Small and medium sized business owners in Palma claim they’re scrambling to make ends meet and that nothing is being done to help them.

"Trade dies and nobody does anything to remedy it.” complained Afedeco on social media.

In recent months, business owners in the Sector have described their situation as “agonising" and pointed out that after recovering from the economic crisis, they’re now going through hell yet again.

According to the monthly figures published by the National Institute of Statistics, or INE, turnover for the sector shows an upward trend.

But Afedeco and Pimeco argue that the INE data includes all businesses, large and small, so the figures “don't reflect the reality of the situation” which is why they keep asking the Government to create an Observatori Balear del Comerç.

Problems

Small and medium-sized businesses face a number of issues; rental prices for premises are soaring, they’re competing against online sales and consumer habits are changing all the time.

Afedeco and Pimeco Management Teams say they are working on a series of actions to alleviate the pressures that are "suffocating the commercial sector".

In the last week, employers have published photos on social media showing shops with ‘closed’ or ‘for rent’ signs as well as businesses closing mid-afternoon because trade is so slow. They’ve also shared photos of illegal street traders around Palma Cathedral and in Plaza Major.