Hereu, the minister of industry and tourism, said the steady growth in tourist numbers – which could be further boosted this summer by uncertainty over Middle Eastern destinations after the US and Israel’s war on Iran – could be managed sustainably and responsibly. Last year, the number of foreign tourists rose by 3.2% to 96.8 million, while the value of their spending grew by 6.8% to hit €134bn (£116bn). Figures from the first quarter of this year show tourist numbers up by 3.4% and revenue up by 6.7%.“With that growth, we could reach 100 million,” Hereu said. “But I’d like to point out that that doesn’t worry us or obsess us … [We favour] what I call calm growth – in other words, growth that can be easily managed. And this year, despite what’s happening and the demand diversion effect, I think that in general, for the moment, our forecast is for moderate growth.”

While tourism has long been a pillar of the Spanish economy, making up more than 12% of its GDP, its rapid and unchecked growth in many parts of the country over recent years has triggered protests and a furious backlash. Overtourism, not least the proliferation of tourist apartments, has changed the face of entire neighbourhoods and cities, priced locals out of the housing market and increased pressure on public services and natural resources. Asked if the current rates of tourism were sustainable, Hereu said: “Yes, if we do our homework, and no if we don’t do anything.” The minister, a former mayor of Barcelona, praised his successor in that role, Jaume Collboni, a fellow socialist, for pushing ahead with a decision to ban tourist apartments in the Catalan capital by 2028, but he said Spain’s highly decentralised nature made it hard for the central government to drive local change. He also contrasted the different approaches of leftwing and rightwing administrations. “I think there are places in Spain that are now seeing the effects of not regulating anything,” he said. “But I also want to be very clear, because this is also influenced by political stripes. The left is more in favour of regulating tourism than the right, because the right holds the view that we should allow freedom because the market will self-regulate, which isn’t true, and in many places it’s clear that it isn’t self-regulating.”

Hereu said that while he believed the anti-tourism feeling was “very much a minority thing” in Spain, it was becoming increasingly clear that a new approach was needed and that local and regional authorities needed to properly limit, regulate and tax their tourist offerings. “What I do believe is that in some places there’s a demand for better tourism in the sense of a better model,” he said. “But the culture I see throughout Spain is a culture of a country that knows how to welcome people. Our key principle is that we’re in favour of transforming the model to keep ahead and that we’re working humbly to transform that model because the old formulas no longer work.” Although he defended traditional beach tourism, which still makes up 37% of all visits, and said Spain had to be open to “all sectors” of the market, he noted that people were now seeking experiences beyond their sun loungers. “It’s very interesting to see in the qualitative surveys that people who come basically because ‘hey, I’m here to relax, sun and beach, etc,’ also start asking for add-ons – like ‘beach plus’,” Hereu said. “I think this is also a good trend, because what we need is to add value.”

The minister said Spain’s socialist-led coalition government was committed to the socially, economically and environmentally sustainable principles set out in its 2030 tourism strategy. “One is decentralising destinations over time and we’re also working towards deseasonalisation,” he said. “The third, very clear principle is the diversification of our offering away from all those decades of sun and sand and coast, which is where the [Spanish tourist industry] was born, and which is still the dominant offering.” Although Spain has been pushing the summery charms of its eastern and southern coasts for decades, Hereu argues that the key to sustainable tourism lies in making it less seasonal, less beach-fixated and more geographically and culturally diverse. The country’s current advertising campaign, called Think You Know Spain? Think Again, swerves sun-kissed costas to focus instead on images of churches, paradores, orange groves, folk festivals, food, wine, lakes, green spaces, handicrafts and brown bears. It even features rain.....read on  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/18/man-tasked-with-taking-barcelona-back-from-overtourism                                             

Consequences of Overproduction and Overconsumption Net Impact As the world copes with an unprecedented global pandemic, many people are reconsidering their levels of consumption in relation to their needs. . For some people, a loss of income has caused them to reprioritize the things that are actually essential. For others, social distancing has caused them to eat fewer meals at restaurants, buy fewer clothes, use less gasoline, and find entertainment in things that don’t require as much money or waste so much time or energy. And in light of the effects of overproduction and overconsumption on the world economy and environment, perhaps this is not entirely a bad thing. As the world copes with an unprecedented global pandemic, many people are reconsidering their levels of consumption in relation to their needs. For some people, a loss of income has caused them to reprioritize the things that are actually essential. For others, social distancing has caused them to eat fewer meals at restaurants, buy fewer clothes, use less gasoline, and find entertainment in things that don’t require as much money or waste so much time or energy.And in light of the effects of overproduction and overconsumption on the world economy and environment, perhaps this is not entirely a bad thing.

Staggering statistics......Recent studies have shown that 80% of the world’s natural resources are used by only 20% of the world’s population. The statistics for the United States are even more staggering. While they represent less than 5% of the world’s population, Americans: Consume 17% of the world’s energy. Account for 15% of the world's GDP.Additionally, more than almost any other country in the world, the United States: Consumes more calories. Emits more greenhouse gases. Produces more waste.

Overproduction and overconsumption Overproduction is the production of goods that exceeds the needs of the consumers who are consuming them. It was the leading cause of the Great Depression — factories and farms produced more goods than the people could afford to buy, so prices fell, factories closed their doors and workers were laid off, which led to a seemingly endless cycle of poverty and want. Overconsumption is what happens when an ecosystem can no longer sustain the use of its resources. It strips the earth of natural resources, such as forests, fish, soil, minerals and water, which collapses ecosystems, ruins habitats and endangers the survival of countless species that contribute to an intricate, vibrant circle of life.
Damage to the environment and the economy.......Overproduction and overconsumption add to the already-high levels of pollution and toxic gases that contribute to global warming. As has been reported in numerous publications in the past decade, the impacts of climate change transcend international borders, as well as levels of privilege and wealth. We have witnessed this phenomenon in real time as the wildfires on the west coast and hurricanes on the east coast have grown in intensity and severity......read on https://www.netimpact.org/blog/overproduction-overconsumption-consequences

So how does one start shopping less? We asked experts and people who have pared down their own spending.

Why do we overconsume?.......Struggling with some degree of impulse shopping is common in this day and age, says Alexa Brown, a musician with the Omaha Symphony who also runs the YouTube channel Conscious Consumerism.“I really think society has been optimized to fuel consumerism at every turn,” she says. Between insidious marketing that preys on our most vulnerable insecurities, data tracking that produces ultra-personalized ads, and online influencers hawking every product one can imagine, overconsumption is not just a norm, it’s an aspiration, Brown argues. Shopping can be an effective way to distract ourselves from stress, anxiety and boredom, says Nicholas Garofola, a content creator who posts about minimalism and frugal living.

Spending is “exciting”, Garofola says. “There’s a tangible novelty to having something new.”And sometimes we might not know what else to do. “Many people don’t know how to function outside of consumption,” says Shelby Orme, a sustainability expert and content creator. Orme says adults in her family didn’t have hobbies, so shopping became a major activity. It becomes a hobby for a lot of people, she argues, so choosing not to participate in the consumerist hamster wheel “can feel isolating”.

What is the problem with overconsumption?....Firstly, it can get expensive. Consumer debt is rising in the UK and US. The average adult in the UK carries £1,425 ($1,900) in credit card debt- in the US, the number is a whopping $6,715 (£5,030). Debt can take a toll on one’s physical and emotional health. Studies have shown that those with consumer debt who are in financial distress are more likely to report higher anxiety, lower life satisfaction, drug and alcohol abuse, as well as physical symptoms such as migraines and digestive tract problems.

Garofola says that in his own experience, owning a lot of things that he didn’t use felt “heavy”. He ultimately realized that shopping was an avoidance technique: “There’s probably some other problems that need to be addressed if I’m spending to feel happy.”You also risk damaging your future and your family’s future, says Dr James Grubman, a psychologist and the owner of Family Wealth Consulting in Boston. Besides preventing you from building up financial safety and security, overspending can also hurt relationships, either as a result of acute stress or asking for money from those around you For years, I have been caught in a tiresome, expensive cycle: when I’m bored (or sad, or insecure) I scroll through my phone, looking for stuff to buy. In those moments, it feels like the right purchase will relieve me of ennui or unpleasantness. These shoes will make my life more glamorous! This face wash will make me feel forever beautiful! Sometimes this rush lasts up to two days after I receive my item. But the excitement fades – sometimes as soon as I click “confirm purchase” – and I inevitably think: “Why did I do that?

”So how does one start shopping less? We asked experts and people who have pared down their own spending. Why do we overconsume?.......Struggling with some degree of impulse shopping is common in this day and age, says Alexa Brown, a musician with the Omaha Symphony who also runs the YouTube channel Conscious Consumerism. “I really think society has been optimized to fuel consumerism at every turn,” she says......read on   https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2026/jun/08/how-to-shop-less-overconsumption-tips

Why do we overconsume?.......Struggling with some degree of impulse shopping is common in this day and age, says Alexa Brown, a musician with the Omaha Symphony who also runs the YouTube channel Conscious Consumerism.“I really think society has been optimized to fuel consumerism at every turn,” she says. Between insidious marketing that preys on our most vulnerable insecurities, data tracking that produces ultra-personalized ads, and online influencers hawking every product one can imagine, overconsumption is not just a norm, it’s an aspiration, Brown argues. Shopping can be an effective way to distract ourselves from stress, anxiety and boredom, says Nicholas Garofola, a content creator who posts about minimalism and frugal living.

Spending is “exciting”, Garofola says. “There’s a tangible novelty to having something new.”And sometimes we might not know what else to do. “Many people don’t know how to function outside of consumption,” says Shelby Orme, a sustainability expert and content creator. Orme says adults in her family didn’t have hobbies, so shopping became a major activity. It becomes a hobby for a lot of people, she argues, so choosing not to participate in the consumerist hamster wheel “can feel isolating”.

What is the problem with overconsumption?....Firstly, it can get expensive. Consumer debt is rising in the UK and US. The average adult in the UK carries £1,425 ($1,900) in credit card debt- in the US, the number is a whopping $6,715 (£5,030). Debt can take a toll on one’s physical and emotional health. Studies have shown that those with consumer debt who are in financial distress are more likely to report higher anxiety, lower life satisfaction, drug and alcohol abuse, as well as physical symptoms such as migraines and digestive tract problems.

Garofola says that in his own experience, owning a lot of things that he didn’t use felt “heavy”. He ultimately realized that shopping was an avoidance technique: “There’s probably some other problems that need to be addressed if I’m spending to feel happy.”You also risk damaging your future and your family’s future, says Dr James Grubman, a psychologist and the owner of Family Wealth Consulting in Boston. Besides preventing you from building up financial safety and security, overspending can also hurt relationships, either as a result of acute stress or asking for money from those around you For years, I have been caught in a tiresome, expensive cycle: when I’m bored (or sad, or insecure) I scroll through my phone, looking for stuff to buy. In those moments, it feels like the right purchase will relieve me of ennui or unpleasantness. These shoes will make my life more glamorous! This face wash will make me feel forever beautiful! Sometimes this rush lasts up to two days after I receive my item. But the excitement fades – sometimes as soon as I click “confirm purchase” – and I inevitably think: “Why did I do that?”So how does one start shopping less? We asked experts and people who have pared down their own spending.

Why do we overconsume?.......Struggling with some degree of impulse shopping is common in this day and age, says Alexa Brown, a musician with the Omaha Symphony who also runs the YouTube channel Conscious Consumerism. “I really think society has been optimized to fuel consumerism at every turn,” she says......read on   https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2026/jun/08/how-to-shop-less-overconsumption-tips