Barcelona's first low noise fireworks stand opens ahead of Sant Joan
Pop-up shop sells firecrackers designed for people with pets or sensitive hearing
Midsummer Sant Joan celebrations in Catalonia are synonymous with the constant bangs of exploding fireworks, something not everyone is keen on.
One firework business has attempted to address the concerns of pet owners and people with sensitive hearing by opening a pop-up store in Barcelona that sells medium and low volume products only, a first for the city.
The low noise shop from the company La Traca is located in Plaça Molina, in the Sarrià - Sant Gervasi district.
As the company's CEO, Jordi Brau, explained to the Catalan News Agency (ACN), the aim of the shop is to promote more "inclusive" and "sustainable" fireworks, to respond to the demands of today's society, and to Sant Joan celebrations that have more emphasis than ever on family and children.
The origin of La Traca's line of low noise firecrackers resides in an initiative that the company undertook five years ago when it decided to categorize its products into low, medium and high volume, Brau explained.
"We considered low volume everything below 97 decibels, which is the normal volume of a conversation."
The sector must know how to listen to the demands of society, he said.
"We saw some fireworks that sparkled but also unexpectedly made loud noises, and this disturbed animals, children, and the elderly," he added.