One might think that Mallorca's Christmas shopping season would have started earlier, but last weekend was the start, if only unofficially.
The island's major retailers, represented by the ANGED association, point to there having been a "significant increase" in sales at the weekend. "Things are going well, and that's reflected in employment," the association notes.
Since the weekend, there has been a noticeable surge in sales across a wide range of products, especially those typically associated with Christmas, such as wines, cava, champagne, and traditional holiday foods. There have been increases in the sales of toys, electronic devices and perfumes.
The large retailers are looking at a very positive season, albeit one with a "logical slowdown" following boom post-pandemic seasons.
For the small retailers, there are the familiar problems posed by online selling and the drift of consumers to the shopping malls. The president of the Pimeco association, Carolina Domingo, is reasonably upbeat. The outlook is "good", but if the large retailers are experiencing something of a slowdown compared with recent Christmas seasons, the small stores may well suffer a greater slowdown.