You gave your phone number to the administrator of your building. Could it be passed to the community president without asking you? A Spanish lawyer says it can be used for community business, but there are limits to how they can use it beyond that, where privacy rules kick in.

Can the president really get your number without asking?

A president of a Spanish community of owners asked their building administrator for the phone numbers and email addresses of its 57 owners. The administrator refused, citing data protection, and in a report by El País, lawyer Isabel Martínez said that refusal misunderstood who controls the information.

It get’s a little messy, and like many Spanish beaurocratic procedures, it feel like it could be much simpler. The way it works is the administrator holds owners’ contact details for the community. Because the president represents that community, Martínez says they can access details needed for community business without asking every owner for permission first. The administrator, if reluctant to give said details away, cannot simply refuse by citing data protection law. Spain’s data protection agency confirms that the community is responsible for its owners’ data, while the administrator handles it on the community’s behalf.

That doesn’t give the president free rein though. The details may be used for community matters, such as dealing with building problems or communicating with owners. They cannot then be passed around to other neighbours, used to pursue a personal disagreement or kept for an unrelated purpose.

The WhatsApp rule many buildings could overlook

There is a difference between contacting an owner and putting their number into a group chat where other members can easily see it and save it.

The AEPD’s guidance for communities of owners says a number an owner has provided may be used for community communications through WhatsApp. Adding that owner to a group, however, requires their express, informed consent. The lawyer also warns against sending a group email with every recipient’s address visible; the addresses should be hidden using BCC.

The consequences of sharing too much are real. In one case, a community faced a €2,000 penalty after its president posted a resident’s bank receipt in a building WhatsApp group, exposing her name, address and bank details. That case showed the extent to which the situation can get to when information is shared in bad taste and without consent in a group chat, far passed simply adding someone’s number. 

EWN has previously reported a separate €1,000 community privacy fine involving details of a neighbour’s debt displayed on a noticeboard. 

What if the administrator refuses?

If you are the president, ask in writing for the contact details already held by the administrator, explain which community duties require them, and ask for a specific reason if access is refused. The lawyer’s answer addresses access to existing records; it doesn’t mean every owner must supply a phone number or email address.

Home owners should know that their details may be available to the president of their urbanisation or building for community business, but that does not make their number available to the whole neighbourhood.

San Pedro del Pinatar is celebrating its recent participation in the European CIRCUS4ALL project, alongside local non-profit organisation AIDEMAR, which combined sports, art, circus performances, and inclusivity.

Circus arts and inclusion come together in San Pedro del Pinatar

During the event, which took place at the Geli Albaladejo Theatre on Wednesday, September 23, attendees were invited to take part in a dynamic experience combining elements of circus arts, movement and teamwork, all of which were accessible to people of all skill levels.

AIDEMAR, founded in 1982, is a well-known association in the region that supports people with disabilities. The non-profit organisation, in addition to San Pedro del Pinatar, also operates in the municipalities of San Javier, Torre Pacheco and Pilar de la Horadada.

Through CIRCUS4ALL, the organisation demonstrated how performances, coordination exercises, and group participation can help to create confidence, social interaction and a sense of belonging. Inclusion was a strong goal of the fun-filled workshop, and during the event, the participants made friends, socialised, and supported each other.

CIRCUS4ALL included dancing performances, magic shows, impressive tricks, and a lot of spectacle.

The event also served as a meeting point for the community, bringing together families, participants and organisers in a positive and supportive environment. The atmosphere encouraged people to participate at their own pace and skill level, while still feeling part of a larger group.

Performances, participation and social impact

The event formed part of a wider European programme aimed at promoting inclusion through creative and physical activities. Projects like CIRCUS4ALL underline the growing importance of inclusive programmes across Europe, particularly in coastal towns like San Pedro del Pinatar, where tourism, community life and social initiatives all intertwine. With this effort, the town continues to build a more open and welcoming future for residents and visitors alike.

“San Pedro del Pinatar is a municipality that believes in inclusion and opportunities for all,” stated the San Pedro del Pinatar Town Hall in an Instagram post about the event. “We are proud that, from San Pedro, we continue to create a municipality that is more and more inclusive.”

If you have ever walked into a supermarket in Spain and wondered why the same handful of names seem to be everywhere, a new contender may be worth keeping an eye on. One Galician supermarket chain has quietly grown into a sizeable national business, with hundreds of shops, thousands of employees and plans that have taken it well beyond its home region.

And if you are wondering whether Froiz could eventually arrive in Andalucía, there is a catch: the chain is expanding, but there is currently no confirmed announcement of a new Froiz store in the region.

From Galicia to 268 stores

Froiz has its roots in Pontevedra, Galicia, where the family-owned company began in 1968. More than half a century later, it has become one of Spain’s larger supermarket groups. The company finished 2025 with €970 million in net sales, up from €943 million the previous year, according to its latest figures. It now operates 268 company-owned outlets across Spain and Portugal. 

That figure includes 249 Froiz supermarkets, seven Hiper Froiz stores and 12 cash-and-carry outlets operating under the Ekomax and Cash Froiz names. There are also 80 franchised shops operating under the MercaMas, MercaExpress and Atlántico brands.  The group employs around 7,000 people and describes itself as a supermarket focused on proximity, fresh produce, national brands and its own Froiz products. 

Where can you find Froiz?

Despite its size, Froiz is still concentrated in a relatively small number of regions. In Spain, the chain currently operates in Galicia, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha and the Community of Madrid. It also has shops in northern Portugal, including the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto and Aveiro.  Its expansion has not simply consisted of opening small neighbourhood supermarkets.

In 2025, Froiz acquired three Masymas stores in León from Hijos de Luis Rodríguez, with the existing employees retained. The move helped increase its presence in Castilla y León.  The chain has continued opening stores during 2026, including a new supermarket in Sanxenxo, Pontevedra, in June. That 2,125-square-metre store includes fresh food counters, prepared meals, a café, free parking, home delivery and online shopping. 

What about Andalucía?

This is where shoppers in southern Spain may have to wait, there is currently no confirmed Froiz expansion into Andalucía. The company’s own current list of operating regions does not include Andalucía, and its 2026 news and openings published so far show activity concentrated in areas where it already has a presence, rather than announcing a move into the south.  That does not mean Andalucía is permanently off the map. Froiz has demonstrated that it is willing to expand beyond Galicia, including into Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León.

But there is no announced date, city or confirmed project for an Andalucía opening at present, so claims that the chain is about to arrive in the region would be premature. There is another reason the south could be an interesting market to watch. Froiz already has experience competing outside its traditional territory and has been gaining ground in Madrid, where its expansion has been noted alongside other regional supermarket operators. 

Could Froiz take on Mercadona and Carrefour?

Froiz is nowhere near the scale of Spain’s biggest supermarket chains, but it is increasingly competing for the same shoppers . Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl and Aldi dominate much of Spain’s grocery market, while regional chains have also been expanding and gaining ground. Froiz is among those regional operators benefiting from the continued strength of supermarket groups with a more local presence. 

Its strategy is based heavily on fresh food, proximity and a broad range of products rather than trying to copy the country’s biggest chains. For shoppers, that means another supermarket name is becoming increasingly familiar outside Galicia, and with 268 stores already operating, Froiz is no longer a small regional player. For Andalucía, however, there is nothing to add to the shopping list just yet. Froiz is expanding, but the arrival of its green-and-red signs in southern Spain has not been announced.