Public actions to strengthen Mercabarna in sustainable food

The report analyzes Mercabarna’s strategic role in the context of the global food crisis and proposes public actions to strengthen its contribution to a more sustainable and fair food system, with a special emphasis on local production and short marketing channels.

First, it documents the decline in local supply within the infrastructure: the percentage of Catalan products has fallen from 53% in 1988 to 15% in 2024, while imports and exports have grown steadily. Despite Mercabarna’s efforts to promote sustainable food, this evolution has favored large logistics operators and increased dependence on fragile global chains, in a context marked by the climate emergency and rising food prices.

Second, the study points out that Mercabarna can become a key asset in anticipating future crises, but to do so it needs decisive and structural public policy. Ten specific actions are proposed, such as the creation of a scientific consortium, the implementation of an ecological and social balance, the incorporation of short-circuit clauses in contracts, and the deployment of local wholesale markets, among others.

• Date: 2025
• Authors: Rubén Martínez i Adrià Rodríguez
• Supported by: Fundación Betiko
• Keywords: sustainable food, Mercabarna, short supply chains, food policy