Spain’s Government Guide to Shopping Under a New Normality at Shops, Street Markets and Shopping Centres in Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and Beyond

Due to the upcoming implementation of Spain’s plan to de-escalate out of quarantine, economic activity will slowly being to restart. For this reason, the government has released guidelines for citizens to understand under what conditions they may venture outside, but equally as important, they have also outlined various specific measures that must now be respected by different businesses.

THE Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, has fashioned a guide of good practices which must be adapted to by the owners of these establishments or those in charge of markets and shopping centres in order to restart their activities again without risk to them and, of course, without endangering their clients as well.

New Measures for Shops

Although the government has indicated very specific recommendations for the different commercial sectors and phases, on a more general level it has set forth guidelines for all stores who may begin to open their doors from Phase 1, that is, from May 11. And among those are the following:

• Daily ventilation cleaning and tasks must be carried out and the cleanliness of the air filters must be improved.
• It will be necessary to maintain the temperature of the premises between 23ºC and 26ºC.
• Twice a day you have to carry out disinfection tasks in the store especially, sinks, floors, doorknobs, carts, baskets …
• Hydroalcoholic gel dispensers should be available for customers and staff.
• The two-metre safety distance between employee and customer as well as between customers must be respected.
• A maximum capacity must be established and both the entrance and exit of the store must control the flow of people. Also, there will be a preferential schedule for people over 65 years of age.

New Measures for Street Markets

In Phase 1, street markets will also be allowed to reopen provided that the city council of the locality in question considers it appropriate and if it can set up the stalls correctly, which usually are placed on public roads.

Of course, for this to be carried out, a series of conditions must be respected:

• The presence of stalls will be initially limited to 25 per cent or the surface area will be increased to correctly place them in order to have more space between them.
• However, in Phase 3, which will take place from June 8, they will be able to increase the number of positions until reaching 50 per cent.
• The stalls will have to maintain a clear safety distance.
• Security forces will have to carry out a control of the capacity of the people who come to them.

Measures for shopping centres

In the so-called Phase 2, the opening of these commercial parks and shopping centres will take place. However, it will be prohibited to use the recreational or common areas of the shopping centres. Likewise, other guidelines have been established in this regard:

• The capacity will be limited to 40 per cent.
• The safety distance of two metres between clients must be guaranteed at all times. This measure is to be maintained during all phases.
• Preferential hours will be indicated for people over 65 years of age.

When Phase 3 of the de-escalation plan arrives, individuals will be allowed to use these common and recreational areas and the capacity will be limited to 50 per cent.