Barcelona has a network of 46 markets, 40 of them market halls. They are owned and managed by the City, through the Municipal Institute of Markets (Institut Municipal de Mercats, IMMB). The history of the markets in Barcelona goes back t the roman times but the first documented permanent market in the city dates from the X century and was located out of walls, near the present day Plaça de l’Angel.  

During the XIX century a visionary urbanist, Ildefons Cerdà, planned the expansion of Barcelona and to link it with other ancient towns located around it. He was the first to thing about a metropolitan Barcelona, a city that should be provided by a certain number of public services accessible to all. That was how the modern markets of Barcelona have been planned in the process of expansion of the city.

Santa Caterina (1848), Sant Antoni (1882) and La Concepció (1888)  were the first markets to be covered and installed in halls. They were made following the art deco style, called Modernisme that is also present in La Llibertat (1888) Hostrafrancs, Sants and other market halls now protected under law for its cultural contribution to the city.  Mayor Francesc Rius i Taulet determined in the last decade of the XIX that markets should be “a public service devoted to insure fresh food for all at any time”. The public dimension of markets was then fixed.

Today, the markets of Barcelona are following a renovation process to update their structures, logistics and services. From 1992, year of the Barcelona Olympic Games to now more than 20 markets have been fully renovated and modernized. The renovation process, leaded by IMMB in partnership with the vendor’s association of every market, transforms the old market places onto modern commercial centers where customers can buy in a one stop shopping process everything needed at home, food and other equipment. Keeping the traditional market appearance, organized on stalls, and the principle of direct and personalized attention, the market halls are incorporating underground parkings and malls to upload the merchandises, cold chambers and storage for every stall, and new services like home delivery, fidelity cards and wi-fi areas.

Being a key element in their neighborhoods, Barcelona markets keep alive cultural traditions and celebrations in coincidence with Christmas, Carnival,  spring and summer patron saint festivities and other. A social and environtnment agenda has been adopted recently I Barcelona markets to deep in the commitment and responsibility of the market community towards their neighbors and the world. Educational programmes addressed to school and high school, campaigns on health prevention and migrant’s integration through the market are being conducted in a way that the markets operates hand to hand with other public and private agents. Barcelona is the head of the European Association of Quality Markets EMPORION, and it is also a member of WUWM, the world union of wholesale and retail markets.