News
Christmas Shopping Spend to Increase 142 Percent
A study for Christmas 2024 reveals that during the period the average expenditure will be almost 240 euro per person, an increase of 142% compared to a normal month.

The study “X-ray of Spanish purchases during the most commercial period of the year”, carried out by Miravia, reveals that during the Christmas period the average expenditure will be almost 240 euro per person, an increase of 142% compared to a normal month.
The results of the study also show that 85% of shoppers in Spain plan to make a purchase on Black Friday, with an average expenditure per person of 150 euro, an increase of 53% compared to a month of normal commercial activity (98 euro), and despite warnings of caution over “fake” offers by consumer associations, and even Government departments.
As for the breakdown by sex, men spend 10% more than women.
The survey shows that 8 out of 10 shoppers in Spain (80%) will use Black Friday discounts to do their Christmas shopping early. Gen Z (between 18 and 30 years old) (86%) and millennials (between 31 and 43) (82%) are those who show the most enthusiasm for promotions and offers. The least enthusiastic are boomers (56 to 75) with 73%. As for Christmas, boomers and Z (70% and 69%, respectively) are those who admit to making more last-minute purchases.
In addition, more than 6 out of 10 Spaniards (65%) say that the pre-Christmas discount campaign, which includes Black Friday, is the shopping period in which the greatest spending is made. This is followed by the post-Christmas campaign (January sales) (27%) and the summer sales (8%).
Yann Fontaine, CEO of Miravia, explains that “Black Friday has established itself as the most important discount campaign of the year and online shopping as the favourite option for Spaniards. In this way, e-commerce platforms play a fundamental role, since they offer the convenience, immediacy and hyper-personalised shopping experience that consumers demand. With Christmas just around the corner, our goal is for Spaniards to take advantage of the promotions and save as much as they can.”
As for the purchasing motivation, the main driver is to buy Christmas presents early (40%), followed by being able to access products they need that they normally cannot afford due to the price (35%) and being able to treat themselves to products that are usually more expensive (20%). Only 5% make purchases related to stocking up on essential products and promoting greater savings at home.
Furthermore, on Black Friday, 67% of Spaniards say they make more purchases for others, compared to 33% who prefer to give themselves gifts. The study also shows that the most popular categories for Spaniards on Black Friday are Electronics (71%), Fashion (49%) and Home/decoration and Beauty/personal care (28%, respectively). For women, Fashion is the main category, followed by Electronics and Beauty. For men, Electronics is the first by far, doubling the purchase intention of the second option, which is fashion (39%).
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Hospitality and recreation establishments in Elche receive 36 infringement reports from local police

The Elche Local Police conducted an operation that involved inspecting thirteen hospitality and leisure outlets in various neighbourhoods, resulting in one arrest and 36 violations. The data was made public on Friday, 28th March, mainly as a reminder of the work that is being done. Councilman Juan de Dios Navarro gave the police top for their efforts.
According to local police inspector José Antonio Corrales, the majority of the infractions included drug usage and possession, including four for cocaine possession and seven for hashish, as well as improper company documentation. Additionally, there were two reports for disturbing the peace or disrespecting law enforcement, four for not following the minimum hygienic standards for food storage, one serious infraction for conducting the activity after hours and behind closed doors, and seven for irregularities found on the property, including improper documentation.
Additionally, officers found six infractions for permitting smoking in unapproved indoor locations, three for type “B” slot machine identification guide deficiencies, and one major infraction for emergency escape and door flaws. Additionally, a report was made about the selling of illegal tobacco at a pub, where 20 packets were confiscated and one individual was detained on court order and imprisoned.
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Visitor to Catral cemetery locked inside

As nightfall approached on one of these soggy spring days in March, a young man decided it would be a good idea to visit a cousin or acquaintance’s grave and take a walk through the cemetery. Because the cemetery still closes its (automatic) gates at six o’clock at this time of year, but without the winter gloom that may discourage anyone from going.
However, the door was locked when he attempted to exit. The visitor didn’t seem to want to spend any more time among the cemeteries, despite the cemetery’s reputation as a particularly tranquil spot. Unaware of the placard bearing the mobile phone number for anyone needing help, he dashed out the gate. It was all on camera.
Joaquín Lucas, the mayor of Catral, maintains that this occurrence is unrelated to the privatisation of the cemetery works and feels that management by an outside company is an efficient approach to provide this service in a municipal office. He went on to say that the young man who who was locked in is from the nearby municipality of Dolores rather than Catral.
The local police took to social media and atacked the man’s “reckless” behaviour. He has been named in connection with “criminal proceedings for a crime against another’s property.” Nonetheless, the business will be liable for any damages brought on by the damaged door anchors.
In addition to clarifying that the business employs two workers—a gravedigger and a labourer who maintains the communal areas and restrooms—the Councillor for Services, Daniel Escudero, reaffirmed that the automatic door is an option offered by the company itself.
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Five arrested in Alicante and Murcia for shoplifting

Five individuals involved in grocery theft have been taken into custody by the Guardia Civil. In the regions of Alicante and Murcia, the thieves were stealing in a number of locations for a well-known supermarket company. The things that were stolen are worth over 8,000 euros in total.
The investigation started after the retail chain representative filed a complaint. The pattern was consistent across all cases: three or four people went into the store, and one of them loaded up a cart with expensive things like canned goods, extra virgin olive oil, sausages, or alcoholic drinks. The last one hurried out of the grocery without paying, and another diverted the attention of the staff.
It was discovered that the same people were responsible for the crimes in multiple towns in Alicante and Murcia after examining the security footage from the impacted businesses. Since the suspects did not live in the residences where they were registered and lacked a stable address, it was very difficult to find them.
Shortly after committing another theft at a store in a suburban neighbourhood of Rojales (Alicante), officers caught two of the suspects off guard and took them into custody. Many of the stolen goods were found at that time and brought back to the impacted business.
The other three were later taken into custody in the cities of Almoradí (Alicante) and Guardamar del Segura. The majority of the pilfered items were sold on. Additionally, the two cars that were utilised in the crimes were taken.
Eleven thefts have been resolved as a consequence of the investigation conducted by the Novelda Civil Guard’s investigation section. The cities of Novelda, Torrevieja, Almoradí, Catral, and Rojales in Alicante as well as the municipalities of San Javier, Jumilla, San Pedro del Pinatar, Cartagena, Archena, and Caravaca de la Cruz in Murcia were the sites of these crimes.
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