See you at the market
Some have become tourist attractions: photogenic settings for strolling and grabbing a bite, almost always cooked with ingredients not purchased in neighboring shops. Others present a bleak scene, with three or four stalls barely hanging on amidst a landscape of closed shutters.
The future of traditional markets was discussed a few days ago in [publication name missing]. A couple of decades ago, the proliferation of hypermarkets seemed to have dealt them a death blow—along with much of the smaller retail sector—but what's delivering the final blow are the branches of the industry giants that we now find on every corner under urgent signs like 'express' or 'rapid'. It's also true that if most of the markets that survive offer practically the same products as any large retailer, probably at a few cents more expensive, what's the point?
Where it's easy to see a bleak future, there are still those who can sense a space of opportunity. Nearly 1,000 markets across the country, with more than 40,000 stalls—many of them empty—don't have to become a wasteland of urban development or a cardboard cutout tourist attraction.
The authorities have a lot of work ahead of them, but in the meantime, we can contribute by choosing our shopping wisely. Markets are a valuable link between the countryside and the city, but also one of the few places where it's still possible to meet, talk to each other, and recognize one another as neighbors.
