Barcelona boasts the best commercial endowment among the major European capitals
Picture: Portal de l’Àngel Street, the most premium shopping area, during Sant Jordi’s Day
The Catalan capital’s commercial density stands at an impressive 1,382 establishments per square kilometer, far surpassing other major cities such as Madrid (391), Paris (306), Lisbon (214), London (144), Milan (100), and Munich (50). This revelation comes from the Commercial Map of European Capitals, a study presented by the General Directorate of Commerce of the Catalan government, analyzing the commercial morphology of seven major European cities with a combined population of nearly 20 million.
Barcelona leads the Commercial Map of European Capitals
Prepared by Eixos.cat, the Commercial Map of European Capitals highlights Barcelona’s exceptional commercial density with over 62,000 active establishments. Barcelona leads not only in active establishments per square kilometer (1,127) but also in the number of active establishments per 100 inhabitants (3.65). Additionally, it boasts the highest number of clothing and accessory stores (4,195) and ranks second in the number of catering establishments (5,698), just behind Madrid (6,797).
The study also evaluated the percentage of urban areas where the population has access to a commercial axis within a 5-minute walk (400 meters), revealing that 49.1% of Barcelona’s urban fabric meets this excellence requirement. Unlike other cities analyzed, Barcelona ensures that the entire population has access to a commercial axis within a 15-minute walk (1,500 meters). Madrid only meets this requirement for 60% of its population, while Paris and London meet it for 34% and 23%, respectively.
Regarding the number of top-tier commercial axes, Barcelona and Madrid lead with 66 and 91 respectively, far surpassing other capitals such as London (49), Paris (40), Lisbon (33), Milan (20), and Munich (6).
Strong commercial occupancy rate, too
Barcelona’s high commercial occupancy rate is on par with Madrid and Paris, with all three cities exceeding the 80% threshold considered commercially healthy. However, Madrid and Paris have identified central areas with a commercial discontinuity due to a high number of buildings without ground-floor commercial spaces.
The study also distinguishes between different urban models based on the concentration of non-daily products. Barcelona and Madrid feature extensive commercial offerings due to their high number of commercial axes, while cities like London, Lisbon, and Paris have large commercial axes extending beyond the city center. Conversely, Munich and Milan concentrate non-daily offerings in the urban center.
Barcelona’s exceptional commercial landscape is further exemplified by its 39 municipal markets, many of which have been refurbished and remain competitive. Only Madrid (45) and Lisbon (25) have comparable fresh produce offerings, while Milan (21), London (8), Paris (5), and Munich (4) have fewer municipal markets and specialized food establishments.
Barcelona, best-equipped commercial hub in Europe
Overall, the Commercial Map reaffirms Barcelona’s status as the best-equipped commercial hub among major European capitals, based on excellence and commercial health criteria. These findings bolster Barcelona’s candidacy to become the first European Capital of Proximity Commerce, an initiative supported by the Catalan government.
Furthermore, the study’s continuity in methodology with previous analyses of Catalan municipalities with over 20,000 inhabitants allows for comparisons, revealing that Barcelona’s high commercial density is not unique to the city but extends throughout Catalonia. Among these municipalities, 45 have one or more top-tier commercial axes, indicating a higher number of top-tier commercial axes per inhabitant compared to London, Milan, or Paris.
(Source: Generalitat de Catalunya Press Release)
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