Disabled workers cooperative in Igualada reopens to make hand sanitizer
Company in central Catalonia had presented a temporary layoff scheme affecting 328 people
Business
Business & economic news from Barcelona and Catalonia
Barcelona Airport passenger numbers for March down 64.3% on last year
Number of flights fell 46.7% to 13,846 as a result of the coronavirus crisis and state of alarm
Flour sales quadruple during third week of lockdown
Sales of fresh goods are up 29% after previous fortnight saw more sales of "stock" goods like rice and pasta
Companies transforming production to tackle ventilator shortage in hospitals
Some firms not fabricating their usual products are doing their part in facing the coronavirus crisis
Adventure sports sector to lose 50% of annual turnover this spring
Health crisis has hit firms in Catalan Pyrenees hard, threatening 2,000 jobs and making recovering winter investment difficult
Uncertainty reigns among Catalonia's vehicle repair shops
With only 30% of workshops open to service essential vehicles, associations in the sector demand clear and more effective government measures
Unemployment soars as coronavirus crisis takes toll on businesses
A further 21,833 were left without work in March, a jump of 5.52% in the last month
Catalonia's newsstands keep on opening through the health crisis
Considered an essential service, 85% of news vendors are open, although sales have dropped by half due to the coronavirus restrictions
Home-care start-ups see demand double due to coronavirus
Companies providing carers to people's homes expect to exceed their growth forecasts for 2020 in first quarter alone
Spanish government bans firing employees due to coronavirus
With number of temporary redundancies rising to over 547,000 in Catalonia, new measures aim to stop firms from using crisis to reduce workforce
Coronavirus crisis poses major threat to survival of local stores
Experts say crisis will cause many shops to close down, but also offers "opportunity" to make needed changes like adapting to online sales
‘Catastrophe’ as tourism sector loses Easter and worries for summer season
Studies estimate losses of up to six million international tourists and €60 billion
Temporary lay-offs continue to rise as business feels the pinch of pandemic
Over 400,000 people in Catalonia affected by collective dismissals during coronavirus crisis so far, more than February's jobless total
Fishing in Catalonia almost completely halted
Locally caught fish now harder to find, with lack of activity in ports and changes in consumer habits to blame
‘Devastating’ scenario for cinemas as layoffs foreseen in 90% of theatres
Catalan Cinema Guild warns the industry may only see a gradual recovery in June
Read the latest updates and breaking news on business and economic matters from Barcelona and Catalonia here. Keep up to date with how the Catalan economy is performing, inflation levels, employment and unemployment, major business mergers, important company announcements, and the latest on Catalonia’s biggest enterprises such as Vueling, Wallbox, Grifols, Mango, and plenty of start-ups and international firms based here too.