The people of Granada are Spaniards who place a high value on reuse and savings. Granada stands as the pinnacle of the circular economy in Spain, surpassing major cities like Madrid and Barcelona in recent public findings.
Within the Sierra Nevada region, more residents participate in collaborative and responsible consumption platforms. BlaBlaCar, Milanuncios, and Too Good To Go were highlighted in a joint study conducted to understand how Spaniards are reshaping their consumption habits.
BlaBlaCar operates as an emissions-saving car sharing network; Milanuncios promotes the reuse of second-hand items; and Too Good To Go rescues food that would otherwise be discarded.
These platforms align with sustainability goals and analyzed data from a combined total of more than 29 million users (8, 14.6 and 6.5 million respectively) to identify which Spanish cities demonstrate the strongest commitment to the circular economy.
To conduct the research, indicators such as BlaBlaCar seats offered, new ads published on Milanuncios, and food packages stored in each city via Too Good To Go were examined. The southern region of Spain leads the rankings, with Andalusia emerging at the forefront.
Following an analysis of 143 Spanish cities, four Andalusian cities rank highest among large cities with populations over 200,000: Granada, Seville, Malaga, and Córdoba. Valencia and Pamplona also appear in fifth and sixth places, reflecting the spread of the circular economy across regions.
There is limited interest in Madrid and Barcelona
These results contrast with the positioning of two major Spanish cities: Madrid and Barcelona. Barcelona sits around 11th place, while Madrid sits around 15th.
Three platforms also examined smaller cities where populations range from less than 200,000 to more than 50,000. In these areas, Jaén stands out, followed by towns such as Salamanca, Cáceres, Mérida, Ciudad Real, and Toledo.
The data and user numbers from these platforms show a growing trend toward collaborative economy practices in recent years. A key motivation for users is savings coupled with sustainability. This aligns with the CIS finding that 12 of the 20 dominant concerns among Spaniards related directly to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The impacts these companies deliver
These three applications contribute in distinct ways to a more sustainable economy. For example, BlaBlaCar in Spain helped prevent over 139,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Car sharing is seen as a local ally for residents of small and mid-sized cities. In the previous year, ridesharing services reached 85% of towns with fewer than 10,000 residents, reflecting a significant uptick.
Milanuncios promotes product reuse and reports that Spaniards have increasingly embraced circular and collaborative practices in recent years. The platform noted more than 5.5 million new ads published in 2022, indicating that all categories of second-hand goods contribute to potential savings exceeding 900,000 tonnes of CO2 in Spain. About 80% of users claim to have purchased a second-hand product, and 70% view it as a sustainable option, according to Milanuncios. Vallejo emphasizes that users value both cost savings and positive impact.
Too Good To Go, the smallest of the three, has sparked a consumer shift by offering users discounted “save food” packs sourced from thousands of restaurants and other food businesses. In 2022, more than 5 million packages were saved and over 12,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions were prevented. Marie Lindström, managing director of Too Good To Go in Spain, notes a notable shift toward responsible consumption and the circular economy.
Consumer awareness has grown as inflation and environmental concerns rise, leading to greater appreciation for food and a commitment to reducing waste. Food parcels accessed through the app increased by 43% in 2022 in Spain. The company argues that food waste accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the Too Good To Go community is positioning itself as a fast way to make a meaningful environmental impact.
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