SUMMER sales officially started in Spain yesterday with up to 50% off existing stock, with even lower prices expected in later weeks.
Cutting prices has meant the retail sector has been able to increase the number of temporary jobs offered - some 116,000 people will be employed in high-street shops between now and September, about 4% more than during last year's sales.
At this time of year, shop owners make nearly 35% of their annual takings in just two months since, although business over the Christmas period is also buoyant, the New Year sales are less commonly-frequented as consumers tend to be more strapped for cash after the festive season.
Whilst Spain's government changed the rules two years ago allowing shops to hold sale periods whenever they wanted, rather than just during the Christmas and January campaign and over the summer, many stick to the old pattern because the 'novelty' of much lower prices for the same goods means an upsurge in customers.
And areas granted official 'tourist destination' status are legally permitted to open shops on Sundays and bank holidays, meaning greater profits for high-street traders in large city centres or coastal towns in the regions of Murcia, Madrid, Catalunya, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Asturias, La Rioja, Andalucía, Galicia, Aragón, Extremadura, and Valencia.
In all of these regions bar Valencia, Sunday trading is allowed year-round.
About three million shoppers were expected to descend on the sales yesterday, although many prefer to wait until the initial frenzy is over or even near the end of the sales, since this is when they are more likely to find bigger bargains - albeit less choice by then.
Job offers go up by around 60% in retail in summer, and the clothing sector is where most of the spending happens, followed closely by shoes, and then perfume and cosmetics.
Traders are more optimistic this year after having seen takings rising for the past eight months, even in larger purchases such as household appliances, electronics and furniture.
