32.4% of shops in Barcelona have opened their doors between 2020 and 2025, according to the latest municipal survey. The average age decreases to 17.8 years and the percentage of foreign entrepreneurs falls to 22.5%.
The snapshot of Barcelona's commerce depicts a sector in constant renewal. The 2025 Survey of Commercial Sector Activity in Barcelona, accessed by this newspaper, reveals that more than a third of the city's establishments have opened after the pandemic. Specifically, 32.4% of the surveyed businesses opened between 2020 and 2025, representing a slightly higher proportion than in the previous decade (2010-2019), which stands at 32.9%.
The sample, conducted on nearly 2,500 shops, reflects a strong turnover of operators and an increasing difficulty in reaching the century mark. The average age of shops is 17.8 years, almost two years less than in 2024, when it was 19.7 years. Only 22.1% of businesses opened before the year 2000.
The municipal report also highlights a rise in local operators. The percentage of shops run by Spaniards increases by 2.4 points compared to 2024, reaching 77.5%. Consequently, the presence of foreign entrepreneurs slightly decreases to 22.5%.
By districts, Sants-Montjuïc stands out as the area with the strongest commercial roots, with an average age of 21.4 years. However, its main axes, such as Sants and Creu Coberta, have recently raised concerns about the high turnover of operators, which hinders social interaction and customer loyalty. At the opposite end are Les Corts and Nou Barris, with an average of 15.4 years.
Leisure and culture shops are the youngest, with an average age of 15.6 years, while non-food everyday sector (21.4 years) and automotive (20.4 years) have the longest trajectories.
The survey also confirms that shops run by foreigners are significantly younger: they have an average age of only 6.6 years. Foreign presence is particularly notable in bazaars, where it reaches 75.4%; in leisure and culture shops (28.6%); and in food (28.2%). Within the latter sector, street fruit shops stand out (45.5%) and food and beverages outside markets (41.9%). In contrast, foreign presence is minimal in personal equipment (8.6%), tobacconists, and dietary shops.
The study, which examines the commercial offer of the city, its characteristics, and the opinions of merchants, arrives in a context of growth in e-commerce and changes in consumption habits. Many entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals are trying their luck in a sector that showed great resilience after the pandemic but struggles to stay afloat against rising rents and online competition.
For the reader in the province of Barcelona, these data serve as a thermometer of the vitality of local commerce. The high turnover implies that consumers constantly see new shops, but also that many traditional businesses disappear. The municipal survey is a key tool for understanding the evolution of the commercial fabric and anticipating trends.
You may also like
