Retailers around Madrid’s Puerta del Sol say the encampment has cut sales by 30% to 70%, while Cocem estimates losses near €25 million. Shopkeepers also fear weaker trade in the run-up to Christmas.
Javier Romano opened his lottery kiosk at number 1 of Puerta del Sol during the encampment’s fourth week. The Confederation of Specialised Commerce of the Community of Madrid (Cocem) estimates that nearby businesses have lost €25 million. Individual shops report sales drops ranging from 30% to 70%.
The losses come as retailers say the encampment and restricted access across the plaza are affecting customer traffic. Nara, who has worked in a souvenir shop near Calle Mayor for about 14 years, put turnover 30% to 40% below the same period last year. She said fewer tourists were coming in and that people leaving the metro could not cross directly through the plaza.
At another souvenir shop, on Calle Arenal, Jean Rodríguez reported a 70% fall in sales. The business has cut a colleague’s contract, and another branch of the chain has also let a worker go. Opening hours have shortened: the shop now closes at 11pm instead of midnight. Rodríguez said continued disruption could leave the store facing closure.
Pedro Mora, whose leather-bag and luggage shop near Calle Mayor is being transferred, said sales were down by about a third since the encampment began. He also pointed to other pressures, including retirement and rent. October had usually been a strong month for the business.
November is a bigger concern for some traders. A manager at a religious-goods shop nearby said turnover was down 50% and customers had called to ask about delivery because they were reluctant to visit the area. The manager said the shop’s position away from the centre of the encampment offered some protection. Staff at a nearby ice-cream shop also reported fewer customers during the last 15 good-weather days of the season, while noting that the business depends on the weather.
Customer routes may help explain some of the strain. A separate report on Jerez’s book fair focused on attendance at a cultural event; around Sol, retailers say access and footfall are affecting sales. Tourist Olga Manzano said her family had done more shopping along Gran Vía and further up Calle Preciados, citing the rain and difficulty walking near the encampment. Visitor Luz Domínguez, arriving from Zaragoza, said she planned to pass through the camp quickly and would not shop there.
The encampment is calling for universal access to decent housing. One camper said the nearby tobacco shop was among the businesses most affected; campers had put up directions to it, but the sign had since been removed. He also said they were buying there.
