Housing crisis forces multiple families to share the same home
Soaring housing costs are forcing households to share single properties, with extremes of up to six families under one roof, while many workers are taking on additional employment — including third jobs — to meet rent and mortgage bills. The situation points to a shortage of affordable accommodation, rising pressure on the local property market and public services, and wider impacts on health, education and the labour market.
Transport association backs TVDE drivers' protest
The Associação Portuguesa de Transportadores em Automóveis Descaracterizados (APTAD) has expressed solidarity with TVDE drivers planning a protest next week, criticising declining driver incomes. The association says TVDE drivers' earnings are insufficient and have steadily worsened; drivers have discussed a planned “desliga” (platform logout) action. Riders and passengers should expect possible service disruption if drivers proceed with the protest.
TVDE refers to app‑based private‑hire ride services; the acronym stands for Transporte em Veículos Descaracterizados a partir de Plataforma Eletrónica and covers drivers working for platforms like Uber and Bolt. Drivers are using temporary app shutdowns as a protest over what they say is inadequate regulation and working conditions, so commuters who rely on ride‑hailing during peak hours should expect possible service disruptions next week.
The Associação Portuguesa de Transportadores em Automóveis Descaracterizados (Portuguese Association of Transporters in Unmarked Vehicles) is an association that represents drivers who work in TVDE services (ride‑hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt). It commonly organises negotiations and protests on behalf of drivers, so travellers and platform workers should watch its announcements because they can affect service availability and regulatory discussions.
"December was a disaster": chefs in Portugal are "working to pay the bills"
Is there a crisis in the restaurant industry? Between declines in consumer spending and rising costs, restaurants are under severe pressure. Chefs and restaurateurs are speaking out. “I foresee a very difficult 2026,” says Rui Paula.
World Economic Forum signals weakening of the global economy in 2026
The World Economic Forum warns the global economy is expected to weaken in 2026, raising concerns about slower growth and potential policy challenges for governments and markets.
Madeira and the Azores recorded economic growth in 2024 but at a slower pace
Despite the increase compared with 2023, the Azores' GDP remained in 2024 below the national average and distant from the European average.
Dstgroup raises 'minimum wage' to €1,076 net
Dstgroup, a Portuguese business group in the engineering and construction sector, has decided to raise the minimum pay for its workers to €1,076 net per month. This is higher than the national minimum wage, which is currently set at €920. 'Since 1 January, dstgroup has increased the monthly net amount [of the minimum wage] ...
09:00 — Wages: Government meets with Public Administration
On the agenda is the extension of the multi‑year agreement to improve workers' pay. Also, Cotrim asks Montenegro for the PSD's support.
Monthly fees at care homes soar due to labour shortages
Portuguese reporting indicates a sharp rise in monthly fees at some care homes — increases of roughly €500 — driven largely by a persistent labour shortage and higher operating costs. The hikes are prompting families to withdraw elderly relatives, intensifying pressure on informal care networks and raising equity and access concerns for vulnerable patients. Economically, the trend highlights how rising labour costs and constrained staffing can be passed directly to users in minimally regulated markets, with implications for social policy, funding models and workforce recruitment/retention. Separately, French coverage notes a demobilisation of farmers’ protests in Paris, underscoring a wider context of labour and sectoral tensions across services and primary production.
A firm knock on the table, with coherence
I decided to try to return to Portugal. Naively, I was convinced that my experience abroad would bring me better opportunities and that Portugal would want me back...
The restaurant industry is not a luxury; it is an essential service
A statement asserting that restaurants and the catering sector are not a luxury but provide essential economic, social and community services and should be treated as such.
Owner of Pingo Doce sales rise 7.6% to almost €36 billion in 2025
Jerónimo Martins closed the last year with net revenues close to €36 billion, representing growth of 7.6% (in euros) compared with the figures reported last year, the group said in a statement sent to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). Poland continues to be the main driver of ...
Global growth is expected to slow to 2.6% this year
Forecasts indicate that worldwide economic growth will ease to 2.6% in the current year.
Global growth expected to slow to 2.6% this year
The global economy is expected to grow by 2.6% this year, slowing compared with 2025, with weaker performance in the United States, the euro area and Japan, followed by an improvement to 2.7% in 2027, the World Bank forecasts.
Traditional cuisine sacrificed for more profitable alternatives
The restaurant sector in Portugal is experiencing difficulties. Several factors are contributing: rising costs of raw materials, a shortage of labour, a heavy tax burden and a decline in Portuguese purchasing power.
Salaries of food distribution workers to increase by an average of 5.1%
Workers in the food retail and distribution sector will see their wages rise by an average of 5.1% this year compared with 2025. The increase is part of an agreement signed by the Association of Food Product Distributors (ADIPA) and the Union of Workers in the Services Sector (SITESE). "ADIPA and SITESE ...
Press review: Access to healthcare and the industrial crisis in the North
A roundup of press coverage on difficulties accessing health services and the unfolding industrial crisis in the northern region, analysing the effects on local communities, employment and the regional economy.
Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece drive the eurozone economy, says Crédito y Caución
Credit insurer Crédito y Caución reports that Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are leading economic growth in the eurozone.
The Quiet Economies of the Algarve
Home Portugal The Quiet Economies of the Algarve The Quiet Economies of the Algarve Living in Portugal long enough, you begin to notice networks that exist entirely outside the tourist economy.
António Filipe says young people's future cannot be 'forced emigration'
Presidential candidate António Filipe said today that young people's future cannot be forced emigration caused by low wages and a lack of housing, describing the labour package as a threat to their rights and to democracy.
Mum, I have €13,150!
In Portugal, some people avoid the word “salary” and use substitutes such as “conditions”, even when the “conditions” are the salary and almost nothing else. Column by João Pedro Pereira.
Cut in withholding tax gives workers an extra €12 to €21 per month
A table published mid‑week reduces the rates, putting more money into workers' bank accounts each month for those who do not receive pay rises in 2026.
Pureza sides with Catarina against the Left over minimum-service rules
The new leader of the Left Bloc highlighted the MEP's “relentless fights”. Isabel Moreira urged people to “take sides”. And the candidate wants to forget about the baskets and talk about the price of eggs.
"Excellent" or "catastrophic": how is the restaurant sector doing?
High-end dining has sounded the alarm over a crossroads that is eroding business profits. In traditional kitchens, some neighbourhood restaurants are unaware of this crisis. What can be expected for the restaurant industry in 2026?
New minimum wage forces companies to spend an extra €866 per year per worker
A rise in the guaranteed national minimum wage to €920 gross per month, together with higher employer Social Security contributions, will raise labour costs by about €866 a year for each worker on the minimum wage. The increase reflects both direct pay and associated employer charges and will squeeze firm margins — particularly in low-margin sectors — with potential knock‑on effects on prices, hiring decisions and informal employment. Policymakers and businesses will need to weigh targeted support, phased implementation or productivity measures to offset the impact on competitiveness and employment.
Related videos
25m
Portugal Resident •
Natasha Donn's News Review – The Resident Podcast – Ep.3 – 05-12-25
25m
Portugal Resident •