The plenary session of the Alicante Provincial Assembly approved a proactive plan to support household budgets and strengthen local businesses. The Consumption Bonus program, run by the provincial agency, allocates 20 million euros to help families reduce everyday shopping costs while backing small enterprises across the province. The aim is to ease daily expenses for households and sustain commerce in communities throughout the region, creating a ripple effect that benefits families, shops, and local economies.
Gratitude
During the meeting, there was broad political backing for the initiative. Officials highlighted strong, unanimous cooperation among all political groups within the Diputación de Alicante to bring these campaigns to life. The 20 million euro consumer voucher is presented as a practical measure designed to support families as they manage daily shopping needs. After the plenary, the head of the institution emphasized that this achievement reflects a record-level commitment to the entire province and stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue and consensus to drive results in these programs.
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The Extraordinary General Assembly also approved a loan amendment that expands the scope of a program originally launched in 2022 and boosted with two additional rounds of nine million euros each. This expansion raises the total Consumption Bonus allocation in the last six months to 38 million euros, ensuring more municipalities can participate and benefit from the program. The consolidation of support signals a sustained effort to diffuse economic relief across the region and reinforce local purchasing power.
Sebastián Cañadas, deputy for economic development, announced subsidies tied to measures enacted in 2023. A notable change this year is that the Diputación will disburse the aid amount directly to municipalities with the call decision, unless a waiver is expressly received. The subsidy amount will be calculated according to each town’s population, and municipal treasuries could begin receiving funds at the start of April, provided requests are submitted within 20 working days after the approved bases are published in the BOP. This streamlined process aims to speed up delivery and maximize impact.
funds received
Cañadas outlined that each council may deploy the funds to run one or more consumer voucher campaigns. Eligible activities through 2023 will have their justification period extended until January 31, 2024, granting municipalities extra time to demonstrate the impact of the aid. The plan has received positive evaluations from the Compromís and socialist groups, who noted the favorable effects on consumers and family economies. This support is intended to empower households to manage shopping costs while sustaining local vendors and service providers.
Overall, the campaign aims to preserve household purchasing power while reinforcing local commerce, with emphasis on transparent administration and timely fund delivery to supported municipalities. The initiative aligns with provincial priorities to stabilize living costs and bolster small businesses across the region, reflecting a coordinated strategy to mitigate economic pressures faced by families and communities as they move forward together.