Castellón Provincial Council has introduced a shopping-voucher programme backed by a planned EUR2 million across 2026 and 2027. Announced on September 15, Bono DipuComerç is designed for the province's 135 municipalities and one smaller local entity, with consumers contributing at least half of each voucher's spending value. [S01]

On September 22, the provincial plenary approved a budget amendment containing EUR1,677,293.31 for the initiative. The council said the amount reserved for 2027 would bring the two-year programme to EUR2 million. That distinguishes the newly approved allocation from the full programme commitment. [S02]

Public funding matched by customers

The basic model requires at least one euro from the buyer for each euro of subsidy. In the council's example, a consumer pays EUR20 for a voucher providing EUR40 of purchasing value. Municipalities would use the provincial grants to support their local campaigns. [S01]

EUR per example voucher

Source

Castellón Provincial Council, September 15, 2026

An announced example, not an issued product or a redemption result. The general rule requires at least one buyer euro for each subsidy euro; municipalities determine their own campaign terms.

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Funding in Castellón’s EUR40 voucher example (EUR per example voucher)
Category	Contribution
Buyer payment	20 EUR per example voucher
Provincial subsidy	20 EUR per example voucher

The council projects EUR4 million in purchases from the EUR2 million public contribution. That is an intended purchasing capacity, not a reported total of issued vouchers, redemptions or additional economic activity. No completed consumer sales were disclosed in the reviewed announcements.

The mechanism gives participating businesses access to purchases partly funded by public money, while restricting that support to the local programme's eligible activity. Its practical reach will depend on the acceptance network and operating terms set by each municipality.

Local funding changes as councils prepare campaigns

The province supplies funding and common branding, but councils can decide which businesses and activities qualify, when their campaigns begin and how vouchers are managed. The announcement allows arrangements involving merchants, consumers or another locally selected method within the provincial rules. It does not specify one universal physical card, digital wallet or processing provider. [S01]

The September 22 account says implementing rules still needed approval after the budget amendment. It therefore establishes an approved funding step, rather than evidence that all municipalities had enrolled or opened voucher sales. The plenary also delegated approval and resolution of the grant call to the governing board. [S02]

Under the announced structure, municipalities above 20,000 residents would receive a fixed maximum of EUR50,000. Smaller municipalities' allocations would consider population and the effects of summer fires. Beneficiaries were to receive an 85% advance during 2026 and have until June 30, 2027 to distribute vouchers and run their campaigns. [S01]

The earmark for fire-affected municipalities below 20,000 residents was EUR74,000 in the September 15 presentation and EUR95,500 in the September 26 update, a difference of EUR21,500. Both announcements describe a EUR2 million overall programme. These are successive stated allocations within that programme, not two separate funds to add together or evidence of payments to businesses. The later notice does not explain the change in the earmark. [S01] [S03]

EUR

Sources

Provincial programme presentation, September 15; Provincial recovery update, September 26

Successive announcements for the same programme, not additive amounts or disbursement data. Both retain the EUR2 million total; the later notice does not state why the earmark changed.

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