Correos, the Spanish postal service, has launched a marketplace for local goods. Correos Market is part of an ongoing effort to combat rural depopulation, as more than 80% of Spaniards now live in urban areas.
Correos Market sells artisan products from across the country. These include characteristic goods like olive oil, wine, and ham, as well as vegan dog food and handmade toys. In total, more than 150 producers offer over 1,200 items, which ship for free via Correos.
The site, which takes a commission from each sale, hopes to be profitable by the end of next year, according to an interview with Juan Manuel Serrano, president of Correos, in El Confidencial. Serrano also noted the company’s plans to offer Spanish goods to an international audience.
To promote the portal, Correos has launched a €190,000 ($211,000 U.S.) ad campaign with the tagline #YoMeQuedo (“I stay”). The ads feature rural areas and producers talking about why they chose to stay in the countryside.
According to Correos Market, “in recent years numerous producer markets have appeared thus encouraging local consumption… the boom in gastronomic tourism and the increase in online purchases of food and crafts, have driven Correos Market [toward] giving visibility to our local producers and rural areas nationally.”
This is part of a trend in Spain toward using digital marketplaces to promote sustainability, sharing and community cohesion. Examples include sharing apps, where goods are given away rather than sold, and TablonDeAnuncios, one of the largest Spanish generalist classifieds, which has launched a donation vertical where people can contribute items to a number of participating charities.