Spanish NGOs push for public supermarket network with community kitchens

The NGO Justice Alimentaria, supported by more than 50 social entities such as Greenpeace and Ecologistas en Acción, is pressing the Spanish government to pass legislation creating a nationwide chain of public supermarkets. The manifesto, slated for delivery to the Congress, focuses on areas suffering acute food shortages, asserting that the state must guarantee the right to nutrition amid rising prices dominated by large agro-food corporations.

Inspired by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan for five public supermarkets, the Spanish proposal adds community kitchens that would prepare healthy meals for schools, nurseries, residential homes and social canteens, generating decent employment and reinforcing local supply chains. Advocates emphasise prioritising local and organic produce to support small-scale farmers. They warn that millions of Spaniards cannot afford a balanced diet as basic food costs outpace living expenses, forcing families to replace nutritious items with cheaper, lower-quality alternatives. Despite earlier unsuccessful public-supermarket experiments in Spain, the coalition believes one outlet economic climate makes the initiative timely.