The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda has imposed a fine of one million euros on the car rental company Avis for charging its clients for fine management. As detailed this Wednesday by the department led by Pablo Bustinduy, the company charged a fee of between 33.88 and 45 euros under the heading "administrative sanction management expenses" to users who had committed a traffic violation while using a rental vehicle.

Technology, new consumption habits and changes in the ways we relate have ushered postal mail into a new era. For the first time, in 2025 in Spain, more packages than letters were sent, according to the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC). Globally, postal sector revenues are rising.

The Spanish economy maintained its high growth rate of recent years in the second quarter of 2026, above the European average. However, at the same time, the cost of living for families continues to rise, and this July will close at its highest levels since May 2024.

The European Commission has announced a fine of 550 million euros to the Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress for the sale of illegal products online to European customers. The Community executive has concluded in an investigation that the Asian company does not comply with the Community directive on digital rights, because it does not "diligently" assess or mitigate the risks related to the products offered and purchasable on its website. And for this reason, Brussels urges it to adopt measures and threatens it with new additional economic sanctions if it disobeys the demands of the Community authorities.

As expected, prices have picked up again during the month of June, increasing the cost of living by 0.8% in Catalonia compared to May. The prices of goods and services have accelerated their growth throughout Spain, where they have risen by 0.6%, coinciding with the end of tax reductions on electricity and gas approved by the Spanish government to mitigate the effects of the Iran war.

In January, federal immigration agents killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti – both US citizens – in Minneapolis, during Operation Metro Surge. The deaths sparked protests across the country and the Administration ended the operation within weeks. They focused on the human cost of the recent escalation in immigration enforcement. What had not yet been measured is the cost to local economies where this surveillance has been most intense.

The Valencian supermarket cooperative Consum plans to hire more than 300 workers in Catalonia in 2026, exceeding the 5,000 employee mark in the region. This figure signifies a renewed commitment to Catalonia, a territory that the group's CEO, Antonio Rodríguez, considers "priority." Last year, the company already created 400 new jobs in Catalonia, triple the number from the previous year. renew its commitment to the Principality, a territory that the group's CEO, Antonio Rodríguez, considers "priority." Last year, the company already created 400 new jobs in Catalonia, triple the number from the previous year.

The cost of living in Catalonia moderated last May despite the upward pressures of fuel costs on family economies caused by the energy crisis derived from the war in Iran. Nevertheless, the measures approved by the Spanish government to cut taxes on electricity and natural gas curbed price increases.

The cost of living for families has maintained this May the slowdown recorded the previous month, despite the continuation of the war in Iran and instability in energy markets, according to provisional data advanced this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda of the Spanish government has impacted the operations of the main market prediction platforms, Kalshi and Polymarket, in Spain. The department led by Pablo Bustinduy has opened an sanctioning file against both platforms for operating in Spain without a gambling license, as Consum reported this Tuesday morning. Furthermore, it has ordered the blocking of both websites as a precautionary measure until the possible sanction is resolved.

The Spanish government announced this Thursday a new sanctioning procedure against a "large real estate company" – the executive refuses, for the moment, to make its name public – for allegedly violating consumer rights in housing matters. It is the fourth procedure on this issue opened during the legislature, which began three years ago, according to sources from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs confirmed to the newspaper ARA.

The reduction in electricity and natural gas bills moderated the increase in the cost of living in April, both in Catalonia and in Spain as a whole. The measures approved by the Spanish government to reduce some taxes on electricity and gas had the desired effect, although, on the other hand, the cost of fuel continued to rise due to uncertainty in international energy markets because of the war in Iran.

The main Spanish banks have closed the first quarter without any of the tribulations that analysts expected. The six financial entities of the Ibex-35 arrive at the month of April with an accumulated profit close to 11,000 million euros, the best first quarter in the history of the sector. The market reads in the accounts of Santander, BBVA, CaixaBank, Banco Sabadell, Bankinter and Unicaja a strategy of "profitability growth" successful, in the words of the Renta 4 bank expert Nuria Álvarez. The economist, in statements to the newspaper ARA, points out that, in part, the entities have accelerated the offer of slightly riskier products, but also with more profit potential. "In this area, mortgages are not succeeding, but consumer credit is," adds Álvarez. And the Bank of Spain agrees: according to the organism's latest liquidity report, the total balance of consumer financing soared in the first quarter by 12.6%, to 117,351 million.

The rise in fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East sent the cost of living soaring in Catalonia and Spain in March, the first month with the war's effects, according to consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living for families) data published this Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda has ratified the fine of 3.6 million euros that it imposed on Lloguer Segur for abusive practices against tenants after resolving the appeal filed by the real estate company. The department led by Pablo Bustinduy considers that this company has violated consumer rights by taking advantage of its dominant market position and has deemed the administrative route exhausted.

The war in Iran and the resulting increase in energy costs have impacted inflation in Spain. Thus, the cost of living for families this March has notably increased compared to February, as a result of the rise in prices of fuels and electricity.

The war in Iran and the resulting energy price increase have impacted inflation in Spain. Thus, the cost of living for families this March has become notably more expensive compared to February, as a result of the rise in prices of fuels and electricity.

The price war at gas stations has erupted. At least temporarily, and with greater savings the more contracts and service agreements signed with the companies. This comes after fuel prices soared the day after the outbreak of war in the Middle East and the surge in oil prices, which reinforced the situation. from the control of abuses by the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC)The major companies have entered into a price war ahead of Easter. In any case, the biggest discounts are obtained if other services related to electricity or gas are contracted.

Cava sales declined last year for the second consecutive year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Cava Designation of Origin Regulatory Board. The total number of bottles sold fell by 12.88% year-on-year to 190 million. Revenue reached €2.048 billion, 10% less than in 2014. This drop is attributed to the drought, according to Javier Pagés, president of the Cava DO. "The decline is not due to a lack of demand, but rather a lack of product," he stated. This decrease stems primarily from exports, which fell by 18.68%. In the Spanish market, the reduction was much more moderate, at 2.48% in volume. It should be noted that of the 190 million bottles sold, 60% of the Cava was destined for export. The first market was Belgium, the second the United States, and the third the United Kingdom. Of all the cava sold in Spain, 33.7% was in Catalonia. Germany, traditionally the first or second largest market, fell to fifth place.