La Boqueria places limits on the sale of processed products

BarcelonaThe Boqueria Market continues to search for a way to preserve its function as a neighborhood market and avoid being swallowed up as a tourist attraction. This Tuesday, the Market Vendors' Association approved, with over 90% of the votes, the market's remodeling proposal, which includes the physical transformation of the space but also an overhaul of its offerings. According to the agreement ratified by the merchants, in the future the Boqueria will have a maximum of 50% processed products and a minimum of 50% traditional products.

As explained this Thursday by the Fifth Deputy Mayor, Raquel Gil, and the President of the Boqueria Market Vendors' Association, Jordi Mas, the Boqueria will remain the largest market in the city, with almost 1,500 linear meters of commercial offerings. This will allow all the operators currently operating there to remain there. With the proposed arrangement agreed upon by the vendors, the market will initially offer 53.7% traditional products and 46.3% processed products.

In addition, to define the types of processed products offered, the agreement also establishes that only processed products may be made from a series of agreed-upon fresh products, presented at room temperature or chilled, cut or sliced, or prepared and ready to eat. This is a way, in short, to prevent processed food stalls from ending up converted into a bunch of chip shops and nuggets Chicken.

Once the proposal has been validated by the merchants, the ball is back in the City Council's court, which must process a modification to the municipal market ordinance and draw up new internal operating regulations for the Mercat de la Boqueria.

The physical transformation of the space

In October, the City Council announced its plans to remodel the city's oldest market. Among the most notable projects are replacing the roof (currently made of fiber cement), creating a new central aisle to breathe new life into the building, remodeling the fish stalls that had become obsolete, and, above all, creating a more "dignified" access to the market, also from the rear via Plaça de la Gardu. The work—which has a minimum budget of €12 million—is expected to begin in the summer of 2026, according to Raquel Gil, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Commerce, Restaurants, and Markets.