Summary

The Socialist Government’s proposed Law on Trading Hours represents a clear step backwards in terms of business freedom. It will not only be detrimental to consumers, whose freedom will be restricted when it comes to deciding when and where they wish to buy, but will also provide false protection to small businesses, because it does nothing to promote their modernization. The official figures according to Spanish Region clearly show that liberalization has not only had no detrimental effect on trade, but that the most restrictive Spanish Regions are the ones that have the fewest small businesses, create the least employment and have the least dynamic commercial fabric, whilst also presenting the highest inflationary pressures.