It seems that robbery in the city of Barcelona is by no means confined to the activities of bagsnatchers and muggers, even if the latter categories have become a topic of concern, with a 30% spike registered in the number of robberies with violence in the Catalan capital.
Drinks bill of 42 euros
Barcelona social media users have been reacting with horror at what they consider an equally dishonest form of emptying the wallets of people in the central city: a drinks bill from a bar on the Rambla which, for six modest liquid refreshments, added up to 42 euros. And this was not about exotic products or trendy cocktails.
The check shows that the customers ordered a glass of beer, two juices and three soft drinks. Altogether, the bar calculated a total charge of 42.44 euros for these drinks. The soft drinks came at 5.82 per unit (plus VAT, which in these cases is 10%). The two juices were also billed at 5.82 euros each, plus VAT, and, finally, the beer, a "copón" or large glass according to the ticket, cost more than 10 euros once sales tax was added on.
Social media chokes on the prices
Reaction to the drinks bill from this establishment on Barcelona's tourist mile par excellence was such that it reached thousands of shares on social media. There was no shortage of criticism of the bar, for prices that internet users considered excessive - perhaps three times what Barcelona residents might expect to pay at an ordinary bar in much of the city.
The theories are varied: one Twitter user was sent into a state of shock by the price of a Coca-Cola Light, commenting that the cost price does not exceed 0.60 cents. Other users looked aghast at the price of the pineapple juice. For the price charged, they said, they would at the very least expect it to be freshly squeezed before the eyes of their generous customers.