Shoppers across Spain are being urged to stop spending for 24 hours on Wednesday, November 11, as consumer association FACUA calls for a nationwide shopping boycott over rising living costs. The appeal covers everything from supermarket purchases and petrol to new energy and telecommunications contracts.

The proposed action, described as a huelga de compras, or shopping strike, will coincide with a general strike scheduled for the same day.

For British residents and other foreign nationals living in Spain, the initiative raises a practical question: will supermarkets, petrol stations and other businesses remain open?

The shopping boycott is voluntary. It does not mean that stores will be legally required to close or that consumers will be prevented from buying essential goods.

According to FACUA’s announcement published on October 23, the organisation is encouraging people to avoid shopping and signing up for new services throughout the day to draw attention to the loss of purchasing power.

Why Spain is calling for a 24-hour shopping boycott

FACUA-Consumidores en Acción announced the initiative on Friday, October 23, urging consumers to take part in a day without purchases on November 11. The association argues that the rising cost of essential goods and services is making everyday life increasingly difficult for households in Spain.

Its concerns extend beyond supermarket prices to housing costs, mortgage payments, electricity bills and fuel.

FACUA says the combination of higher living expenses and reduced purchasing power is placing additional pressure on families, particularly those already struggling to cover their basic needs.

FACUA wants consumers to express their dissatisfaction by temporarily withholding spending across shops and service providers, rather than targeting a single retailer or industry.

The association is also calling on public authorities, political representatives and businesses to address what it sees as growing inequality and difficulties accessing essential goods and services.

The initiative comes amid wider discussions about the cost of living in Spain, where housing affordability and household expenses remain major concerns for many residents.

However, the campaign is not specifically directed at foreign residents. FACUA is inviting consumers across Spain to participate, regardless of nationality.

The proposed shopping strike is also separate from an earlier call to boycott Spain’s major supermarket chains for a week. That proposal focused on food prices and did not establish a specific date, whereas FACUA’s latest initiative covers a wider range of spending and is scheduled for November 11.

What shoppers are being asked not to buy on November 11

The consumer association is asking people to avoid making purchases or taking out new service contracts for the full 24 hours.

This includes everyday shopping in supermarkets, local businesses and other retail outlets, as well as online purchases.

FACUA is also encouraging drivers not to refuel their vehicles during the day.

According to Europa Press’s report on the announcement, the association wants consumers to postpone certain administrative and commercial transactions involving essential services.

These include signing up for new electricity or gas contracts, changing energy tariffs, arranging telecommunications services and entering into new agreements with financial institutions.

The intention is to extend the protest beyond physical shops and demonstrate how household spending affects several sectors of the economy.

For residents considering changing their electricity supplier, arranging a new mobile phone contract or opening a bank account, FACUA’s request is simply to postpone those transactions for the day if they wish to participate.

Importantly, the campaign does not instruct people to stop paying bills that are already due.There is also no suggestion that existing rental payments, mortgage instalments or utility obligations should be ignored.

The distinction matters because a voluntary shopping boycott is not the same as withholding legally required payments.

Likewise, the appeal does not mean consumers must go without essential food, medication or other necessities.Those who choose to participate can make their own decisions about which purchases or transactions to postpone.

Will supermarkets and petrol stations stay open on November 11?

FACUA’s appeal does not require supermarkets, petrol stations or other businesses to close on November 11. Shops may continue trading as usual, although the separate general strike could affect some services depending on staff participation.

However, November 11 is also the date of a separate general strike, which could affect staffing and services depending on participation and the arrangements made by individual businesses.

The distinction between the two actions is important.The shopping boycott is an appeal to consumers, while the general strike concerns workers and their participation in industrial action.

For anyone travelling on the day, transport arrangements may also require attention.

As Euro Weekly News previously reported on Spain’s November 11 general strike, travellers should monitor announcements from airlines and transport operators for information about possible disruption.

At this stage, FACUA’s shopping campaign does not establish which shops will open, which employees may strike or whether particular services will be interrupted.

Nor is there a confirmed estimate of how many consumers will participate or how much spending might be postponed.

For British residents and visitors, the key point is that November 11 is being promoted as a voluntary day without shopping. Anyone planning to visit a supermarket, refuel or travel that Wednesday should check the latest information from the relevant businesses and transport providers.

Do you want something to do on Halloween that is more satisfying than scary? Come along and help Eco Amigos with their latest clean-up, and keep litter out of the Mediterranean before the autumn downpours do their worst. This time the team is heading for the spots where heavy rain is most likely to sweep man-made rubbish and debris straight into the sea, and every extra pair of hands will make a real difference.

When and where is the Sabinillas clean-up?

Saturday, October 31 is the one to pencil in and not just for trick or treating, the session runs from 10am to 11.30am and all volunteers should meet outside Chirringuito El Paseo.

Litter-pickers will cover the zone running from the Manilva river down to the sea, taking in Playa de San Luis de Sabinillas. It is a smart choice of location, because riverbeds and drainage channels carry whatever has been dropped inland towards the shore once the rain arrives. Clearing them first stops the problem at its source.

What will Eco Amigos provide?

Organisers will supply bin bags, protective gloves, litter-picking sticks and hand sanitiser, so just turn up and get stuck in. Youngsters are very welcome, which makes this a lovely chance to show children how a little effort keeps a beach beautiful. Dogs, sadly, are not permitted.

Amazing results since 2024

Results speak for themselves. Volunteers have now removed 1,344 large bags of rubbish from natural spaces on the western Costa del Sol since 2024, all of it disposed of properly. Sessions usually take place on Sunday mornings around Casares, Manilva, Estepona and Marbella.

How to join in and help out

Not sure whether it is for you? Message the organisers through the Eco Amigos Facebook group, or visit ecoamigos.net for more information. Bring a friend, bring the kids, and help keep Sabinillas beach looking its best before the rains arrive.

A tiny payment error has caused calls for changes to Spain’s tax rules after a taxpayer faced a hefty surcharge because a payment to the Tax Agency fell just four cents short of the amount owed.

The case has been examined by the Consejo para la Defensa del Contribuyente (Council for the Defence of Taxpayers), an advisory body attached to Spain’s Ministry of Finance. In its 2025 annual report, the council argues that the consequences of such a small mistake can be wildly disproportionate and recommends changes to how certain tax debts are handled.

Why did four cents cause such a problem?

The case involved Modelo 111, the tax form used by businesses and self-employed workers to declare income tax withheld from employees and other recipients. The taxpayer had declared a debt for the third quarter of 2023 but failed to pay it within the original deadline or request a payment extension or installment arrangement. Once the voluntary payment period expired, the debt entered the enforcement stage under Spain’s General Tax Law.

The taxpayer subsequently paid almost the entire amount before receiving formal notification of the enforcement order. However, a small error when entering the payment left four cents outstanding. Under the existing rules, the more favourable 5 per cent executive surcharge applies only when the entire outstanding debt has been paid before the enforcement order is notified.

Because the payment was slightly incomplete, the Tax Agency proceeded with an enforcement order covering the debt. The council acknowledged that the collection authority had applied the legislation as written. Its objection was that the rules left little room to account for an obvious, insignificant error, despite the much larger financial consequences.

Importantly, the original payment deadline had already been missed. The four-cent mistake did not cause the initial late-payment surcharge; it prevented the taxpayer from qualifying for the more favourable rate.

Calls for a ‘right to make a mistake’

The council has recommended that the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Agency introduce consistent proportionality criteria for enforcement surcharges when only a very small amount remains unpaid because of an obvious arithmetic or typing error.

It wants the authorities to consider whether the outstanding sum is genuinely insignificant and whether the taxpayer can demonstrate that the shortfall resulted from a mistake. The proposal includes extending protections to certain errors involving amounts below €3, creating what the council describes as a form of ‘right to make a mistake’ when paying tax debts.

The €3 threshold is not entirely new. A joint resolution issued in November 2022 provided for the cancellation of certain outstanding debts below that amount where the cost of collecting them could outweigh the money recovered. The council argues that a comparable approach should be considered when a taxpayer has paid almost all a debt but made a minor error in the amount transferred.

It has also called for a broader review of Spain’s enforcement surcharge system, including the differences between taxpayers who submit their declarations on time but fail to pay and those who submit them late without first receiving a demand from the authorities.

What does this mean for foreign residents in Spain?

The case is a reminder that meeting a tax deadline and paying the correct amount are two separate requirements. British residents and other foreign nationals with tax obligations in Spain are subject to the applicable Spanish tax rules, just like other taxpayers in comparable circumstances.

Anyone paying a tax bill should check the amount carefully, ensure the payment has gone through and confirm that the full balance has been covered. If a payment is short, even by a small amount, it is worth seeking advice promptly rather than assuming the difference is too minor to matter.

Anyone who receives an enforcement notice should also check the deadline for responding and paying, as the surcharge can depend on whether the conditions for a reduced rate are met.

The council’s recommendations do not automatically change the law. Its annual report does not establish that the surcharge in this case has been cancelled, nor does it confirm that the proposed protections have been adopted.

For now, the case raises a straightforward question for Spain’s tax authorities: should an obvious mistake involving a few cents carry such serious financial consequences when a taxpayer has paid virtually the entire debt?