Article by Georgia Karavangeli, Reas, Red de Redes

On the 10th of December 2021, the Spanish Network of Networks of Alternative and Solidarity Economy (REAS RdR) launched the Christmas campaign: “Estas navidades hazte el tESSt y Consume dentro” (“This Christmas do SSE and Consume inside the network”), with the aim to promote responsible consumption through the Social Markets and the Solidarity Economy.

Taking advantage of this campaign, REAS RdR presented the renewed platform of the Mercado Social (Social Market) www.mercadosocial.net, a space in which consumers and Social Solidarity Economy providers can find projects, products and services that are committed to an economy where the people and the environment are on the center of the economic activity.

Since 2010, REAS RdR, promotes at territorial level the Social Market as the “economic circuit of the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE)” that brings together producers, distributors and consumers that are aligned with the principles of the SSE by providing an alternative and more sustainable way to cover the needs of the people and of the SSE entities that are members of the SSE network”.

Currently, there are 11 social markets in the Spanish territory, one in each regional SSE network (Andalusia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Galicia, Euskadi, Navarra, Madrid, La Rioja and País Valencia), that are bounded together under the principle of solidarity and the respect to human being and the environment. These social market networks promote responsible production and consumption and have to be more visible and known in order to have a greater impact in the change of the consumption behaviour and inspire others to join the network.

The new platform of the Mercado Social mercadosocial.net, apart from sharing news and campaigns on the Social Market in general, offers a space for each territorial network with a catalogue of providers of the proximity economy. It facilitates and makes easy the search of SSE providers per territory and per sector such as energy, ethical finance, housing, food and telecommunications that are committed to the principles and values of the network (equity, environmental sustainability, decent work, cooperation, commitment to the environment and non-profit). Each member of the Social Market measures its impact and contribution to these values every year through the Social Balance Audit.

One of the novelties of the platform is the virtual map of the Social Market. More than 700 entities can be found, that carry out each year the Social Balance Audit and are part of the SSE circuit. Through the map you can see the names of the SSE entities that participate in the Social Market, their contact details as well as their Social Balance Audits.

If you want to meet and be part of the social market visit our brand new platform www.mercadosocial.net and let us know if you like it!!