which increased by 2% and 3.2%, respectively.
The study analyzes in more detail the behavior of the different commercial areas. The fact that in businesses dedicated to the sale of books and the press, spending from January 1 to June 30 of this year has risen by 23% compared to the same period of the previous year is striking. Bars and restaurants also experienced strong year-on-year increases (18.4% more credit card billing than in 2022) and tourist accommodation (14.2%).
If it is compared with the values prior to the pandemic, it can be seen that the recovery in consumption is complete and is already well above that registered in the first half of 2019. In the leisure category, the difference is 81%, while in bars and restaurants it reaches 60%.
The rise in spending from one year to the next affects all districts of the city, not just those most influenced by tourist activity. Proof of this is that Nou Barris is the territory in which spending has grown the most compared to the first six months of 2022. It has done so by 26.7%. They are followed by Ciutat Vella (16.1%), Eixample (15.1%), Sants-Montjuïc (13.5%) and les Corts (10%). The least growth occurs in the district of Sant Andreu and is estimated at 6.9%.
