This is how Barcelona wants to improve the quality of life

The more we order online, the more shipments have to be delivered. It is not uncommon for large delivery vehicles to clog up streets that are far too narrow – especially in inner cities. Barcelona now want to tackle this problem with an Amazon tax.

Congested streets in the city center, delivery vehicles parked in double rows – all of this is part of everyday life for many people in big cities. But that could soon change in Barcelona.

Because the Spanish metropolis has introduced a so-called Amazon tax. The city examined its project from a legal point of view for a total of three years – now it has become a reality.

Who does the Amazon tax affect?

The city of Barcelona passed its new tax with a clear majority. Now nothing stands in the way of the introduction.

With the Amazon tax, large online retailers and delivery companies are to be taxed with a levy of 1.25 percent of their gross proceeds. This applies to all goods delivered in Barcelona.

However, the new regulation should only apply to large companies. These include corporations that deliver goods worth at least one million euros a year in the Spanish metropolis.

What are Barcelona’s goals with the new levy?

Barcelona’s deputy mayor Jaume Collboni justifies the Amazon tax in December in the newspaper El Periodico as a way to meet the sharp increase in online retail demand at a local level.

E-commerce brings challenges related to traffic congestion, air pollution and noise pollution, and of course the impact on local commerce that cannot compete on an equal footing with the big platforms.

The city is pursuing several goals with the Amazon tax. For example, a change in habits should be brought about. Changing “habits towards a sustainable model” could result in more and more people choosing parcel collection points over home delivery.

But stationary trade should also benefit from the Amazon tax. Because the city also hopes that people’s consumer behavior will change and that they will buy more from smaller local shops again.

What about online trading in Germany?

The area has also expanded in Germany E-commerce has developed significantly in recent years. While sales of goods from the Internet were not even 30 billion euros in 2013, they have more than tripled since then.

Online trading in Germany recorded its current high in 2021 with sales of around 99 billion euros. In the previous year it had been around 83 billion.

This high can of course be explained by the corona pandemic, many lockdowns and closed inner cities. But people’s habits have also adapted to the circumstances.

Because in 2022, online retail had to accept a small setback in terms of sales. The number was still around 90 billion euros.

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