Has the town hall required Catalan or Basque on stall signs?
Many vendors and organisers face short deadlines and unclear municipal wording, which increases the risk of permit rejection; they often lack linguistic or legal expertise. Keep a printed copy linked to your permit.
Check local language rules and permits
Check the municipal market ordinance first and get the exact wording required by the market manager.
Municipal rules determine language order, prominence and any mandatory phrasing.
What to read in the ordinance
Look for sections named "rotulación", "senyalització" or "señalización" and the market annex.
These sections often state if Catalan or Euskera must appear first or if both languages must be equal.
Who enforces the rules
Municipal inspectors and market managers enforce signage during market days.
Keep printed approval and proofs ready for inspectors and consumer association representatives.
Quick legal pointers to check now
Confirm whether the market is in Catalonia or the Basque Country.
Region-level language policy can add extra rules on top of municipal ordinances.
Also check food information rules that affect product labels and price presentation.
Legal note: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (2011) requires clear allergen and ingredient information. See
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and check AESAN guidance at
AESAN.
Bring paper approvals to market every market day.
Many municipal requirements depend on both the town hall and the autonomous community. Some municipal wording follows model clauses from the Generalitat's language service. Those clauses often require Catalan to appear with equal or greater prominence. In the Basque Country some municipal bylaws require Euskera presence and sometimes Euskera-first wording. Vendors should look up the exact clause text in the municipality's market ordinance or the community’s official gazette.
Note phrases such as “rotulación en català”, “senyalització en català” or “señalización en euskera”. Inspectors often quote these exact snippets.
If an ordinance gives a formula, copy it verbatim into your stall paperwork.
Ask the market manager to confirm compliance before printing.
Design and typography specs for legible signs
Set typography and contrast so customers can read price and allergen info at a glance.
Good type and spacing solve most compliance and accessibility problems.
Minimum sizes and distances
Use viewing-distance rules tied to label size.
For handheld price tags (60×40 mm), set the price at about 14 to 20 pt.
If you need the price readable from 1 m, choose a larger hanging card (120×80 mm).
Or increase the price type to 20 to 24 pt and shorten product names.
Reserve 48 to 72 pt for large A3 or A2 boards meant for 2 to 3 m viewing.
Always proof actual text on the chosen physical template to confirm fit and legibility.
These sizes reduce disputes at payment.
Contrast and accessibility
Aim for WCAG 2.1 contrast ratios.
Set regular text at minimum 4.5 to 1 and large text at minimum 3 to 1.
Use plain backgrounds and avoid busy photos behind text.
Diacritics and special characters
Include Ç, Ñ, accented vowels and Euskera digraphs like tx correctly.
Catalan often keeps accents in uppercase.
Verify uppercase accent rules for each language.
| Template type |
Visibility |
Mandatory fields |
Best for |
File format |
| Small price tag (60×40 mm) |
1 m |
Item name (bilingual), price, unit |
Fruit/veg stalls |
PDF / SVG |
| Hanging card (120×80 mm) |
1.5 m |
Name, price, allergen icons |
Cheese, cured meats |
PDF / SVG |
| A3 info board |
2–3 m |
Full allergen list, origin, PDO |
Butchers, bakers |
PDF / SVG |
| Digital screen |
Flexible |
Same as board, plus QR link |
Artisan stalls |
PNG / MP4 |
1
Check municipal ordinance for language order.
2
Pick the template and fill bilingual fields.
3
Send to certified translator and request proof.
4
Print a hardproof, mount, photograph for records.
Proofreading saves time and avoids repeat print jobs.
Concrete layout patterns save time during inspections and reduce ambiguity when a municipality allows flexibility.
Recommended options:
(A) Equal prominence two-line format.
Line 1 shows the local language in bold.
Line 2 shows Spanish in regular weight.
Keep both at the same point size and separate them with a thin rule.
Example: “Maduixes / Fresas” with the price on a third line.
(B) Local-first prominence.
Place the local language on the top line.
Make it about 110 to 120 percent of the Spanish line size.
This is useful where local policy prefers prominence.
(C) Compact bilingual single-line.
Use a slash or a bullet when space is tight.
Example: “Marrubiak · Fresas €2.50/kg”.
Keep the price visually dominant.
When abbreviating, add a small language tag such as CA, ES or EU.
Keep allergen icons and price visually dominant in all patterns.
Ensure the ordering matches the municipal or regional rule to avoid permit rejection.
Templates, sample copy and localisation checklist
Pick a template that matches visibility and the product type.
Templates must include bilingual fields for name, price, unit and allergens.
Price tag examples to copy
Use these examples directly. Replace fields in brackets with the product data.
Small price tag (60×40 mm)
Line 1: [Product name in Catalan] / [Product name in Spanish]
Line 2: €[price] per kg
Line 3: Allergens: [list] • Origin: [place]
A3 stall board
Top: Producer: [Name in Catalan / Spanish]
Left: Products (Catalan / Spanish)
Right: Allergens and PDO info
Footer: Stall nº [X] • QR: [link]
Localisation checklist
Check these items before sending to print.
Look at correct diacritics, uppercase accent rules, apostrophes and elisions in Catalan.
Also check use of native place names, correct Euskera digraphs and punctuation.
Confirm translations handle market label languages and correctly render product labels for Spain.
Translation, printing and vetted local vendors
Choose a translator with food-label experience and a printer that can proof glyphs.
This reduces reprints and inspector notes.
How to verify translators
Ask for a certification or reference from local vendors' associations.
Request a short sample translation and compare it with known place names and PDO terms.
Printer proofing workflow
Submit vector files with fonts outlined and request a hardproof.
Check diacritics in the hardproof under natural light before bulk printing.
Keep a digital folder with proofs and invoices.
This works well in theory, but in practice the common error is skipping the hardproof; when no hardproof is checked, accents and special characters often render incorrectly. That causes repeat prints and higher costs. Typical rush costs in 2024 rise 20–50%; test prints avoid that extra spend.
Use bilingual signage by default while adapting order to local rules.
This approach helps with legal compliance and clear shopper communication.
If a market requires Catalan or Euskera prominence, place that language first.
Otherwise treat both languages equally and keep allergen and price details visually dominant.
Cost and lead times
Small tag printing usually costs €0.20–€1 each at retail print shops in 2024.
A3 laminated boards range €6–€25 depending on material and finish.
Rush turnaround can be 24 to 48 hours with a premium fee.
Step-by-step action plan to compliance
Follow these steps when a municipal inspector asks for compliant signage.
The sequence works for both rush fixes and planned updates.
Emergency 24–72 hour workflow
- Read the inspector note and mark required corrections
- Choose the matching template from this article and fill bilingual copy
- Send to a certified translator and request an express proof
Routine pre-season workflow
- Review all price and allergen labels quarterly
- Update translations after seasonal product changes
- Keep copies of proofs and municipal approvals onsite
Ask each contact if they can handle special glyphs, give hardproofs and meet the municipal deadline.
Local vendors' associations often have recommended printers and translators.
What to ask a printer
Confirm they accept vector PDF/SVG, can outline fonts, and offer a hardproof within your deadline.
Ask about lamination options for outdoor markets.
What to ask a translator
Request experience with food labels, familiarity with Catalan or Euskera place names and a short sample translation with diacritics visible.
Ask for turnaround time in hours.
This guidance does not apply when the municipality supplies all market signage.
It also does not apply when signage is covered by a specific event permit.
Nor when a legal order mandates a single official language for a particular market.
Confirm the proof and keep a photo of the mounted sign.
Retain the proof for inspectors.
This habit cuts inspection friction.
Frequently asked questions
Do municipal rules force one language first?
Answer: The rule depends on the municipality and regional policy.
Check the local market ordinance and regional language law for explicit wording.
If unsure, ask the market manager and keep the written reply.
How to show allergens in two languages?
Answer: Present allergen names side by side or use allergen icons with text in both languages.
Make the allergen text visually prominent.
Follow Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requirements.
Can a machine translation be used for labels?
Answer: Machine translation can be used for drafts.
A native translator must proof the result.
Literal machine output often misses local names and accents.
That causes reprints and inspector notes.
What font families work best?
Answer: Use clear sans-serif fonts with open counters like Arial or Helvetica.
Ensure fonts include the full glyph set for Catalan and Euskera.
Test glyphs in a hardproof.
How to handle QR codes and extra info?
Answer: QR codes can link to extended multilingual product pages or to PDF specifications.
Ensure the landing page matches the printed languages.
Include allergen and origin data on the landing page.
Final steps: what to do now
Print one hardproof of your chosen template and mount it on the stall.
Photograph the mounted sign and save the image with the municipal permit number or inspector note.
Keep one contact for a certified translator and one for a local printer on speed dial.
These two contacts remove most delays when markets change prices or product lists.
If a municipal inspector requires changes, implement them and keep the updated proof with the approval.
Good records shorten future inspections and help shoppers, tourists and market managers read labels easily.
Where to check product-label rules for Spain?
Answer: Refer to national food information laws and AESAN guidance for Spain.
Also check regional authorities for added requirements on language prominence.
They set rules for product labels and for determining the languages used on market labels.
