Older customers face barriers to voucher access
Barcelona's Bonus Consum initiative, designed to support local commerce, is exposing a persistent digital divide as older residents report difficulties accessing the scheme. The vouchers, which must be claimed online and stored via Google or Apple Wallet, require a level of digital literacy that many elderly citizens lack. On Saturday 17 October 2026, customers at Mercat de Sant Antoni confirmed ongoing challenges. Around 20 elderly shoppers interviewed by EL PERIÓDICO said they valued the scheme but found the digital process daunting. One information point worker at the market said many older people had visited seeking help, particularly with downloading and using the QR code.
Merchants step in to bridge the gap
Some traders have begun acting as intermediaries. At the shirt shop Pinhas in Sant Antoni, staff guide customers through the process to ensure they can use the vouchers. Inés Carreño, who runs Confort by Fitness at the same market, said she is "very happy with the initiative" but stressed that more consideration is needed for older users. "Especially older people, who are the majority in the market, are not used to paying by card or mobile," Carreño said. Pilar, a 76-year-old resident of Eixample, said she avoids mobile payments because "it doesn't quite convince me." Despite this, she supports the scheme, calling it "very good for the seller and the customer."
Uneven business participation across districts
While L'Eixample leads with 256 registered businesses (24% of the total), participation remains low in peripheral areas. Sants-Montjuïc and Sant Martí each account for around 11%. Several neighbourhoods, including Baró de Viver, Tres Torres, Montbau, and Torre Baró, have no participating establishments at all. Two customers from Putxet said the local offer was "quite scarce." A companion from Tres Torres added ironically, "I'm from Tres Torres and I don't have any!" A butcher at Mercat de Santa Caterina chose not to join, saying the council should better understand customer demand. "If they don't ask me for it excessively, I won't sign up for the promotion," the manager said.
Council optimistic despite challenges
The Barcelona City Council stated that commercial entities are giving a "good assessment" of the scheme in its early days. Officials expect more businesses to register over time and confirmed that sign-ups will remain open until all vouchers are redeemed. An interactive map is available to help users locate participating businesses. A 2020 joint report by the City Council and BIT Habitat found that 70.3% of people with low internet use in Barcelona were aged over 74, highlighting the demographic at risk of exclusion.
Reported by elperiodico.com, El Periódico Barcelona.
